The 2022 GHSA Track and Field State Championships are just over a month away (May 12-14) and those will be held at four separate locations, with A Public and 4A (Hugh Mills Stadium), A Private and 7A (McEachern), 3A, 6A and Adapted (Grisham Stadium) and 2A and 5A (Kinnett) divided into the different venues. The County Championships meets took place three weekends ago and this past weekend with Alexander sweeping the Douglas County Championships and now the Region/Area schedule will pick up this weekend and early next week and is set to conclude on April 30. Sectionals will take place the following weekend on May 7 and then the much-anticipated championships will be here.
Here is a breakdown of when the various Region Championships will take place ahead of Sectionals. The following regions will crown their region champions this weekend: Region 3 A-Public, Region 1-7A, Region 2-6A, Region 2-7A, Region 3-7A, Region 7-7A, Region 4-6A, Region 7-3A and Region 1 A-Private.
Additionally, Athens Academy’s Last Chance Varsity Meet was canceled on Thursday and this weekend’s slate also includes the Region 5-5A championships, The Region 8-7A championships and the Harris County Invitational Track Meet on Saturday.
These meets are among the last ones before the Region championships begin in earnest on Monday and the sectionals begin to sort out the championship field. This has already been an eventful last month with plenty of incredible performances.
Throughout the season, top performers are recognized by Georgia Mile Split in the track and field athlete of the week(s). There were plenty of worthy candidates over the course of the 4/11-4/16 time period that are being considered for the honor. Savannah Christian’s Maggie Byrd earned recognition with her 5-7 high hump to win the Savannah Private School Championships. Peachtree Ridge’s Tamiia Fuller continued her phenomenal season with victories in both the 100 meter (11.66) and 200 meter dash (23.63) at the Shiloh Invitational.
Woodward Academy’s Olivia Powell clocked first-place finishes in both the 300 and 100 meter hurdles (42.94/14.08) this past weekend at the McEachern Invitational. Additionally, Harrison’s Samantha McGarity took the 1600 meter at McEachern with a 5:02 finish and Sandy Creek’s Chelsea Davis landed a 19-8 in the Long Jump to clinch victory at the Eagle’s Landing Invitational.
At the Fifth annual GA Spring Break Showdown at Marietta on April 2, there were 29 girls and 35 boys programs that participated in the event and the Lowndes girls and Marietta boys earned top team finishes. Lowndes’ top finish was fueled by a memorable performance by Kaniya Johnson—who clocked a first-place 23.60 in the 200 meter dash and a first-place 11.88 in the 100 meter dash. Johnson’s 200-meter time was a top 10 time in the state this year and her 100 meter dash was a top 25 time. Her top finishes earned her female track and field athlete of the week(s) for the period of 3/28-4/9 by ga.milesplit. The other finalists were the Westlake girls—who set a state record in the 4x200 relays with a blazing 1:36.31. Westminster’s Palmer Walstad broke the 5-minute mark with a 4:59 in the 1600 at the Spring Break Showdown and Marist’s Johna Grisik took first with a 2:13 finish in the 800. As for the field events, North Atlanta’s Amber Jamison landed a 38-8 triple jump to win the spring break showdown and Alexander’s Adaejah Hodge won the 400 meter dash with a 55.34 and also took first in the long jump with a 20-.05 at the Beach Run Invitational. Westlake’s Jasmine Harmon also earned a top finish with a 13.78 in the 100 meter hurdles at the Arcadia meet.
On the boys side, New Manchester’s Seth Allen made history with a 198-0 throw in the discus—which marks the fourth-best distance in state history. Ridgeland’s Logan Montgomery won the shotput at the Gordon Lee Invitational with a 60-0 and Southeast Bulloch’s James Hodges cleared 14-8 in the pole vault to win the Rebel Invitational. Creekside’s Dainsus Miller won the Need for Speed triple jump with a 48-8.75 and Westminster’s Malik Mixon clocked a 4:11 finish in the 1600 meter at the GA Spring Break Showdown.
Shiloh’s Christion Barker has led the Generals this season and captured a top finish in the 300 meter hurdles with his 37.06 to take the Gwinnett County championships. Additionally, Heritage’s Rashun Fountain took top finishes in both the 100 and 200 meter championship at NewRock with a 10.54 and 21.10. The month of April also witnessed Southwest DeKalb post a 1:26.66 in the 4x200 meter relay—marking the ninth fastest time in state history.
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