DHS Track and Field: Hear us Roar!!
On April 20 and 22, the Wildcats really came through as they battled through one of the toughest Regions in GHSA. The small band of Wildcats went up against the powerhouse High Schools of Archer, Berkmar, Duluth, Meadowcreek, Norcross and Discovery. However, it’s not the size of the team but size of the UNBREAKABLE spirit in our Wildcats.
The Wildcats would begin the Region 7 meet at Discovery High School with field events, the Girls and Boys 3200, and the 4X800 relay races.
Claire Shelton and Emma Parker would start off the day placing 1st and 4th, moving onto Sectionals, and Ahna Lorden would add more points by placing 6th. Mark Westrick, Julian Sutin and Alon Kirshenbaum raced valiantly for the Boys.
The Lady Wildcats would win the 4X800 with their relay team of Kate Bacon, Emma Tessler, Shelton, and Lucy Neumann. The Male Wildcats would surprise the fast competition by placing 4th. Westrick, Julian Sutin, Tyson Standard and Michael Mendonca are heading to Sectionals.
Our Wildcat Throwers would continue to make their presence known, with Janae Profit winning both the shot put and discus. Rachel Jay would add points in both shot put and discus, and Anna Popa would throw her season’s best. The Boys would keep the same energy in the throws with Carrington Tate placing 2nd and 4th in shot put and discus, respectively. Cash Goolsby placed 3rd in discus and scored points in the shot. Luke Bradham would also throw a season’s best.
Zane Bateman, Addison Hixon and Jacob Eisenmesser were off and leaping in the Long Jump and Triple Jump. Emma Lovell and Jenna Sailor would all score much needed points in the Triple Jump. Lovell would score in the Long Jump and Jenna Sailor and Charlotte Kuhn would have personal bests as well in this event.
On the other end of the track, the High Jump would allow Hannah Bryman and Bren Weterrings the chance to add to the Lady Wildcat point total. Hixon and Eisenmesser showed off their versatility by also competing in the High Jump.
Finishing up Day 1 were the pole vaulters. What a way to end the day as Mary McLoughlin improved her personal best and placed 2nd, with Kuhn putting up a personal best and scoring points for the Wildcats. Our Male Vaulting Wildcats continued their dominance with Alon Rogow, Harrison Kopp and Jack Arant placing 1st, 2nd and 4th respectively.
Day 2 would prove to be just as exciting as our Wildcats entered the field in 2nd place position with Discovery and Norcross hoping to make the steal and a VERY large Archer team trying to run away with it all.
The 4X100 Female Squad of Rachel Jay, Mary McLoughlin, Lovell and Iva Didly-Walker scored much needed points. However, the Boys 4X100 Wildcats would roar past the competition and place first with sprinters; Alexander Tate, Dorien McKency, Alon Rogow and Zane Bateman.
Shelton would continue to blaze the 1600 field placing 1st. Kate Bacon and Ahna Lorden shook up the competition while running away with personal bests and adding some more Lady Wildcats’ points. Mark Westrick scored for the Boys and his teammates Sutin and Kirshenbaum would put up new personal records.
Newbie to the 400, Wetterings would set a personal record and place 3rd. Teammate Olivia Bacon would also set a new personal record. Tyson Standard would run a nail biting 400 and place 5th along with Sutin and Eisenmesser.
Jay and Dily-Walker would run personal bests in the 100. Alex Tate won the 100 with his teammates Dorien McKency and Rogow.
Sailor and Bryman ran bravely in a very quick field of 100m hurdles. While LaDon Williams, Cannon Kennedy and Jack Wickman sprung into action placing 3rd, 4th and 6th to add more to the point pot for the boy’s team.
The 800 ended up being a very fast field, but not too much for Shelton and Emma Tessler, who placed 3rd and 4th. Lucy Neuman would barely miss adding to the point total. Michael Mendoca placed 4th in the long 800 sprint. Wade Parks and Sutin would also run bravely in this field.
Alexander Tate would race to second against a very quick opponent in the 200. Which would be a great lead to the upcoming final races.
Mia Whitehurst would battle her way to Sectionals placing 4th in the 300 Hurdles. Sailor barely missed being in scoring striking position. Williams and Bateman placed 2nd and 3rd in the hurdles, with Wickman running a quick race as well.
The Lady Wildcats would need a well thought out plan going into the 4X400 in order to earn the Silver Trophy. This race didn’t fail to disappoint. The Lady Wildcats had an amazing 3rd place finish by K. Bacon. Weterrings, Tessler and Neumann. The Boys team had already scored their place for Regionals but the determined squad of Mendonca, Standard, Eisenmesser, and McKency sealed the deal.
Both the Lady Wildcats and The Wildcats 2021 Track and Field Teams placed 2nd at the Region 7 division 7A Championship Meet. Congratulations to their Coaches, their families and especially this group of athletes that have met every obstacle and exceeded expectations. God Speed Wildcats into Sectionals on May 8th!
Contact:
Jill Kuhn
