SAVANNAH — The Long County Blue Tide track and field teams had a successful showing at the Region 3-AAA championships on Tuesday. The girls finished third overall and the boys finished fourth with 22 athletes qualifying for the state sectionals meet.
For the girls, 12 athletes qualified for the sectionals, with two girls taking home the region championship in their individual events and one relay team placing first.
France Smith won the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 47.99 seconds while Amire Saunders won the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.6 seconds.
Smith and Saunders also helped the 4x100 meter relay team win the region championship. They, along with Deneiya Davis and Makinzie Moody, ran the relay in 50.64 seconds. Smith placed second in the high jump and the 100 meter hurdles while Saunders was second in the long jump.
Also advancing to the sectionals were Sala Tiapula, who was third in shot put, Bella Lucas, third in the 1600 meter, and Braelyn Knowles, fourth in the 3200 meter.
Two more relay teams qualified for the sectionals meet as 4x800 meter team consisting of Lucas, Tamiya Gamble, Xia Dyson and Macey Higgason placed second and the 4x400 meter team consisting of Dyson, Gamble, Kayla Daniel and Jai’mari Marzett placed third.
The boys also had a successful day on the track as they sent 10 to the sectionals meet, with one winning the region championship.
Cortney Charles took home the region title in the discus throw with a distance of 137 feet, 8 inches. Charles also helped the 4x200 meter and 4x100 meter relay teams place third.
Charles ran both the 4x200 and 4x100 meter with Jason Familia, Wesley Williams and Terry Saunders.
Also qualifying for the boys were Familia, second in the long jump, Andre Mills, second in the 110-meter hurdles, and Tyler Gamble, third in the 300-meter hurdles. The 4x600 meter team consisting of Navey Johnson, Trevor Kuchar, DeMonte Clark and Christian Presley placed third to qualify for the sectionals.
The sectionals meet will take place on Saturday, May 3 at Peach County High School in Fort Valley with the top eight in each event advancing to the state championship meet.