The Putnam County girls track team is moving on to state sectionals after a solid showing at the region meet last week, where a trio of athletes stepped up in a big way to keep the War Eagles’ season alive.
Freshman sprinter, Aubree Butts, led the charge, finishing second in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes to punch her ticket to both events.
In the field, Jaslyn Foster added a third-place finish in the shot put, an event she only recently picked up, while Faith Watkins also came through with a fourth in the triple jump to round out Putnam’s girls qualifiers.
For head coach Kedric Manning, the meet was another example of a team still learning but trending in the right direction.
“It was a season of learning,” Manning said.
“We learned so much about each other. The freshmen learned how to practice like varsity track athletes.”
Even with the growth, Manning didn’t shy away from the region's competitiveness.
“We didn’t place first — that’s what I’m focused on,” he said. “Social Circle is kind of the standard in this region right now, and that’s what we’ve got our eyes set on.”
Still, Manning said the bigger picture stands out most right now, especially with so many underclassmen getting real-world experience.
“We graduated a lot of leadership last year, but they left a core group that’s been able to show these guys how we do things,” he said. “Those freshmen and sophomores, they want it bad,” he said. “Now they’re chasing it.”
Putnam County’s athletes will compete Saturday at the Class A Division I state sectionals meet in Cochran, aiming to qualify for the state meet.