Montgomery County a favorite in meet
If Montgomery County can come close to repeating in the GHSA boys state track meet what it did in sectional competition, the Eagles have a fair shot at bringing a state championship home to Mount Vernon.
Projections by www.ga.milesplit.com have Montgomery County finishing first among Class A public schools in the state meet, which begins Thursday in Jefferson.
The Eagles have only one top seed, their 4x100 relay team. But they have 13 individual competitors, and seeds in the top four in the long jump (Malik Linder), 400 (Clayton Harvey), 800 (Gamal Lawton), 200 (Linder), and 3,200 (Victor and Josue Ramirez).
Hancock Central — the state champ in 2014 — is projected third and Telfair County fifth with Treutlen seventh.
In Class A private, FPD is picked to finish sixth after taking second a year ago.
Fitzgerald finished second last year, but it slotted at No. 7 in Class AA. Vidalia is projected third, four spots better than last year's finish, with Bleckley County eighth, after taking ninth a year ago.
Peach County is predicted, based on those sectional marks, to finish third in Class AAA (an improvement of 10 positions) and Baldwin ninth in Class AAAA.
Jatavious Harris of Baldwin is seeded first in the Class AAAA 200 and second in the 100.
Top seeds from the area in Class AA are Nathaniel Oliver of Macon County in the discus, Chandler Eckler of Fitzgerald in the pole vault, Martavius White of East Laurens in the 200.
Class A public top seeds from Middle Georgia are Ladarus Lundy of Hancock Central in the triple jump, Robert Cornelius of Twiggs County in the long jump and Blake Bargeron of Telfair County in the 3,200.
Area top seeds in Class A private are FPD's Robby Watson in the discus and shot, Stratford's Quintez Cephus in the triple jump, FPD's Josh Miller in the pole vault (co-top seed) and Titus Moore in the 110 hurdles.
The highest area seed in Class AAA is third: Toombs County's Tyree Brown in the high jump, Peach County's Kyle Nixon in the 400 and the Trojans' 4x400 relay team.
Drae Butts of Jones County is seeded second in the Class AAAAA triple jump.
Watson won both events last year, while Hancock Central won the 4x100 last year.
Action begins Thursday with field events and the 1,600-meter run. Qualifying heats for other races are Friday morning.
GHSA Boys Track and Field Meet Middle Georgia Qualifiers Class AAAAA
Jones County
Drae Butts, triple jump; Dalton Carr, pole vault; Shareez Hamm, long jump; Wyatt Hunter, pole vault; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: Drake Bolus, Butts, Hamm, Semaj Ingram, Levi Moss, Jamin Poole.
Warner Robins
Marquez Callaway, high jump
Class AAAA
Baldwin
Keldick Bell, long jump; Tacorey Clayton, triple jump; Jatavious Harris, 100, 200; Evan Simmons, 400; Willie Williams, shot put; 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay
Relay participants: Bell, Bell, Dalvin Ruff, Harris, LaKeith Redding, James Kilgore.
Howard
Jerin Means, long jump
Mary Persons
Quintarus Alford, high jump; Jomari Jackson, 200; Lawson Weldon, 1,600; 4x100 relay
Relay participants: Ty Danielly, Kendrell Taylor, Jatori Sims, Jackson, Dee Gaines, Rashaad Hughley
Perry
4x100 relay; 4x400 relay
Relay participants: J.K. Lane, Jamerius Jolley, Keontrae Clayton, Jamir Johnson, Jay Watkins; Corey Davis, Evan Thomas.
Upson-Lee
Wyquavious Battle, 200; Peyton Caudle, pole vault; Omar Johnson, discus; Markevious Robinson, 110 hurdles; Aquavius Tunstall, 200; Davion Willis, high jump; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: Shamare Bailey, Battle, Damian Leonard, Tunstall, Kenny Richardson, Willis.
Veterans
Nikalas Rowland, 3,200.
West Laurens
Keith Edwards, 100; Dray Evans, long jump; Austin Helton, pole vault, 300 hurdles; Will Stone, 400, 800.
Class AAA
Central
Carlos Ferguson, triple jump; Jaren Harris, 400; Johnathon Hunter, 1,600, 3,200; Chandler King, shot put; Kendrick Powell, 300 hurdles; 4x400 relay.
Relay participants: Darius Willis, Jamarkus Wynes, Denson, Harris, Antonio Sanders.
Dodge County
Larry Johnson, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Clayton Scarborough, 3,200; Cameron Young, long jump, triple jump.
Peach County
Dean Brown, 200; Kearis Jackson, discus, 100, shot put; Kevin Nixon, discus; Kyle Nixon, triple jump, 400; Malik Statum, triple jump;Elilel Waltn, long jump, 110 hurdles; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay.
Relay participants: Trevon Woolfolk, Brown, Nixon, Nixon, Jackson, Shemarcus Redding.
Toombs County
Tyree Brown, high jump; Tristan Lynn, 1,600.
Washington County
Dyquan Bloodsaw, 100; Brian Green, long jump; Anthony Robinson, high jump.
Westside
Ronnie Lawson, 110 hurdles.
Class AA
Bleckley County
Dayton Cannon, 1,600; Austin Cook, 800; Carl Ellis Corley, 1,600, 3,200; Nykeem Farrow, 100, 200; Anuj Patel, 800; Bronson Sanders, 3,200; Will Simmons, pole vault; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay.
Relay participants: Lequan Allen, Farrow, Logan Pittman,LaDarick Vickers, Patel, Clay Blanton, Corley, Taylor Harrell, Farrow.
Crawford County
Quay Wiggins, long jump, triple jump.
East Laurens
Juwon Edmon, 100; Dylan Hall, triple jump; Kevin Lovett, 100, 200; Martavius White, triple jump; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: Edmond, Jacorey Coleman, White, Lovett, La'Zerrick Dixon, Julius Coley.
Fitzgerald
Chandler Eckler, pole vault; Darrius Hampton, discus, high jump; Montreil Harris, 200; Jason Poe, discus, shot put; Willie Ross, high jump; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: Antonio Perry, Harris, Hampton, Jalin Shavers, James Graham, JD King.
Jeff Davis
Donald Bonner, 300 hurdles; Antavion Stegall, 110 hurdles; Treyton Waters, pole vault.
Lamar County
Pippin Davis, discus; John Griner, 1,600; Tae Holiday, triple jump; LJ Smith, high jump; Frank Spafford, 3,200.
Macon County
Christian Meadows, shot put; Nathaniel Oliver, discus; Dequinton Walker, high jump.
Monticello
Cameron Davis, 100 Jay Johnson, long jump, triple jump; Brandon Stewart, 800; 4x400 relay.
Relay participants: Malcolm Smith, Denzel Sands, John Davis, Stewart, Chansler Hope, Delantrez Johnson.
Northeast
Quintavius Albritton, 1,600, 3,200; Anthony Barnette, 200; Chavis Rouse, 300 hurdles; Kilil Smith, 110 hurdles; Marquez Stephson, 400; Michael Williams, 800; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay.
Relay partcipants: Jaqeuz Durham, Stephson, Tevin Thomas, Barnette, Quanterrius Harvey, Chavis Head, Albritton.
Putnam County
Nicholas Calhoun, 300 hurdles; Reilyous Calhoun, 400; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: R. Calhoun, Torrence Calhoun, Daniel Pettigrew, Cano Slappy, Kadeem Walton.
Vidalia
Jaquan Cornish, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Deon Green, 100, 200; Devin Johnson, discus, shot put; Chris Jones, 800; Shon Jones, long jump, triple jump, 400; Mielon Parrish, 400; Tyquan Powell, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay.
Relay participants: Green, Lakia Henry, Jones, Jones, Nate McBride, Karen McKinney, Parrish, Powell, Keshawn Williams.
Class A Public
Dooly County
Maurice Hawkins, 800; Antonio Laidler, triple jump; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: Laidler, Andravius Lawson, Na'tabius Lawson, Stevie Rhodes, Andre Robinson, Reginal Smith.
GMC
Mark McCabe, 3,200; Ethan Yopp, 3,200.
Hancock Central
Ladarius Brown, 400; Jaquavius Culver, 800; Rodriques Giles, 300 hurdles; Montorius Hall, 110 hurdles; Donald Harper, 110 hurdles; Camiel Lawrence, 400; Ladarus Lundy, long jump, triple jump; Micheal Reese, shot put; Antonio Samuels, 1,600; Teondrick Shorter, triple jump; Shondez Williams, 100, 200; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay (two teams).
Relay participants: Darius Battle, Brown, Shymu Bryant, Culver, Jamiahus Fountain, Giles, Hall, Marcellus Lamar, Lawrence, Devocea Lott, Sammie Mayweather, Timothy Ray, Williams, Jefftavious Wilson.
Hawkinsville
Adan Martinez, 1,600.
Montgomery County
Clayton Harvey, 400, 200; Gamal Lawton, pole vault, 1,600, 800; Malik Linder, long jmp, 200; Josue Ramirez, 3,200; Victor Ramirez, 1,600, 3,200; Randy Shoemake Jr., pole vault, Jontarius Williams, triple jump; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay.
Relay participants: Jayland Dasher, Quincy Doyle, Harvey, Keenan Hollis, Lawton, Linder, V. Ramirez, Shoemake, Jamon Telfair, Bakari Woods.
Taylor County
Lyn-J Dixon, long jump, 100.
Telfair County
Blake Bargeron, 1,600, 3,200; Grant Cook, 1,600, 3,200; Adam King, shot put; Kell Pound, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Javonta Wilcox, 100, 200; 4x100 relay.
Relay participants: Larrion Hamilton, Cam Smith, Tyrone Taylor, Wilcox.
Treutlen
Ben Blackshear, long jump; Kerashod Jordan, 800; Kevin Mills, high jump; Jacuri Williams, discus.
Twiggs County
Robert Cornelius, long jump; Javarie Lawson, 1,600, 800; Javoris Smith, 100.
Wilkinson County
Aaron Geter, high jump
Class A Private
FPD
Josh Miller, pole vault; Titus Moore, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Jacob Mullis, shot put; Robby Watson, discus, shot put.
Mount de Sales
Tunji Afolabi-Brown, 1,600; Brandon Bivins, long jump; Allen Kim, 1,600; Matthew McNair, 110 hurdles.
Stratford
Quintez Cephus, triple jump; Tucker Massey, pole vault; McKinley Thompson, high jump.
This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Montgomery County a favorite in meet."