After competing at the Georgia High School Association’s Class AA sectionals this past weekend, Putnam County track and field will send several athletes to the state meet at East Jackson High School later this week.
Putnam County left a significant mark at the state level. This week, 16 War Eagles are gearing up to compete in numerous events at the state meet. Their hard work has set high hopes for a place on the podium.
War Eagles head coach Gary Waller is bursting with pride for his team’s unwavering dedication and hard work.
“I’m very proud of all my athletes. They over-exceeded at sectionals, which I am most proud of,” Waller said. “They just didn’t do well. They over-exceeded my expectations, and they set a lot of personal records.”
To advance to the state sectionals, Putnam County’s athletes had to perform well at the Region 4-AA meet during the last week of April. The War Eagles placed second overall, and the Lady War Eagles fourth.
Putnam County’s athletes then had to place in the top eight at the sectionals to qualify for state competition. At sectionals, the War Eagles and Lady War Eagles had several athletes who excelled and placed in the top five.
Waller highlighted the excellent sectional performances by Hill, Waters, Brown, Yarbrough, Griffin, and Frisch. Each finished in the top eight of their individual events.
Putnam County’s athletes going to the Class AA state meet at Commerce this week include Halana Griffin (high jump, triple jump), Bill Waters (high jump), Alan Hill (long jump), Mark Little (triple jump), Bryson Brown (pole vault), Lily Frisch (800 meters), and Baylen Yarbrough (200 meters).
The War Eagles are also sending relay teams, including the girls’ 4x800 meter relay of Frisch, Kaydyn Dennis, Bernicia Harris, and Jazmine Sepulveda; the girls’ 4x200 meter relay of Griffin, Yarbrough, Alexandra Morris, and Journey Waller; the girls’ 4x100 meter relay of Griffin, Yarbrough, Waller, and Vanecia Williams; and the boys’ 4x400 meter relay of Don Dorsey, Aiden Chaffin, Kavar Andrews, and Jayson Smith.
The coach shared how his athletes have poured their hearts into training over the past few months before the state meet.
“It’s all about hard work and dedication, and that is what I tell them all the time,” Waller explained. “I tell them we’re not practicing for placing; we’re practicing for time and to set personal records. At the region meet last month, they realized that time means everything. I’m going to be honest; I’m ecstatic for these kids.”
Overall, Waller is looking forward to watching his athletes compete one last time this year. This is what the staff and the team have worked so hard for over the past three months, and now it’s time to compete at the highest level.
“I’m looking for us to do very well. But at the same time, I told them they must do better than what they did at sectionals,” he said. “I told them not to be satisfied because they might have to set another personal record to do well at state, where you’ve got the best of the best competing.
“I put that in their heads: don’t be satisfied with just making state,” Waller repeated. “Now that you’ve made it perform well and get on that podium.”