TRACK & FIELD
The state’s biggest track & field stage awaits Jones County in six different events this week in Columbus. By virtue of their performances at Saturday’s sectionals, the Greyhounds and Lady Greyhounds will have entries in five individual events as well as the girls 4x800 relay at the GHSA Class AAAAA state meet at Kinnett Stadium in Columbus, which runs from Thursday through Saturday.
Leading that charge, as expected, will be Zion Ragins in the 100- and 200-meter events. Ragins will be going for not only his third 100-meter state championship in as many years but also his second 200-meter title in three seasons. He was unable to finish last year’s 200-meter event at the state meet due to injury.
Ragins won first in both of his sectional events on Saturday, running a 10.40 in the 100 meters and 21.63 in the 200. But in a sign of who some of the top competitors will be in Columbus, Dutchtown’s Tyler Dixon was second to him in both events. Another top contender is expected to be Shavique Bascus of Clarke Central, who ran in Saturday’s other sectional. Of all boys AAAAA runners, his 100-meter time was second only to Ragins in sectionals, and his 20.91 in the 200 meters was the only AAAAA time to better that of Ragins.
Prelims for the 100- and 200-meter events are scheduled for 12:40 p.m. and 4:20 p.m., respectively on Friday with finals on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 3:40 p.m.
Lilly Palmer joins Ragins as having qualified for two events at the state meet. Her time of 11:53.32 earned her a fourth-place finish in the 3,200 meters, and she was part of a 4x800 relay team that was also second by way of a time of 10:26.56. Others on the state-bound relay team were Addison Robinson, Camryn Wommack and Landry Fletcher. The 4x800 relay is scheduled for 7:40 p.m.
Thursday with the 3,200-meter run final slated for 5 p.m. on Friday.
Austin Hanks and Jaivon Solomon also punched their tickets to Columbus through their finishes at sectionals.
Hanks’ discus throw of 141-09.00 picked up a finish of fifth at sectionals with Solomon finishing eighth in the triple jump, jumping 42-10.00.
The discus and triple jump events are scheduled for approximately 10 a.m. on Thursday.
