Putnam County’s track and field program will be represented on one of the biggest stages in Georgia next week.
Three War Eagles athletes punched their tickets to the GHSA Class A Division I state meet in Athens on Tuesday, May 12, with strong performances at the sectional round.
Putnam second year head coach Kedric Manning is proud of the progress his athletes have made.
“We are celebrating the small wins, but we have bigger goals,” Manning said.
Leading the way is senior high jumper Bill Waters, who continues to build toward what he hopes will be a state championship finish to his career. Waters tied for first place at sectionals with two other competitors at a mark of 6 feet, reinforcing his status as one of the top athletes in the classification.
After finishing sixth at state two years ago and improving to third last season, the senior now enters his final meet with both experience and momentum on his side.
The path to the top won’t be easy.
Waters’ biggest challenge is expected to come from Lamar County’s Ross Hamrick, a familiar rival who edged him for the region title and later tied him for first at sectionals alongside Kyler Johnson of Dodge County. With the Region 4 standouts consistently pushing each other, a highly competitive showdown is shaping up in Athens.
On the girls’ side, Putnam County will be represented by a pair of underclassmen who continue to show steady development.
Freshman Aubree Butts qualified in the 200-meter dash, placing fifth at sectionals with a time of 26.80 seconds — matching her performance from the region meet, where she finished second. Butts also competed in the 100-meter dash, but narrowly missed qualifying after placing ninth, just one spot outside the cut.
Her sectional performance capped off an impressive postseason run, which included runner-up finishes in both the 100 and 200 at the region meet, signaling a bright future for the young sprinter.
Sophomore Faith Watkins also secured her spot at state in the triple jump, finishing eighth with a mark of 33 feet, 2 inches. The jump marked an improvement from her region performance of 32-feet, 3.5 inches, showing growth at the right time as she advanced through the postseason.
With one seasoned veteran and two rising underclassmen, Putnam County heads into the state meet with a mix of experience and potential.
All three athletes will look to make their mark in Athens as they compete against the best in Class A Division I.