The Bulloch Academy girls won just one event in the 11th annual Gator Relays track and field meet Saturday but they amassed 116 points by sheer numbers to claim the first-place trophy for the second year in a row.
The Lady Gators won the 4x400-meter relay and had five second-place finishes, four thirds and three fourths for the victory in the 20-team meet, which was held at the Georgia Southern University track and field complex. Bulloch's girls, who won the 2009 meet with 117 points, beat Class AAA powerhouses Trinity Christian School of Dublin (108) and Mount de Sales of Macon (88), Class AA’s Brentwood School of Sandersville (65) and Class AAA’s Deerfield-Windsor Academy of Albany (61).
The Bulloch boys finished eighth in the strong 20-team field. Deerfield-Windsor won the meet with 116 points, Mount de Sales and Stratford Academy of Macon tied for second (85), Brentwood was fourth (47) and Bethesda Day School of Savannah was fifth (34). The Gators had 27 points.
In the running events, three and sometimes four full heats (eight runners) were the norm in all races in the huge meet, which was sponsored by Hendley Properties, Ellis Meats, Walker Pharmacy and Sonic.
BA junior Rachel Gilbert led the way for the Lady Gators. She was second in both the long jump (15-5 1/2) and the 400-meter dash (62.27), took third in the 200m dash (27.31) and ran a leg on the winning 4x400m relay team (4:22.05 with seniors Heaven Hinton and Kelcie Jacobs and freshman Anna Newton).
Junior Sally Marie Futch notched second-place finishes in the shot put (32-7.5) and in the discus (124-3). Futch broke the record she had set last year in the discus but Trinity’s Sarah Howard re-broke it with her winning throw of 125-7.
Other record-setting performances were by Mount de Sales’ Tony Zenon (10.92 in the 100m dash) and Howard (47-7 in the shot). Zenon recently signed a full scholarship to play football at Georgia Tech.
BA’s Jacobs was second in the 3200m run (12:41), was third in the 1600m run (5:48) and fourth in the 800m run (2:37). Hinton was third in the 300m hurdles (53.55) and eighth grader Hendley Kimbrell was third in the 100m hurdles (17.70)
The Bulloch boys had one third-place finish, a fourth, two fifths, a sixth, a seventh and three eighths. Junior Lestonz Lewis took third in the 100m dash (11.14), fifth in the 200m dash (23.60) and ran legs on both the relay teams.
Bulloch Academy hosts a six-team meet at Gator Alley on Wednesday.
BA JV wins meets
LYONS — Both Bulloch Academy junior varsity track teams won three-team meets at Robert Toombs Christian Academy last week.
The BA girls netted 66 points for the victory while the BA boys scored 76.5 points.
Hendley Kimbrell led the Lady Gators with first-place performances in the long jump, 100-meter hurdles, 200m dash and as a part of the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams. Other first-place winners were Ashlee Lanier (discus), Claire Branch (400m dash), Heather Jacobs (800m run) and both relay teams (4x100 – Kimbrell, Branch, Kerigan Mallard and Taylor Ann Barrett; 4x400 – Kimbrell, Branch, Jacobs and Mallard).
Second-place winners were Jacobs (1600m run), Lanier (shot), Maddie Burke (high jump), Branch (100m dash) and the second girls’ 4x400m relay team.
Christopher Williams and Daniel Hendrix led the Gators with three individual first-place performances. Williams won the 1600m run, the long jump, the 800m run and was a part of the first-place 4x100 and 4x400m relay teams. Hendrix won the high jump, the 400m run and the 200m dash and also was a part of both relay teams.
Other first-place winners were Conner Fordham (discus and shot) and Dylan Stuckey (100m hurdles dash) and both relays teams (4x100 - Williams, Hendrix, Stuckey and Andrew Donaldson; 4x400 – Williams, Hendrix, Stuckey and Will Bowen).
Second-place winners were Stuckey (shot and discus), Hendrix (long jump), Donaldson (100m dash and 200m dash) and Bowen (800m run).
Bulloch Academy hosts a three-team meet Thursday.
From staff reports
Elon tops Lady Eagles
Georgia Southern took the lead with the doubles point, but Elon battled back in singles play to take the match, 5-2, Monday afternoon at the Hanner Tennis Complex. Freshman Allison Beeler proved victorious for the Eagles in singles competition, notching a straight set decision over Laura Graybill as GS fell to 8-6 overall this season and 3-2 in Southern Conference play. Elon remained perfect in league competition, improving to 4-0 and 13-3 overall.
Screven splits with ECHS
SYLVANIA — Screven County hosted Effingham County in tennis action Monday, and the Lady Gamecocks (9-1, 5-0 Region 3-AA) took a 5-0 win while the boys (5-5) fell 3-2.
For the Ladies, Evan Sheppard and Missy Zeagler each won 6-0, 6-0, and Katheryn wells won her singles match 6-1, 6-0.
Doubles pair Kelsey Forehand and Sydnee Weaver won 6-1, 6-1, and Lauren Bazemore and Lauren Thomas completed the sweep winning 6-0, 6-3.
Chris Powell won his singles match for the boys (3-6, 6-3, 6-1) and doubles pait Eli Woods and Taylor Driggers won 6-1 and 7-6 (8-6 tiebreak).
Screven hosts Southeast Bulloch today at 4 p.m.
Wayne falls to SHS
JESUP — Statesboro golf took home a win at Wayne County, completing the day in 318 strokes to WCHS’s 348.
Low medalist for the match was Wayne’s Hunter Stuckey (72), but the Blue Devils won the day led by Hunter Collins (76), Chas Sheild (77), Lex Wommack (82) and Jordan Herrington (83).
Statesboro returns to the links at Savannah Quarters for the 10-team Rebel Invitational on Saturday.
Bulloch tops Pinewood
The Bulloch Academy tennis team swept Pinewood Christian Monday as the Gators won 3-2 and the Lady Gators won each set and finished 5-0.
For the boys (4-1 overall), Brandon Walker won 8-0, Paul Son won 8-2 and John Howell completed the singles sweep with an 8-4 victory.
The Lady Gators (6-0 overall) won all five matches.
In singles action, Erin Sullivan (8-1), Megan Barber (8-1) and Ally Cheshire (8-1) were winners, while doubles team Kate Anna Akins and Mary Catherine Spigener won 8-0.
Morgan Anderson and McKenzie Webb also won 8-0.
The Gators return to the court Thursday in Augusta against Curtis Baptist.
BA JV topples DEA
The Bulloch Academy junior varsity gators won a five inning baseball game against David Emanuel Academy Friday.
Reed had three hits including a triple and Harrison and Shepherd combined for five hits in the win. Bishop got the win on the mound.
SEB to add four to Hall of Fame
BROOKLET — Southeast Bulloch will induct four new members into the Yellow Jackets’ Hall of Fame Saturday, April 17 at ceremony in the SEB Middle School cafeteria.
2010 inductees are Coretta Brown (Class of 1999), Beth Hopkins (1992), Danny Tremble (1985), David Miller (1973) and honorary inductee Gene Eden.
Tickets to the event can be purchased for $10 at either the SEBMS or high school campus. Deadline to purchase a ticket is Tuesday, April 12.
Tryouts set for AAU basketball teams
Tryouts for two Statesboro-based boys’ AAU basketball teams will be held Monday, March 15 in the gymnasium of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Boys’ and Girls’ Club.
“For far too long, Bulloch County high-school basketball players have been forced to commute great distances in order to participate in the Amateur Athletic Union,” said team organizer TJ Slater. “This will be an opportunity for Bulloch County to foster and develop its own players in its own backyard.”
Coach Slater will be holding tryouts for 16-and-under and 14-and-under teams from 6-7:30 p.m. on that day. For more information, contact Coach Slater at tslater@bullochacademy.com or call 912-481-2530.
GSU coaches to hold clinic
Georgia Southern will hold a spring Coaches Clinic Thursday-Saturday, April 8-10, with coaching sessions and chalk talks with the Eagles staff. For additional information, contact Vic Cabral at (912) 478-5522 or by fax at (912) 478-5059.
The Coaches’ Clinic brochure and the full schedule of events is available on the GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com website.
Pre-registration and pre-payment is required of all coaches. The Coaches Clinic is $40 per individual.
If you have a score to report, please call the Statesboro Herald sports desk at (912) 489-9408.
