Four from Tift to compete in state track and field finals
May 9—WINDER — Four Tift County athletes will made the big trip to Rome this week to compete in the Class 6A state finals in track and field. Three Lady Devils, Bailee Williams, Makali Hall and Daisy Robinson, as well as one Blue Devil, Will Clark. Sectionals were held at Apalachee High School May 6.
Williams had the best finish of anyone, 2nd place in shot put. Though below her usual mark, Williams threw 37-04.5. First place went to Neely Rogan of the host school, who threw 39-06.
Hall and Robinson both advanced in the 400 meters, with 6th and 8th place runs, respectively. Both even ran in the same heat. Hall's time was 1:00.9, with Robinson coming in at 1:02.4.
Clark tied for 6th with a high jump of 5-10. It was a tough day for high jumpers as no one cleared more than 6-2. Riyon Rankin, the Brunswick athlete who had made more than 7 feet at region, only made 6 feet at Apalachee.
Finals at Rome's Barron Stadium begin May 11, with both shot put and high jump on the opening day. Prelims for the 400 are May 12, with finals on the 13th.
Individuals competing at sectionals were Jalon Miller (400), Antonio Burgess (110 and 300 hurdles), Dontae' Jones (triple jump) and pole vaulters Trevor Gebhart and Anthony Pace for the Blue Devils and Diamond Wallace (100), Emmalyn Lukas (3,200), Kayla Newton (pole vault), Lily Bruce (100 hurdles, high jump) and Williams had an additional event in discus.
Tift also entered boys relay teams in the 4x200, 4x400 and 4x800 and girls in the 4x100 and 4x400.
Williams almost made the finals in discus, placing 9th. She threw 87-05, a few feet short of 8th place.
Pole vault will have head coach J.C. Clark excited for next year. While no Blue Devils advance to state, freshman Anthony Pace cleared 10-6. Gebhart had a personal best of 11 feet, though unfortunately he is a senior.
Less than five-hundredths of a second keeps Wallace from the finals in the 100. Her time was 12.64 seconds. Eighth place crossed the finish line in 12.59 seconds.
Like their male counterparts, high jump was brutal for female competitors. Bruce's height of 4-08 gave her 11th place, but none of the competitors made more than 4-10.
