As spring sports come to a close, a fall sport is getting warmed up. Gators’ spring football practice began May 2 with the Spring Game on May 13. Meanwhile, three senior lady Gators signed college scholarships: Starr Roberston has signed to play soccer in Tifton at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Jennifer Sharpe will continue running track at the University of Alabama-Birmingham next year, and Whitney Thrift signed to play softball at South Georgia State College in Douglas.
TRACK & FIELD
Ware County senior, Earvin Nard, is the 2016 State AAAAA champion in the discus. Nard’s toss of 166′-5″ is a new school record and a great way to finish an amazing track season. Also, Nard won the Region 3-AAAAA championship and the sectional in the discus, before winning state on a rainy day in Jefferson, Georgia. Next year, he will be playing football for Carson-Newman University in Tennessee.
Nard started to gain momentum by winning the Region 3-AAAAA championship at Statesboro High School in late April against teams from Bradwell Institute, Brunswick, Camden County, Coffee County, Effingham County, Glynn Academy, Richmond Hill, South Effingham High School, Statesboro High School, and Ware County High School. The top eight finishers in each event qualified for the sectionals.
Nard led Coach Brandon Andrews Gators track team; the team finished fifth overall in the region with Jordan Turner and Alyx Sayles qualifying for sectionals in the 100 and 200 meters. Michael Flynn qualified in the 800 meters, Tyler Rawls in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles, Jazquez Bolds and Tyler Ronan in the pole vault. Allen Jones qualified in the shotput and Monquez Maxwell in the discus. The 4×100 meter relay team, Gary Williams, Jordan Turner, Alyx Sayles and, De’Andre Taylor also qualified for sectionals.
The Lady Gators of Coach Alesia Gibson finished second overall in region in Statesboro and saw Jennifer Sharpe win the 100 meter hurdles, once again. She also qualified in the 100 meters and the long jump. Other qualifiers for the Lady Gators were, Arviniec McDonald in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and long jump; Chyna Bacon in the 400 meters and the 300 meter hurdles, Miyah Daniel in the 200 meters, and Kelsey Davis in the 800 meters. In the field events, Khadijah Williams was second in the shotput and third in the discus, Traveshia Birden was second in the discus, Aubrey Taylor qualified in the high jump, Bre Etheridge was second in the triple jump; Zay Howard was third and Jada Golden was fourth in the pole vault respectively. Also, the girls qualified for sectionals in the 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter relays.
Khadijah Williams was third in the shotput and third in the discus at sectionals and advanced to the state meet in Albany, where she won fourth in the shotput.
GOLF
Coach Tony Wheeler’s Lady Gator’s golf team made it back to the GHSA State AAAAA tournament at West Lake Golf Club in Augusta. The team finished ninth with a 276 score. Kylie Wheeler led the way with an 82 followed by Sutton Rollins with an 85. The team had qualified for state by virtue of a first place finish at sectionals at Heron Bay Golf Club in Locust Grove, Georgia. The win at sectionals followed a second place finish in the Region 3-AAAAA tournament.
Levi Jewell was the lone competitor for the boy’s team at the state AAAAA meet. He qualified for state by shooting a 76 at sectionals. At the state tournament at Bartram Trail in Augusta, he shot a 79 for the Gators.
Southeast Georgia/June 2016
Ware page
By Rob Asbell
Gator’s Nard Wins State Title
Photos by Jennifer Cater Johnson and Ware County High School
