BROOKLET — The Southeast Bulloch High boys and girls track teams continued their region dominance Tuesday afternoon, sweeping the Region 1-AAA championship in front of a home crowd at Fred Shaver Field.
    The region championship, hosted by SEB, was held over two days. For the boys, the region title is the team’s second region title in as many years. For the girls, the region title win gives the Lady Yellow Jackets its fifth straight region crown.
    “If you look at the overall season, I was a little concerned. We were a little weaker this year than we have been in previous years, but we worked hard,” SEB girls track and field coach Jolie Britt said. “We came out of field events looking really strong and I was proud of that. The girls came out better than expected.”
    The girls led the way after day one of the two-day region championship. Distance runner Hattie Pitts scored big winning the 1600-meter run. Cierra Jordan also notched some points for the Lady Yellow Jackets winning the pole vault event. Montana Cotton and Emma Britt finished second and third respectively in the girls long jump.
    “In the running events, we finished a little better than we expected for each event. We came out where we needed to be and we won, which was fantastic,” Jolie Britt said.
    Nydrasha Ford finished in third place in the 100-meter dash and second in the 200-meter dash. Laticia Fonseca placed second in the girls 400-meter dash.
    After five straight region titles, Jolie Britt was still reluctant to say her team established a region dynasty, but did say she was happy to see SEB track and field back in the limelight.
    “It’s a five-peat,” Jolie Britt said, laughing. “It’s a great feeling, but I don’t know if you could call it a dynasty just yet. “SEB track and field has always been a strong area of ours and we hope to continue to keep it that way.”
    SEB boys track and field led after the first day as well, and a strong performance from running events allowed the team to secure its second straight region title. SEB boys coach Jeremy Gantt said this year’s team is one of the hardest working teams he has had in his tenure as coach.
    “It’s big. This is what we’ve been working for all year,” Gantt said. “Usually for whatever reason, kids sign up for track and then get mad when you ask them to run. That’s like going to basketball practice and complaining about dribbling.”
    Coach Gantt’s team had no problem running, dribbling or whatever it took to hoist a region title on Tuesday.
    The Yellow Jackets started off with Quinn Pitts setting a PR in the 3200-meter run. Nigil Smith placed second in the boys high jump and Charles James and Jonathan Volskay finished first and second respectively in the boys pole vault. Isaiah Francois finished second in the boys discus throw.
    “They’ve worked their tails off, and to do it the way we did it was great,” Gantt said. “The boys 4-by-400 broke a school record to end the day.”
    The team of Cecil McCollum, Ladarion Fonseca, Javarius Spaulding and Justin Youmans broke a six-year school record in the 4-by-400 and finished third in the event. Spaulding also had a second place finish in the 300-meter hurdles.
    Up next for the SEB will be the sectional meet scheduled for May 2.
    “Each meet you want to be getting better and shedding times and that’s what we’ve done all year. That’s what we want to continue to do and hopefully we can carry it on as the season progresses,” Gantt said.

    Horace Holloman may be reached at (912) 489-9408.