Gainesville Bulldogs track and field team end season with commendable performances

The Gainesville Bulldogs track and field teams travelled to Blue Eye May 11 to compete in the Class 2 Sectional 3 round of the State Championships last Saturday, May 11. The results were excellent with all our student athletes competing very well and, in some cases, reaching season and career bests. 

The boys 4x800 relay team topped their all-time GHS record that was set last week at districts. 

While none of our student athletes advanced to the final round of state competition, this season was a definite success. Class 2 has four separate sectional meets held on the same day with eight competitors in each event. By advancing to this round, GHS’s athletes are considered one of the top 32 in class 2 this season. 

Seventeen athletes represented Gainesville this year in the sectional round. That’s a huge stepping stone to the future of the GHS track and field program and a testament to the hard work they put in this season.  

Bulldogs competing or representing GHS at sectionals were: 

Fifth place

• Macray Hambelton came in fifth place in the javelin throw, just missing the mark of the first through fourth place competitors who advance to the state competition. He threw an impressive 42.54 meters. 

Seventh places

• The girls 4x400 relay team took seventh place with a time of 4:54.19; Teammates were Alyssa Smith, Jeanne Chevrier, Lauren Smith, Kaitlyn Kahl and Brianna Welch (substitute);

• The girls 4x800 meter relay team also took seventh place with a time of 11:47.61; Teammates were Alyssa Smith, Jeanne Chevrier, Lauren Smith, Kaitlyn Kahl and Sarah Klessig (substitute);

• Aaron Kahl took seventh place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.28 seconds;

• The boys 4x800 meter relay team took seventh place with a time of 9:10.12; Teammates were Isaac Pippin, Brady Myers, Nick Goodson, Ryder Murphy, John Botts-Papcke (substitute), Zeke Yarger (substitute) and Peyton Hathcock (substitute).

Eighth places

• Aaron Kahl took eighth place in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.49 seconds;

• Christian Ries took eighth place in the discus with a distance of 30.35 meters;

• Tate Uchtman took eighth place in the shot put with a distance of 10.37 meters. 

All-time GHS record-breakers:

The following competitors broke or set school records for Gainesville High School during this track season:

Boys 4x400 relay: Aaron Kahl, Brady Myers, Ryder Murphy and Isaac Pippin;

Boys 4x800 relay: Isaac Pippin, Brady Myers, Nick Goodson and Ryder Murphy;

Girls 3200 meter run: Alyssa Smith;

Girls 4x200 relay: Brianna Welch, Jeanne Chevrier, Whitney Jarvis and Lauren Smith; and

Girls 4x800 relay: Alyssa Smith, Jeanne Chevrier, Lauren Smith, Kaitlyn Kahl.