GHSA track: Bleckley County brings the brooms from Cochran to Athens for state track (Monday/Tuesday Central Georgia champs)

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          If there’s running involved, keep an eye on Bleckley County.

          Often, that eye comes from behind.

          The Royals used impressive depth on Tuesday to sweep the GHSA Class A/Division I track titles at UGA’s Spec Towns Track.

          Classes A/Division II and 4A were completed on Monday, with A/I and 6A on Tuesday. Class 5A and Private are on Wednesday, with 2A and 3A on Thursday.

          The last school to take both titles was Westminster in Class 4A in 2024. And the spring sweep follows the same in the fall, with the Royals’ cross country teams having won their second straight state championships.

          The boys defended their state title, last year’s the team’s first since 2019. It’s the girls’ first state championship since winning Class AA in 2007.

          Both teams topped Vidalia, the girls by 27 points and the boys by 11 points.

          The depth was particularly outstanding for Bleckley County’s girls, who took first in only the 4x800 relay.

          They were 2-3-4 in the 1,600 and 2-3-4 in the 800, plus 2-3-6 in the 3,200. In those three events alone, Bleckley County

The boys topped by Vidalia by 11 points and the girls

          Bleckley County’s Ryder Garrett won 1600 by less than four seconds over Brody Gibbs, who was four second behind teammate Harrison Rogers in the 3,200.

          Taylor County’s girls finished fourth in Class A/Division II, taking the titles in the 4x100 and 4x200.

          East Laurens’ Caleb Jackson is a double winner, taking the shot put by less than an inch and the discus in Class A/Division I.

          See here for full results.

State champions
Class 4A Girls
Kherington Johnson, Warner Robins, 100 hurdles, 14.34
Class A/I Girls
4x800 relay, Bleckley County (Claira Lynch Natalie Kitchens Ella Gibbs Lily Farrell), 9:48.62
Class A/Division I Boys
Ryder Garrett, Bleckley County, 4:26.49
Caleb Jackson, East Laurens, shotput, 50.75
Bill Waters, Putnam County, high jump, 6-6.5
4x400 relay, Bleckley County (Matthew Adams Ryder Garrett Kelvin Sneed Harrison Rogers) 3:20.69
4x800 relay, Bleckley County (Ryder Garrett Harrison Rogers Brody Gibbs Jack Harrell), 8:15.84
Class A/Division II Girls
4x100 relay, Taylor County (Ariuana McCants Summer Searcy Skyler Searcy Diamond Davis)
4x200 relay, Taylor County (Summer Searcy Diamond Davis Ariuana McCants Skyler Searcy

Team results
Girls
Class AAAA
10. Warner Robins 21
Class A/Division I
1. Bleckley County 81
22. East Laurens, Washington County 6
24. Lamar County 5
27. Dodge County 3
28. Putnam County 2
Class A/Division II
4. Taylor County 51
11. GMC Prep 23
29. Hawkinsville 6
35. Crawford County 3
38. Wilkinson County 1
Boys
Class AAAA
21. Jones County 15
36. Warner Robins 3
Class A/Division I
1. Bleckley County 98
8. Northeast 27
9. Washington County 25
10. Lamar County 24.5
12. East Lauresn 20
19. Dodge County 12.5
20. Putnam County 10
25. Jasper County 7
33. Dublin 2
34. ACE Charter 2
Class A/Division II
15. Hawkinsville 16
16. Hancock Central 16
28. Macon County, Wilkinson County 6
39. Crawford County 1