County championships produce stellar performances

Every year, county championships around the state serve as solid warm ups for athletes as they prepare for the qualifying meets – regionals, sectionals and state. Though county championships are only for annual bragging rights, the natural rivalries among many of the teams oftentimes produce great performances.

This year was no exception. Here is a look at some of this year’s county championship teams and stellar performances in those meets, which serve as a prelude to region meets later this week and over the weekend.

Atlanta City Championships Champions: Mays (boys), Maynard Jackson (girls) Top Performances: Maynard Jackson swept both 4X100 meter relays as the girls won the event going away with a time of 46.48, while the boys team ran 41.99.

Clayton County Championships Champions: Morrow (boys), Mt. Zion Champer (girls) Top Performances: Charles Drew took home both long jump titles as Shatara Johnson won the girls' competition with a leap of 18-8 ½, and James Brown won the boys with a mark of 23-7.

Cobb County Championships Champions: Allatoona (boys); Marietta (girls) Top Performances: Walton's Tia Jones won the 100-meter hurdles in a blistering 13.74, after running even faster in the prelims (13.68), while McEachern's Victoria Agyin won the long jump (19-5) and the triple jump (39-9 ½). JaVaughn Moore of Wheeler won the 100 meters in 10.76, while Lassiter's Myles Marshall won both hurdle events – the 110-meter hurdles in 14.40 and the 300-meter hurdles in 38.96.

DeKalb County Championships Champions: Southwest DeKalb (boys), Miller Grove (girls) Top Performances: Kayla Hunt of MLK won the 100 and 200 meters, in 11.95 and 24.61, respectively. Marc Boykin of Southwest DeKalb also doubled, winning the 100 in 10.73 and the 200 in 21.54.

Douglas County Championships Champions: Alexander (Boys), Alexander (Girls) Top Performances: Alexander's Brenda Ayuk won the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:59.87 … William Jones of Lithia Springs won the long jump with a leap of 24-feet, 3 ½ inches.

Fayette County Championships Champions: McIntosh (Boys), Fayette County (Girls) Top Performances: Rikkelle Miller of Fayette County won the discus with a toss of 121-2

Forsyth County Championships Champions: Lambert (boys), South Forsythe (girls) Top Performances: Jordan Smith of Lambert won the 400 meters in 55.74, while Jack Haller of West Forsyth took the pole vault with a 15-3.

Fulton County Championships Champions: Milton (boys), Westlake (girls) Top Performances: Jayda Drake-Howard won both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles in 13.82 and 42.79, respectively. Cameron Murray won the 110-meter hurdles (13.92) and the long jump (24-3 ½ ), while Pache' Caldwell of Riverwood won the high jump (6-8).

Gwinnett County Championships Champions: Archer (boys), Buford (girls) Top Performances: Jazmine Hobson blazed to a time of 11.80 to win the 100 meters, while Justin Long of Parkview won the 200 meters in 21.40, and the 400 meters in 48.07

Henry County Championships Champions: Union Grove (boys), Union Grove (girls)  Top Performances: Darci Khan of Stockbridge won the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 14.38, while Luella's Latrell Murray won the 300-meter hurdles in 37.34.