GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The Gainesville boys and North Hall girls captured the 2023 Hall County track championships on Thursday at Chestatee.
TO VIEW ALL RESULTS, CLICK HERE
The North Hall girls, who set the pace on the opening day of the meet on Tuesday, held off Cherokee Bluff and Gainesville to capture the girls team championship.
The Lady Trojans took a large lead in the girls team standings into Thursday’s action.
Clodagh O'Bryant, Harliegh Smith and MaKayla Jones helped the Lady Trojans stay ahead and pile up 158 points.
O'Bryant captured the 3,200-meter crown with an 11:39.93 finish. Smith took second, and Jones placed sixth. Bluff's Adison Myers finished second.
Abi Moore took home the 800 to add to the point total for the Lady Trojans.
Gainesville edged Cherokee Bluff by two points to finish second with 135 points and got wins from its 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams. Cherokee Bluff was third with 133 points.
Bluff's Olivia Owens won the 100 (12.58) and 200 (25.75), both in record times, and helped the 400 relay team to a first-place finish.
Chestatee (106) and Flowery Branch (76) finished fourth and fifth.
Flowery Branch’s Bella Brick highlighted the day for the Lady Falcons with a win in the 400 (59.88) and Phoebe Brawner topped the podium with a win in the 300 low hurdles.
On the boys side, the Red Elephants sprinted past Flowery Branch, 177-135.5, to get the win.
Conner Proffitt and Markelle Cheek were a major part of the Red Elephants' rise to the top on Thursday.
Proffitt added to his trophy case after winning the boys 3,200 meters on Day 1 of the meet on Tuesday. He took home the 800 and 1,600 meters to secure the hat trick in the distances events. Fellow Red Elephant teammate John Jessup finished second in the 800 and 1,600 and was third in the 3,200.
As for Cheek, he was king of the hurdle events, sweeping both events while setting a meet record of 15.01 seconds in the 110 high hurdles. Daeon Neal finishes second in the 300 intermediate hurdles and fourth in the 110 hurdles to help Gainesville to the top of the podium.
Big Red also got wins in the 400, 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams to help them hold off Flowery Branch.
Speaking of the Falcons, Ryan Gruss had a strong two days, setting records in the 100 meters and 200.
Cherokee Bluff (90.5 points), North Hall (89) and Chestatee (73) rounded out the top five.
HALL COUNTY TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS, Thursday, March 30
(at Chestatee High School)
BOYS FINAL STANDINGS
1. Gainesville – 177
2. Flowery Branch – 135.5
3. Cherokee Bluff – 90.5
4. North Hall – 89
5. Chestatee – 73
6. West Hall – 64
7. Riverside Prep – 35
8. Johnson – 22
9. Lakeview Academy – 10
10. East Hall – 3
GIRLS FINAL STANDINGS
1. North Hall – 158
2. Gainesville – 135
3. Cherokee Bluff – 133
4. Chestatee – 106
5. Flowery Branch – 76
6. Lakeview Academy – 25
7. West Hall – 22
8. Lanier Christian – 18
T9. East Hall – 7
T9. Johnson – 7
http://accesswdun.com/article/2023/3/1176099/track-and-field-gainesville-boys-north-hall-girls-win-hall-county-championships