POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. — The Newton Rams had a profitable day this previous weekend at McEachern Excessive College as they certified a number of athletes for the state meet.
In whole, the Rams certified for 15 occasions and left McEachern with 5 first place medals.
After sending a big group to Sectionals, Newton head coach Sierra Calhoun was greater than happy to know they may as soon as once more ship one other giant group to the state championships.
“I am extremely happy with how the staff carried out at sectionals.” Calhoun mentioned. “Our athletes confirmed up with vitality and willpower. We had quite a lot of private greatest as they had been all pushing to make it to the state championship. It is rewarding to see the work they’ve put in all season repay when it issues most.”
On the boys facet, Newton had quite a lot of success within the dash occasions
Junior Derrick Miller claimed first place within the boys’ 200-meter with a time of 21.85.
Within the boys’ 400-meter, Cole Strother completed in first place with a time of 46.97.
Strother was considered one of many upperclassmen to put on Saturday, and Calhoun famous how the Rams’ extra skilled athletes have come to be extra accustomed to the high-stakes meets.
“Our seniors have grown a lot in how they deal with the strain of postseason meets,” Calhoun mentioned. “They’ve discovered the best way to handle nerves, persist with their race plans, and assist one another by way of the ups and downs. Their composure has not solely helped them carry out higher however has set an excellent instance for the youthful athletes developing behind them.”
Kingston Banks stayed in his successful methods as he secured first place within the boys’ 300-meter hurdles with a time of 39.22.
A primary place end got here within the boys’ 4×400 relay, the place Strother, Roman Brown, Marshal Haynes and Kayden Allen mixed to run a time of three:17.51. Newton additionally went on to assert first place within the boys’ 4×200 relay with a time of 1:27.07.
Though these had been the final of the primary place finishes for Newton, it was an general profitable day for the Rams when it got here to the relays. In whole, Newton certified for seven totally different relays on the state championships.
“Relays are positively the place you see the senior management shine by way of. Each relay has one senior who steps up and leads the cost by way of warmups, pep talks and speaking down the nerves of the proficient however inexperienced underclassman,” Calhoun mentioned. “Over the season, they’ve grown to belief one another, due to day by day coaching periods the place they push one another. That builds a bond that reveals up on the monitor.”
The Newton boys staff completed in seventh place within the 4×100(42.93).
The Girl Rams completed in fifth place within the 4×100(48.25), 4×400(3:57.91) and the 4×800(9:46.27) relays. They went on to assert seventh place within the 4×200(1:43.04).
Together with the fifth place medal within the 4×800, the group additionally set a brand new program report within the occasion — which broke a earlier time set ultimately yr’s Sectionals.
For Calhoun, it was a full-circle second for the 4×800 staff.
“We knew the potential was there based mostly on their occasions and the way they’d been progressing all through the season, however to truly see them put all of it collectively and break the report by 5 seconds was one thing particular,” Calhoun mentioned. “Three of those relay members had been on the staff that broke the report final yr at Sectionals. So, to observe them come again and do it once more was a full circle second.”
Within the boys’ 100-meter, Miller claimed fifth place with a time of 11.00.
Kennedi Zachary scored 36-6 within the women’ triple bounce, adequate for third place.
Washington scored a 42-8.50 within the boys’ triple bounce to assert eighth place.
Within the women’ 800-meter, Alaysha Holsey ran a 2:17.81 to assert sixth place. Haynes ran a 1:59.85 within the boys’ 800-meter to earn seventh place.
The Rams will now flip their consideration to the Class AAAAAA Championships at Grisham Stadium in Carrollton, Ga. Friday, Could 9 and Saturday, Could 10. With per week to organize, Calhoun hopes to see many issues from the staff as they appear to complete the season with a couple of extra medals.
“This week will likely be about sharpening up — specializing in race-specific work, fine-tuning handoffs and pacing, and ensuring everyone seems to be bodily and mentally recent,” Calhoun mentioned. “We’ll hold the depth excessive however the quantity low. What I actually wish to see is confidence, focus, and vitality — I would like them to consider within the work they’ve accomplished and go into the state meet able to compete at their greatest.”
