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Three Wildcats run to Region 3-AAAAA titles
Elliott, Jones, Hammesfahr pace RHHS
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Rachel Hammesfahr finished first in the girls 3,200 to take the region title. - photo by Photo by Ron Elliott/Georgia Game Changers

Richmonnd Hill High School’s Amanda Elliott, Rachel Hammesfahr and Corey Jones won titles at the Region 3-AAAA track meet last week at Ware County High School.
Elliott won both the girls’ 800- and 1,600-meter runs while Hammesfahr finished first in the girls’ 3,200 and Jones took first in the boys’ 800.
They led several runners who finished in the top four at the region meet and thus will head to the Class AAAAA sectional meet this weekend at Greenbrier High School in Augusta. Overall, the Wildcats placed third in the boys’ meet and the Lady Wildcats finished in a tie for fourth with Glynn Academy.
“We did well at regions,” said RHHS coach Levi Sybert. “Lots of personal bests, solid performances across the board, so we are happy about that for sure.”
But Sybert said the sectional meet will present more of a challenge to his runners.
“Sectionals will be much more difficult to get out of,” he said. “Our region is the weakest of the four competing there, so our challenge will be to get our athletes to look beyond the performances that are turned in by the other regions.”
Despite the weakness of 3-AAAAA, Sybert said RHHS has a good chance to move runners on to state if his runners play their cards right.
“If we can focus on turning in personal bests, we will be pleased regardless of who moves on and who does not,” he said. “I think that if we can continue to be big meet performers, we could see two-four events move on.”
In years past, the top runners from each region moved on to the state meet. Now, there’s a sectional level to get through before the state meet. Sybert is a fan of the sectional format.  
“It used to be that we went from regions to the state meet,” Sybert said. “And at the state meet the teams from the coastal regions struggled the most. With sections, only the best move on. That is what state play is to me. Truly the best representing Georgia. I would rather end our season at a sub state level than be spanked in state competition.”
The sectionals are Saturday. The boys’ state meet for all classifications is May 2-4. The girls’ state meet for all classification is May 9-11.
“The challenge we have now is to quickly prepare our athletes for a level of competition that we have not yet seen this year,” Sybert said.
 
Girls results
Finish, name, time or distance
1,600
1. Elliott, 5:36.33; 2. Hammesfahr 5:48.28
400
8. Valida Garrett 1:09.82
100 high hurdles
2. Savannah Ashe 18.16
800
1. Elliott 2:24.29
300 hurdles
3. Ashe 51.54
3,200
1. Hammesfahr 12:30.71; 3. Emily Hollowell 12:59.54
4x400
3. RHHS (Garrett, Anna Cabrera, Ashe, Elliot) 4:20.02

Girls team scores
Bradwell Institute 163, Ware 124, Effingham County 103, RHHS 66, Glynn Academy 66, Groves 33, Jenkins 29, Windsor Forest 15

Boys results
Finish, name, time or distance
1,600
2. Tanner Hicks 4:48.16; Zach Jones 4:50.64
400
2. Darryl Dunham 50.92; 5. Naidre’ Williams 53.91
100
3. Michael Clark 11.52
110 high hurdles
4. Deon Davis 16.65; 8. Tyler Minor 18.16
800
1. Corey Jones 1:56.54; 3. Zarrius Walker 2:04.63
200
2. Clark 23.11; 5. Dunham 23.62
300 intermediate hurdles
2. Deon Davis 40.76
3,200
3. Hicks 10:30.79; 5. Shane Hoeksema 10:52.78
4x400
2. RHHS (Williams, Walker, Jones, Dunham) 3:28.40
Long jump
4. Tommy Washington 20-1.5; 5. Dunham 19-11
Triple jump
8. Williams 38-8
Discus
6. William Collins 93-5.

Boys team scores
Effingham 143, Bradwell 113, RHHS 104, Ware 83, Glynn Academy 66, Windsor Forest 58, Groves 24, Jenkins 21

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