Pope sweeps Region 6AAAAAA track titles

The Pope boys and girls swept the Region 6AAAAAA track and field championships earlier this week at the Pope Multi-Sport Complex.

The Pope boys scored 214 points to run away from runner-up Allatoona (143), while Wheeler (95), Lassiter (84) and Kennesaw Mountain (79) rounded out the top five.

The Pope girls scored 193 points and held off Kennesaw Mountain (125.5), Allatoona (100), Lassiter (66.5) and Wheeler (65).

The Pope boys benefited from their depth. The Greyhounds only won only three running events — Benny Brenneman in the 1,600-meter run (4 minutes, 27.62 seconds), the 4x100 relay of Miles Gutzmer, Kristopher Hayes, Cullen Eagen and Lovell Dean (42.47) and the 4x400 relay of Nazsir Chiriboga, Hayes, Carter Spohn and Cullen Eagan (3:30.78).

What the Greyhounds did better than anyone was finish second and third to pile up the points. They finished second or third nine times in the running events.

Pope also flourished in the field events. Gutzmer won the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 3 inches, Theron Nixon claimed the triple jump (45-¾) and Piers Cameron the shot put (52-9).

Allatoona’s Eric Young won the 100 (10.71), 200 (21.73) and 400 (47.67). Trent Gwyn won the 110 hurdles (15.93), Carter Windham won the 800 (1:58.80), Tyler Cash won the pole vault (14-3), Tahir Hines won the discus (162-10) and the team of Brett Fuchs, Hudson Hewitt, Harrison Hewitt and Grayson Smith won the 4x800 relay (8:22.21).

Other boys winners included Kennesaw Mountain’s Korbin Brown in the high jump (6-4) and Ryan McKee in the 3,200 (9:46.17), Wheeler’s Cade McGrady in the 300 hurdles (41.44) and Sprayberry’s 4x200 relay team of Mahkai Williams, Trevour Ghent, Mustafa Muhammad and Jalen Howard (1:30.66).

The Pope girls got wins from Krista McNeil in the 400 (57.54), Charlotte Dunn in the 800 (2:20.26) and 1,600 (5:18.16), Lorel Golden in the 3,200 (12:16.27), Fatima Remili in the high jump (4-10) and the 4x800 relay of Golden, Catherine Greer, Maeve Astorga and Dunn (10:23.91) and the 4x200 relay of Gabby Key, Lane Scales, Brooke Lassiter and Krista McNeill (1:44.77).

Wheeler’s Allyria McBride claimed the long jump (18-4), the 100 hurdles (14.52) and the 300 hurdles (43.63). Allatoona’s Ashlyn Turner won the 100 (12.41) and 200 (25.73), and Osborne’s Zoie Johnson won the discus (115-0) and shot put (39-10).

Other winners included Kennesaw Mountain’s Cassidy Woodham in the pole vault (10-3), Lassiter’s Mackenzie Okonta in the triple jump (36-2¼), Allatoona’s 4x100 relay of Alex Jones, Zaria Bonafede, Carlie Wilson and Turner (49.77) and Wheeler’s 4x400 relay of Annah Priyadi, Anisha Robinson, Lauwenda Telcide and McBride (4:01.17).