Five-Way Track and Field

Track and Field – The Patriots had their first home meet Tuesday.  Besides OC, Hart Co, Hancock Co, Prince Ave and Banks Co participated in the five-way meet

Hannah Murhy's winning pole vault. 

        Track meets usually start out with the field events.  Shot put, discus the long jump, triple jump and pole vault all started at 4:30pm.   The field events usually take the longest amount of time and a good example of that is the high jump. 

        There were ten competitors from the five schools in the event.  The bar started at 4-10.  Each athlete is given three opportunities to clear the bar, which takes time.  The same is true with the pole vault.  In the jumping events each competitor gets three jumps, if they want them.  In the throwing events – three throws.  In the discus there were 16 athletes and in the shot-put there were 19.  With everyone having three opportunities to improve their score it takes a while.

Easy work for Maurice "Slim" Freeman.

        Back to the high jump, OC’s Maurice “Slim” Freeman was taking the event in stride.  He was casually clearing the bar as it rose two inches at a time.  When the bar reached 5-8 the crowd of jumpers dwindling fast down to three.  The Banks Co jumper missed the bar twice but made it on his third attempt.  Slim had no trouble and the Hart Co jumper, a kid that would win the pole vault, had little trouble either.

        The bar was raised to six feet and Banks Co knocked it off on the first attempt.  Hart Co was up next and he, too, knocked the bar off.  Freeman, however, cleared the bar by at least four inches.  Both Banks Co and Hart Co knocked the bar down on their second try.  The third time around saw Banks Co go three for three in knocking the bar down but Hart Co cleared this height on the third try and moved on to the next round.

        The bar was raised to 6-2 and this proved Hart Co’s undoing.  Freeman cleared on the first jump but Hart knocked it down three times to give Slim the win.  Freeman moved the bar to 6-8 and made two attempts.  The first time he hit the bar with his arm and the second time with his backside.  As soon as Freeman gets the technique straightened out there is little doubt that he’ll clear 6-8.

Sherman William getting the baton from Deuntrez Fleming in the 4X100.

         In the running events OC also has some real speed demons on the team.  The Patriot relay teams faced no real competition from the other schools in the 4X100 and the 4X400.  In the 100 meter dash Sherman Freeman was less than a tenth of a second behind the winner.  Maurice Freeman and Tron Armstrong were 1-2 in the 400 meter dash.  In fact, Coach Milligan, who is one of the track coaches, said that OC has always been known for its good track and field team.  If you’ve never seen any of these guy, and girls, run, you’re missing out.  It’s a real treat. 

Coach Finch provided a press release on the results of the meet:

The Oglethorpe County boys track team scored 123 points to win a five-way meet Tuesday night in Lexington over hart County (93), Banks County (54), Prince Ave (32) and Hancock County (30).  Event winners for the Patriots were Maurice Freeman: high jump, 6-02 and 400 meter dash, 50.33; Justin Whitman: 1600 meter run 4:53.58, and 800 meter run, 2:14.14; Casey Pacheco: discus throw, 128-05.5; Kendrick Presley: 110 meter hurdles, 15.69; 4X100 meter relay team, Jovan Jenkins, Maurice Freeman, Deuntrez Fleming and Sherman Williams, 44.40; and the 4X400 meter relay team, Kendrick Presley, Sherman Williams, Justin Whitman, and Maurice Freeman, 3:48.13.  The Patriots return to action Friday night in Lilburn at the Need for Speed Imitational hosted by Parkview HS. 

The Oglethorpe County girls track team scored 89 points to finished 2^nd in a five-way meet Tuesday night in Lexington behind Hart County (133) and ahead of Hancock Central (37), Banks County (34), and Prince Ave (25).  Event winners for the Lady patriots were Aubrey Fearnow: shot put, 34-01.25 and discus throw 100-03; Dede Fleming: long jump, 14-09, and triple jump, 31-11; and Trenetta Smith: 100 meter hurdles 18.84.  [Hannah Murphy won the girls pole vault.] The Lady Patriots will also compete at the Need for Speed Invitational Friday night in Lilburn.

        You can see all the pictures here:   http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=8433556