Raiders finish second in region track; Lady Raiders take fourth

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, April 28, 2015

ALBANY – The Southland Raiders track team was edged by Deerfield-Windsor for the Region 3AAA Championship on April 22 at Deerfield’s home track in Albany. When the final points were tallied for the seven-team region, Deerfield held a 157.5 to 147 advantage over Southland. Tiftarea finished third.

The Lady Raiders finished fourth in the team competition with 94 points.

In the Meet’s final day of competition, senior Hunter Weldon led the way for the Raiders, taking home two individual championships with wins in both the shot and the discus.

Other individual region champs from the meet were Wright Calhoun in the 3200 and Madison McPherson in the shot put for the women. Region runners-up were Stephen Turton in the disc and, on the women’s side, Sydney Hayes in the 3200.

Other state qualifiers were Billy Calcutt, who took third in the 3200, McPherson, with a third-place win in the disc, Logan Morris, who took third in the pole vault, Sydney Payne, with a fourth-place finish in the high jump, Jamal Rice, who took fourth in the long jump, and Geoffrey McDonald with a fourth-place finish in the triple jump.

Fifth-place finishers were Alex Exum in the 3200 and Sydney Payne in the long jump. Hannah McCain placed sixth in the disc and Stephen Taggart finished seventh in the shot put. Eighth-place finishers were Riley Preston in the long jump, Keyon Stone in the long jump, and Josh Mckie in the high jump and triple jump.

Wright Calhoun was the high-points winner for the region men with wins in the 800, 1600 and 3200 and a leg on the 3rd place 4 x 400 relay team.

The Men will send ten athletes on to next week’s state meet. Calhoun will compete in the 800, 1600, and 3200. Ridge Roland will compete in the 800 and 1600. Billy Calcutt will race in the 3200. Rice will participate in the 100, 200, and long jump. Ellis Ivey will compete in the 110 and 300 hurdles. Bennett Carey will be participating in the 110 hurdles. McDonald will compete in the triple jump and Turton will participate in the discus. Weldon will take part in the shot put and the discus. The 4 x 400 relay team of Calhoun, Ivey, Roland and Townsend Ray will race as well.

The Lady Raiders will send five athletes to the state meet. McPherson will compete in the 800, the shot put, and the disc. Payne will participate in the high jump. Exum will race in the 400 and Hayes will race the 1600 and 3200. The 4 x 400 relay team of McPherson, Payne, Exum and Brandi Sellars will participate as well.

The state meet begins at 1:30 PM on Thursday, April 30 at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany, continuing Friday and Saturday.