DeKalb Schools Track: Teams Competing for Region Titles

The 2012 track season is winding down as all the DeKalb County track teams prepare for next week’s region track meets that qualify the athletes for the State Sectionals on Saturday, April 28.

First up next week is the Region 6-AAAA Championships beginning on Monday, April 16 and continuing through Wednesday, April 18 at DeKalb County’s Panthersville Stadium.

Chamblee, Dunwoody, Lakeside, Lithonia, Miller Grove, Redan, Southwest DeKalb and Tucker are scheduled to compete.

The meet begins at 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday beginning on Monday with the boys’ field events and the girls’ running events preliminaries and 1600 meter run finals. Tuesday will consist of the girls’ field events finals and the boys’ running events preliminaries and 1600 meter. Wednesday’s schedule begins at 5:30 p.m. with the 4x100 meter relay finals.

Dunwoody edged Tucker by one point and Redan by 3.5 points to win the 2011 title and returns senior Dazel Claytor who took gold in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.

Tucker is led by hurdler Juwaan Williams and long jumper/200 meter dash competitor Yusef Minor.

Redan returns hurdler Troy Howard, gold in the 110 hurdles a year ago, and long jump gold medalist Jamar Sims.

Southwest DeKalb is set to defend its Region 6-AAAA girls’ title which it ran away with a year ago 159-95 over Redan. The Lady Panthers look to senior Greciana Cooper who won both the 800 and 1600 meter runs last season as well as Charlotte Williams (400 meter dash and long jump) and Demetria Dickens and Kenya Wheeler in both the shot put and discus.

Redan returns hurdler and triple jumper India Hammond who was a key component in the Lady Raider’s second place finish a year ago.

The Region 5-AAA Championships begin on Tuesday, April 17 at Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta and continue through Thursday, April 19. Arabia Mountain, Cedar Grove, Columbia, Druid Hills, McNair, Stone Mountain and Towers are competing from DeKalb County.

Defending girls’ champion Cedar Grove returns junior twin sisters Kayla and Christian Pryor who combined for three individual gold medals as well as running legs on both the gold medal winning relay teams.

Arabia Mountain which finished fifth in the team standings returns 100 meter gold medalist Alivia Cromartie and fellow sophomore and 200 meter gold medalist Vanessa Providence.

The Cedar Grove Saints look to improve on their runner-up finish to Woodward Academy a year ago led by sprinter Marlon Coley and their always tough relay teams along with jumper Kareem Nicholas in both the long and triple jump.

Stone Mountain returns double gold medalist Tamarick Johnson in the 200 and 400 meter dashes along with sprinters Fred Scott and Aaron Sibley both of whom will provide valuable points to the team effort. The Pirates also have one of the fastest 4x100 relay teams in the state this year.

The Region 2-AAAAA Championships are also a three-day event beginning on Thursday, April 19 and running through Saturday, April 21 at Langston Hughes High School with Martin Luther King Jr. and Stephenson competing.

The defending state champion Martin Luther King Jr. Lady Lions who finished second at region a year ago to Westlake are looking for the region title this year with Westlake posing the biggest competition.

The Lady Lions currently hold the fastest 4x100 relay time in the nation at 45.42 and one of the fastest times in Georgia in the 4x400 relay at 3:45.94 both of which set new DeKalb County Championships records. Senior sprinter Felicia Brown, who won gold in the 400, and 100 and 200 meter defending region champion Jada Brown return.

The Lions return gold medalist B. J. Burney in the 110 meter hurdles and Jordan Moore who currently has the state’s best time in the 110 hurdles at 13.65. Stephenson is led by senior Lontario Collier (400, 800 meter runs) and sophomore Jared Tucker (100, 200 meter dashes) both of whom comprise part of the Jaguar relay teams along with DeKalb County shot put champion Amos Harper.

The Region 6-AA Championships are being held at Westminster on Thursday and Friday (April 19-20) as Clarkston and Cross Keys are set to compete.

Region Track Schedule
Monday, April 16
Region 6-AAAA at Panthersville Stadium, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, April 17
Region 6-AAAA at Panthersville Stadium, 5 p.m.
Region 5-AAA at Lakewood Stadium, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, April 18
Region 6-AAAA at Panthersville Stadium (Finals), 5 p.m.
Region 5-AAA at Lakewood Stadium, 5 p.m.

Thursday, April 19
Region 5-AAA at Lakewood Stadium (Finals), 5 p.m.
Region 2-AAAAA at Langston Hughes, 5 p.m.
Region 6-AA at Westminster, 5 p.m.

Friday, April 20
Region 2-AAAAA at Langston Hughes, 5 p.m.
Region 6-AA at Westminster (Finals), 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 20
Region 2-AAAAA at Langston Hughes (Finals), 5 p.m.

Mark Brock is the Statistician/Information Officer/Web Manager for DeKalb County Schools Athletics