Northwest Whitfield leads the way among area schools in representation as the GHSA’s boys track and field state meets begin today in Jefferson, and the Bruins’ five qualifiers include one with three chances at a state medal and another with a shot at continuing the school’s proud tradition in the pole vault competition.
All five GHSA classifications will be at Jefferson High’s Memorial Stadium for the three-day event, which starts at noon. Today’s schedule is dominated by finals in the field events for all classifications, with the only track event the 1,600 final for each class starting at 7:30 p.m.
Northwest senior standout Cliff Phillips, whom Bruins coach Greg Brown said has been a leader throughout his first season as coach, will compete in a trio of Class 4A events. Phillips finished in the top four at the Region 7-4A meet and was among the top eight in the Class 4A West sectional meet to qualify for state in the 200-meter dash, the 400 and the 4x400 relay, where his teammates are Chris Hull, Jalen Lockett and Kailend Wilkins.
Creswell is the Bruins’ other representative at state, and he’ll compete in an event where Northwest has established a reputation for success. The Bruins have had a top-three finisher for the past six years in this event. Nate Woodason sandwiched a second-place finish in 2007 with state titles in 2006 and 2008, while Jake Bridges took first in 2009 and Luke Woodason was third in 2010 and 2011.
As have previous Bruins head coaches, Brown has credited that success to the instruction provided by Northwest community coach Keith Woodason, the father of Luke and Nate as well as Ben, who earned state medals for Northwest in 2002 and 2004.
Creswell was seventh in sectionals with a vault of 12 feet, and is seeded eighth, but he won the Region 7-4A title at 13-6, and that height would likely put him in contention for a high finish.
North Murray, competing in 2A, is the only area school with a 2011 state medalist returning to Jefferson — and the Mountaineers have two of them in juniors Isaac Pacheco and Brady Swilling.
Swilling took fifth a year ago in high jump to become the program’s first state medalist, and he’s back in that event after winning titles at both the Region 7-2A and Class 2A West sectional meets. He’s seeded fifth for the event.
Pacheco finished fifth behind four seniors last year at state in the 3,200, and he’ll compete in both that race and the 1,600, which he’s running in Jefferson for the first time. He’s seeded third in both events.
In Class 3A, Dalton and Murray County each have one qualifier, with the Catamounts sending a quickly rising star and the Indians represented by a senior hoping to make good in his final high school meet.
Dalton freshman Kelvis Rhodes didn’t even start competing in the high jump until mid-season, but he won the Region 7-3A title and was third at the Class 3A West sectional. He’s seeded fifth.
Murray County’s Nathan Phillips has had a strong senior season in the hurdles, and he’ll look for a good result in the 300 after taking sixth at the sectional meet and winning the region title with a school-record breaking time of 39.55 seconds. If he can turn in a time that good (or better) again, he’ll likely have a good shot at a top-eight finish, which comes with a medal.
The meet will resume at noon Friday with qualifying for all classes in the sprints, middle distance races and relays, plus the 3,200 final for each class starting at 6:25 p.m. Action will conclude Saturday after the noon opening ceremonies with finals in the remaining events.
Dalton High School Catamounts
Related Photos
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(Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen) Senior pole vaulter Colter Creswell will compete today at the GHSA’s Class 4A state meet in Jefferson.
Discussion
May 10, 2012
Boys state track and field: Northwest has five of area’s nine in Jefferson
- Dalton High School Catamounts
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Brooker aims to make Georgia a winner
Today is the last time former Northwest Whitfield softball standout Emily Boyd will compete at the high school level.
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