PCA Patriot boys’ track team named GISA 2AAA Region Champions and girls take 3rd

Pictured (l to r) Front Row: Coach Kasey Blaxton, Cassidi Lynn, Jena Bradley, Lilly Griffin, Claire Mullis, Priscilla Dillon, Riley Nevil, Ella Johns, Head Coach Paula Johns; Middle Row: Becky Edwards, Emma Strickland, Katelin Smith, Payton Cowart, Laci Stone, Ginny Nutting, Abi Scott; Back Row: Milli Anderson, Lara Durrence, Ava Woolard, Jaeley MacGregor, and Libby Kate Blocker.

By:  PCA Journalism

Pinewood Christian Academy’s track teams traveled to Georgia Southern University on Wednesday, April 13, 2021 to compete in the GISA 2AAA Region track meet.

The Patriot boys claimed back to back region titles when they brought home this year’s GISA 2AAA Champion title with a team score of 177.  Trinity Day Christian School (TCDS) followed as runner-up with 148 points and Bulloch Academy (BA) with 120.  Aside from the team win, the boys racked up individual Champion titles in 8 events and 4 Runner-up titles as well.  “Although it did hurt losing a big group of seniors last year, one of the things that group did was bring back the wining mentality to the boys track team.  It was a challenge for this year’s seniors and the team to go back to back region champs. I told our team we had some holes to fill from last year. We definitely had the potential, but it was all up to them. I said, ‘be comfortable with being uncomfortable… embrace it and go prove yourself as a team.’ They did just that by bringing home another region title,” explained Head Coach Garrett Blaxton who was also named the 2022 Region Coach of the Year.

Pictured (l to r): Garrett Blaxton named Region Boys Coach of the Year and Senior Jade Bradley named as the Region Boys High Point Award Recipient

Jade Bradley, son of Ricky and Jennifer Bradley of Glennville, claimed the High Points Award for the boys with a total point score of 42 points in 5 combined track and field events.  He earned the title of Region Champion in 4 out of his 5 events including long jump, 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and the1600 meter relay. “It was great strategy and team work that helped us capture the region championship again. I am looking forward for state with a team that is determined to do their very best this year,” shared Bradley.

Abi Scott – Pinewood girls’ high point earner

The Lady Patriots took third with a team score of 123 behind TCDS who took home the Region Champion title with a team score of 189 and BA who was named Region Runner-up with 150.  Individually, the girls earned a Region Champion award in one event as well as Runner-up titles in 7 events.  “After graduating several key seniors, I was very proud of our young team for finishing third in an extremely competitive region and for qualifying 16 members for the state competition. The future looks good for Lady Patriots track!” said Coach Paula Johns.

Abi Scott, daughter of Dr. Jesse and April Scott of Claxton, claimed the only AAA Region Champion Award for the girls’ team as she cleared the high jump bar at 4’11”.  She also was the top point earner for Pinewood as she earned 34 points across 4 track and field events.  “I will always be thankful for the gifts God has given me.  I’m also incredibly thankful for the love and support of my coaches and everyone around me has given me.  I wouldn’t be half the athlete I am without them,” shared Scott.

Those taking champion status thru 4^th place, earned a spot at the state meet.  A full breakdown of events with each trackster’s placement, racing times and field distances is as follows:

3200 Meters 
Girls:
4^th – Ella Johns (15:09.25)
6^th – Claire Mullis (18:40.56)
Boys:
3^rd – Bryson Croft (13:13.02)
6^th – Yug Patel (17:07.60)

4×100 Relay
Girls:
3^rd –Riley Nevil, Jena Bradley, Cassidi Lynn, Katelin Smith (54.12)
7^th –Mattie Spacek, Emma Strickland, Ava Woolard, Milli Anderson (57.77)
Boys:
1^st – Preston Rowe, Jade Bradley, Kaeden Arnold, Mic Wasson (44.62)
4^th –Luke Scott, Banks Durrence, Jake Rogers, Tyson Swindell (46.78)

100 Meters Hurdles
Girls:
2^nd – Abi Scott (17.65)
5^th – Mary Lucy Dasher (19.89)

110 Meters Hurdles
Boys:
4^th – Tyson Swindell (19.3)
5^th – Seth Dekle (23.61)

100 Meters Dash
Girls:
4^th – Katelin Smith (13.61)
5^th – Riley Nevil (13.69)
Boys:
1^st – Jade Bradley (10.96)
2^nd – Mic Wasson (11.43)

1600 Meter Run
Girls:
3^rd – Payton Cowart (6:23.04)
7^th – Laci Stone (6:45.44)
Boys:
5^th – Bryson Croft (5:59.74)
8^th – Jesse McLendon (6:48.99)

400 Meter Dash 
Girls:
2^nd – Lilly Griffin (1:05.92)
3^rd – Ginny Nutting (1:07.73)
Boys:
2^nd – Banks Durrence (54.73)
4^th – Jake Rogers (56.82)

300 m Hurdles
Girls:
2^nd – Abi Scott (50.13)
5^th – Priscilla Dillion (1:18.33)
Boys:
1^st – Luke Scott (45:72)
5^th – Tyson Swindell (48.89)

800 Meter Run
Girls:
4^th – Lilly Griffin (2:54.27)
6^th – Libby Kate Blocker (2:57.69)
Boys:
5^th – Pearce Dutton (2:27.37)
7^th – Luke DeLoach (2:34.62)

200 Meter Dash
Girls:
2^nd – Katelin Smith (28.70)
6^th – Jena Bradley (31.28)
Boys:
1^st – Jade Bradley (22.94)
3^rd – Mic Wasson (23.77)

4×400 Relay
Girls:
2^nd – Abi Scott, Lilly Griffin, Payton Cowart, Riley Nevil (4:27.96)
5^th – Ella Johns, Laci Stone, Priscilla Dillon, Ginny Nutting (4:52.64)
Boys:
3^rd – Banks Durrence, Luke Scott, Kaedan Arnold, Jake Rogers (3:50.86)
5^th – Preston Lowe, Bryson Croft, Jade Bradley, Mic Wasson (3:59.65)

Long Jump
Girls:
5^th – Jena Bradley (14’6”)
6^th – Mattie Spacek (13’6”)
Boys:
1^st – Jade Bradley (21’5.75”)
5^th – Kaedan Arnold (18’4.25”)

Triple Jump
Girls:
5^th – Mattie Spacek (28’9.25”)
6^th – Ava Woolard (26’7.75”)
Boys:
1^st – Kaeden Arnold (40’6. 5”)
2^nd – Tyson Swindell (40’3”)

High Jump
Girls:
1^st – Abi Scott (4’11”)
Boys:
4^th – Luke Scott (5’6”)
5^th – Jake Rogers (5’4”)

Shot Put
Girls:
2^nd – Jaeley MacGregor (30’6”)
7^th – Lara Durrence (24’1”)
Boys:
2^nd – Peyton Williams (41’2”)
3^rd – Mic Wasson (40’8”)

Discus
Girls:
2^nd – Jaeley MacGregor (86’1”)
4^th – Lara Durrence (72’1”)
Boys:
1^st – Peyton Williams (141’9”)
4^th – Cade Beecher (100’)

Pole Vault
Girls:
4^th – Mary Lucy Dasher (7’0”)
5^th – Ava Woolard (6’0”)
Boys:
1^st – Jackson Fries (12’6”)
3^rd – Jesse McLendon (9’6”)

“I am so proud of this year’s team and what sacrifices have been made so far. As a coach you want to see your kids pushing through challenges and succeed. We are not done yet with State track coming up. We will go see if we can’t make some magic happen,” stated Coach Blaxton.

The GISA 2AAA State Meet will take place this Thursday thru Saturday, April 21 – 23, at Strong Rock Christian Academy in Locust Grove.  Qualifying rounds will be Thursday with field competition on Friday and final races on Saturday.  The Patriots are eager to compete and look forward to the event.