The Gatewood track-and-field team visited Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove from May 1-3 for the GIAA Class 2A State Meet, where the boys finished third overall and the girls placed eighth.
“We didn’t do quite as well as we’d hoped for, but it was a great meet,” Gators head coach Jeff Ratliff said. “I think it was pretty much our best overall performance this season, which is exactly what you want to do when you get to state.”
The Gatewood boys' 4x400 relay team of Jackson Hewatt, Kaden Keiser, Jackson Lundy, and Jack Wooten won their event with a state record-setting time of 3:29.51. Just over a half-second behind was Heritage Prep, with Trinity Christian of Dublin finishing third.
Ratliff said he had each of the victorious Gators sign their race-winning baton afterward so it could be retired and placed on display at the Eatonton school.
“This was a great race. These guys all did a fantastic job and I’m really proud of every one of them,” the coach said.
Gatewood senior John Van de Planque also won the boys’ 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.71 seconds, beating Brentwood’s Zyion Andrews by five-hundredths of a second.
“John is just a really good story,” Ratliff said. “He really worked hard this year to get where he is, and I’m just really proud of him and his effort.”
Other highlights for the Gatewood boys included a second-place result for Wooten in the 400-meter final, third for Van de Planque in the 300-meter hurdles, and third for Landon Moreno in the triple jump.
The highlight for the Lady Gators at Locust Grove, according to Ratliff, was a “very close second” for Natalie Sills, Bela Smith, Pressley Moss, and Lily Piper in the 4x400 relay final. Gatewood’s team of Sills, Pressley, Delaney Ball, and Riley Roberts placed third in the 4x100 girls relay final.
“Overall, we competed well, had a few great performances, and I think everyone had a pretty good time for the most part,” Ratliff said.