Maurice Gleaton Jr Leads Langston Hughes To 5A Team Title; Piper Brown Jumps US#1 6-0 In High Jump; Jasmine Robinson Wins Hurdles Double; Kameron Bethea Leads Buford To 6A Boys Championship

By Mary Albl of DyeStat 

Langston Hughes senior Maurice Gleaton Jr. made sure his final state track meet was a memorable one. The University of Georgia commit, and one of the nation's top sprinters, led his team to a dominating performance to win the 5A state title on Friday at the Georgia High School Association State Track and Field Championships.

At Barron Stadium in Rome, Gleaton won the 100 (10.51), 200 (21.39) and was the second leg on the 4x100 relay that ran a US#3 time in the prelims of 39.96. The team won the event in 40.75 in the finals. 

In the field, Woodward Academy senior Cameron Dean won the triple jump in a US#8 mark of 50-7.50.

A strong effort in the distance events propelled Pope to the 5A girls title. The team won the 800, 3,200 and 4x800 relay and scored points in the 1,600 with a second and fourth place finish. 

6A and 1-3A Private - Carrollton 

The Buford boys edged out defending 7A champion, Carrollton, 74-70 to claim the 6A title. Kameron Bethea led the way for Buford, picking up wins in the 100 (10.57) and 200 (21.48). Buford also won the 4x1 (40.41) and 4x4 (3:16.46) relays. 

Westlake senior Sidi Njie, one of the nation's top sprinters, won the 400 in a time of 46.31. 

In the distance events, junior James Pifer Jr. of Collins Hill and senior Jackson Hogsed of Lambert had two epic races. In the 1,600, Pifer Jr. won in 4:09.20, while Hogsed was a close second in 4:12.37. In the 3,200, Hogsed just edged out Pifer Jr. 8:57.10 to 8:57.34. 

In the field, Carrollton’s Khalen Pinkard won the triple jump (49-10.75) with a US#15 mark and also took first in the long jump (23-7.50). 

Marietta won the 6A girls championship with 70 points with junior Mary Nesmith winning the 1,600 (4:47.96) and teammate Maddie Jones claiming the 3,200 (10:29.09). Marietta also added a victory in the 4x800 relay, running a US#14 time of 9:08.62. 

Buford sophomore Olivia Harris ran to a US#5 time in the 400, clocking 52.49.

The nation's top hurdler, Jasmine Robinson of North Cobb won the 100 hurdles in a time of 13.75 and 300 hurdles (41.88)

In the distance events, US#2 800 runner, South Cobb senior Oluwatosin Awoleye, won in an easy 2:07.85. 

Junior Jamari Rousseau won the 110 hurdles (14.57) and 300 hurdles (39.90) to lead Landmark Christian to the 1-3A private boys state title. 

Greater Atlanta Christian won the girls team title with 114 points as junior standout jumper and sprinter Ava Kitchings won the long jump with a US#3 mark of 20-5.50. Skylar Cunningham won the 100 (11.32) and 200 (23.34), while Kitchings was runner-up in both. 

1A D1 - Rome

Bleckley County edged out The Best Academy, 58-55 to claim the 1A Division 1 crown.  The team was paced by junior Ryder Garrett, who won the 800 (1:58.60) and 1,600 (4:34.54). Team also went 2-3-4 in the 3,200 to score valuable points. 

Vidalia junior Takaiyah Bacon won the long (18-1) and triple jump (38-10.50) to help her team to a 1A Division 1 title. 

Banks County junior Ansley Moore completed the distance triple, winning the 800 (2:18.05), 1600 (5:09.83) and 3,200 (11:04.84). 

4A &2A - East Jackson High

Starr’s Mills won the 4A boys title with 42 points as Cartersville and Benedictine Military each finished with 40 points for runner-up honors. Senior Jared Moore led the way for Starr’s Mills with wins in the discus (190-11) and shot put (63-6). 

In the distance events, with the absence of Marist’s Tommy Latham, teammates Andrew Stricken captured the 1,600 (4:12.13) and 3,200 (9:08.99) titles. Latham, who this spring became Georgia's first sub-four prep miler, was disqualified from the state meet over an unsportsmanlike gesture at the regional qualifying meet. 

The Westminster girls defended the 4A title putting up 69 points to hold off runner-up Harris County (66 points).

Southwest Dekalb’s India Thorpe was one of the top performers of the meet, winning the triple jump in a US#15 mark of 41-1. She also won the 100 hurdles (14.50) and finished second in the 300 hurdles (43.88). 

In 2A boys action, Hart County junior Luke Samples won the pole vault in a top 25 U.S. mark of 16-6. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate claimed the team title with 56 points.

Piper Brown of Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe became the first girl in the country to clear 6 feet in the high jump to establish a new US#1 mark in the girls high jump and break a 29-year-old Class AA record. Brown also broke her school record. 

In the team race, the Carver girls scored 61 points to win the title. 

3A & 1A-Division 2 - Albany State University 

In 3A action, Sandy Creek’s Dalen Penson, a senior won the triple jump, soaring 50-0.50 to a US#11 mark. He won the 110 hurdles (14.01) and finished fifth in the long jump to lead this team to a repeat state title. 

In the distance events, North Hall’s Bryant Young won the 800 (1:55.45), 1,600 (4:16.05) and 3,200 (9:28.96). 

The girls 3A title came down to the wire with Monroe Area finishing with 61 points, and North Hall claiming second place with 60.25 points. Freshman Kaelyn Ansley was a key piece to the state title winning the long jump (18-6), 200 (24.91) and placing second in the 400 (56.55). 

North Hall’s Summer Muxlow won the 1,600 (5:09.12) 3,200 (11:18.26) and finished second in the 800. 

The Mitchell County boys repeated as the 1A Division 2 champions, edging out Warren County, 54-52 for the state title. 

In the distance events, Georgia Military Greene’s Julian Council swept the distance events winning the 800 (2:01.20), 1,600 (4:32.55) and 3,200 (10:18.89).

The 1A Division 2 girls title went to Claxton with 74 points as the team dominated the field events. Jayda Jordan won the shot put (41-5) and discus (136-1), Hannah Hendrix captured the pole vault (9 feet), and Trinity Lavant won the long jump (18-3.50) and triple jump (38-1) for Claxton. 

In the distance events, Bowdon sophomore Averi Lowen dominated the 3,200 in 10:16.79, winning by almost three full minutes. She also won the 1,600 in 4:57.44, 35 seconds faster than the next runner, and placed second (2:20.38) in the 800.

Team Champions

6A: Buford boys 74 points; Marietta girls 70 points - RESULTS

5A: Langston Hughes 99 points; Pope girls 96 points - RESULTS

4A: Starr’s Mills boys 42 points; Westminster girls 69 points - RESULTS

3A: Sandy Creek boys 91 points; Monroe Area girls 61 points - RESULTS

2A: KIPP Atlanta Collegiate boys 56 points; Carver girls 61 points - RESULTS

1-3A Private: Landmark Christian boys; Greater Atlanta Christian girls 114 points - RESULTS

1A D1: Bleckley County boys 58 points; Vidalia girls 70 points - RESULTS

1A D2: Mitchell County boys 54 points; Claxton girls 74 points - RESULTS