DeKalb Schools Track: Upcoming Region Track Meets

The 2012 track season is winding down as all the DeKalb County track teams
prepare for next week’s region track meets that qualify the athletes for
the State Sectionals on Saturday, April 28.

The Region 6-AAAA Championships began on yesterday,
April 16 and continue through tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18 at DeKalb County’s Panthersville Stadium. Chamblee, Dunwoody, Lakeside, Lithonia, Miller
Grove, Redan, Southwest DeKalb and Tucker are scheduled to compete.

The meet begins at 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday beginning on Monday with
the boys' field events and the girls’ running events preliminaries and
1600 meter run finals. Tuesday will consist of the girls’ field events
finals and the boys' running events preliminaries and 1600 meter.
Wednesday's schedule begins at 5:30 p.m. with the 4x100 meter relay finals.

Dunwoody edged Tucker by one point and Redan by 3.5 points to win the 2011
title and returns senior Dazel Claytor who took gold in the 100 and 200
meter dashes.

Tucker is led by hurdler Juwaan Williams and long jumper/200 meter dash
competitor Yusef Minor.

Redan returns hurdler Troy Howard, gold in the 110 hurdles a year ago, and
long jump gold medalist Jamar Sims.

Southwest DeKalb is set to defend its Region 6-AAAA girls’ title which it
ran away with a year ago 159-95 over Redan. The Lady Panthers look to
senior Greciana Cooper who won both the 800 and 1600 meter runs last
season as well as Charlotte Williams (400 meter dash and long jump) and
Demetria Dickens and Kenya Wheeler in both the shot put and discus.

Redan returns hurdler and triple jumper India Hammond who was a key
component in the Lady Raider’s second place finish a year ago.

The Region 5-AAA Championships begin on today,  April 17 at Lakewood
Stadium in Atlanta and continue through Thursday, April 19. Arabia
Mountain, Cedar Grove, Columbia, Druid Hills, McNair, Stone Mountain and
Towers are competing from DeKalb County.

Defending girls’ champion Cedar Grove returns junior twin sisters Kayla
and Christian Pryor who combined for three individual gold medals as well
as running legs on both the gold medal winning relay teams.

Arabia Mountain which finished fifth in the team standings returns 100
meter gold medalist Alivia Cromartie and fellow sophomore and 200 meter
gold medalist Vanessa Providence.

The Cedar Grove Saints look to improve on their runner-up finish to
Woodward Academy a year ago led by sprinter Marlon Coley and their always
tough relay teams along with jumper Kareem Nicholas in both the long and
triple jump.

Stone Mountain returns double gold medalist Tamarick Johnson in the 200
and 400 meter dashes along with sprinters Fred Scott and Aaron Sibley both
of whom will provide valuable points to the team effort. The Pirates also
have one of the fastest 4x100 relay teams in the state this year.

The Region 2-AAAAA Championships are also a three-day event beginning on
Thursday, April 19 and running through Saturday, April 21 at Langston
Hughes High School with Martin Luther King Jr. and Stephenson competing.

The defending state champion Martin Luther King Jr. Lady Lions who
finished second at region a year ago to Westlake are looking for the
region title this year with Westlake posing the biggest competition.

The Lady Lions currently hold the fastest 4x100 relay time in the nation
at 45.42 and one of the fastest times in Georgia in the 4x400 relay at
3:45.94 both of which set new DeKalb County Championships records. Senior
sprinter Felicia Brown, who won gold in the 400, and 100 and 200 meter
defending region champion Jada Brown return.

The Lions return gold medalist B. J. Burney in the 110 meter hurdles and
Jordan Moore who currently has the state’s best time in the 110 hurdles at
13.65. Stephenson is led by senior Lontario Collier (400, 800 meter runs)
and sophomore Jared Tucker (100, 200 meter dashes) both of whom comprise
part of the Jaguar relay teams along with DeKalb County shot put champion
Amos Harper.

The Region 6-AA Championships are being held at Westminster on Thursday
and Friday (April 19-20) as Clarkston and Cross Keys are set to compete.

Tuesday, April 17
Region 6-AAAA at Panthersville Stadium, 5 p.m.
Region 5-AAA at Lakewood Stadium, 5 p.m.

Wednesday, April 18
Region 6-AAAA at Panthersville Stadium (Finals), 5 p.m.
Region 5-AAA at Lakewood Stadium, 5 p.m.

Thursday, April 19
Region 5-AAA at Lakewood Stadium (Finals), 5 p.m.
Region 2-AAAAA at Langston Hughes, 5 p.m.
Region 6-AA at Westminster, 5 p.m.

Friday, April 20
Region 2-AAAAA at Langston Hughes, 5 p.m.
Region 6-AA at Westminster (Finals), 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 21
Region 2-AAAAA at Langston Hughes (Finals), 5 p.m.