Locals highlight Anthony Bateman Invitational
Published 1:48 pm Friday, March 14, 2025
- Becky Taylor/Valdosta Daily Times Who wins at the finish of the 110 hurdles? It’s Noah Fernandez of Lowndes by a hair. Fernandez had a time of 15.21 seconds, with Dougherty’s Zeterria Kegler (middle) runner-up at 15.22 and Kenyon Livingston of Coffee in 15.24.
TIFTON — Tift County’s Anthony Bateman Invitational brought in plenty of southern Georgia track talents and Valdosta and Lowndes made their presence well known.
Perhaps the event with the most attention for the day was high jump.
Jamir Bradley made 6-6 in high jump, but the Valdosta athlete had to settle for second as Tift’s Jamari Johnson not only equalled that number but managed 6-7 and 6-8 as well. The two drew quite a crowd to their end of the stadium for the battle, fans cheering loudly each time they cleared a new height.
Lowndes’ Ethan Burnett and VHS’ David Boatwright were 1-2 in the 1,600 run. Burnett ran at 4:36 to Boatwright’s 4:47. Caelyn Yearby of VHS threw the discus 102 feet to win that event.
Becky Taylor/Valdosta Daily Times
Zanea Henry gets a good running start during pole vault for Valdosta. Henry scaled 6-6 in the event, tying her for second place.
Lady ‘Cats’ Makiyah Brewton was a double winner Saturday, easily in first in long jump, with a best of 18-3. Second place was 16-9. For triple jump, Brewton won at 35-9.
In the boys 4×400, Valdosta edged Lowndes, 3:33-3:38. The Wildcats won the 4×800 in 8:36. Results were switched in the 4×400 for girls, Lowndes winning in 4:15 over Valdosta.
Lowndes was 1-2 in the boys 3,200, Jack Sorensen edging Dylan Chambers by less than a gnat’s eyelash: 9:51.88 to 9:51.89. Viking Noah Fernandez won the 110 hurdles in 15.21, an equally close race as Dougherty’s Zeterria Kegler crossed in 15.22 and Coffee’s Kenyon Livingston in 15.24. Girls shot put was a 1-2 Lowndes finish with Kamaria Davis at 35-2 and Carleigh Harris at 34-1.
The Vikings also got a first from Benjamin Corhei in discus with a top throw of 136-8.5, and from Desmond Frazier in shot put at 48-6. Frazier’s throw was nearly three feet longer than second place. The Vikettes won the 4×400 at 4:15.
Becky Taylor/Valdosta Daily Times
Valdosta’s Jaiden Richardson has two Coffee runners on his tail during the third heat of the 400 meters, but stays ahead of both. Richardson was fifth overall in 53.87 seconds.
Paris Brewton of Valdosta was second in the 100 hurdles in 16.28 seconds. Lowndes’ Zanea Henry and Valdosta’s Kaitlyn Williams tied for second in pole vault, each getting 6-6.
Lowndes’ Ty Jennings earned second in long jump at 21-4. Before Fernandez won the 110 hurdles, he was second in triple jump at 43-6. Chris Quinn got second in pole vault at 10-6. Valerie Roberts ran the 800 in 2:31 for second place. In the field, she was second in high jump at 5-0.
A time of 5:32 for Kendall Johnson earned second in the 1,600. Jamecia Burgman was second in triple jump at 35-0.5. Kaitlyn Williams tied for second for Lowndes in pole vault.
Other Valdosta athletes in the top eight at the Invitational
Boys 100: Jorden Wright (6th).
Girls 100: Faith Brown (4th) and Kaylin Hunter (6th).
Boys 200: Wright (4th) and Tremaine Haynes (7th).
Girls 200: Brown (5th) and Trianna Timbresa (8th).
Becky Taylor/Valdosta Daily Times
Vikette Karsyn Kiick gets over one of the last barriers in the 100-meter hurdles. Kiick placed eighth overall, second-best in her heat.
Girls 300 hurdles: Paris Brewton (5th).
Boys 400: Dylan Preaster (3rd) and Jaiden Richardson (5th).
Boys 1,600: Geavon Tribble (5th).
Boys 4×100: 3rd.
Girls 4×100: 8th.
Boys 4×200: 2nd.
Girls 4×200: 4th.
Boys discus: Kaden Holmes (7th).
Girls discus: Janiyah Jefferson (4th).
Girls high jump: Malia Green (7th).
Boys high jump: Dewayne Jackson (5th).
Girls shot put: Kamari Carter (3rd) and Janiyah Jefferson (5th).
Girls triple jump: Paris Brewton (7th) and Traycianna Denson (8th).
Boys triple jump: Bradley (7th).
Boys pole vault: Andrew Bartlett (5th) and Adrian Jackson (6th).
Other Lowndes athletes in the top eight:
Boys 100: Ty Jennings (4th).
Girls 100: Ari Williams (8th).
Girls 100 hurdles: Brailey Huewitt (4th) and Karsyn Kiick (8th).
Boys 110 hurdles: Drew Thomas (7th).
Boys 200: Jett Terrell (6th).
Girls 300 hurdles: Ari Williams (3rd) and Huewitt (7th).
Boys 400: Khalil Brown (4th) and Jayden Tomlinson (8th).
Girls 400: Raniya Head (6th).
Boys 800: Corbin Young (5th) and Tucker Wilbanks (7th).
Girls 800: Kelsie Herndon (6th).
Boys 1,600: Michael Gemma (3rd) and River Thurston (8th).
Boys 3,200: Avery Adkins (6th).
Girls 3,200: Alyssa Youmans (6th), Cadence Barrett (7th) and Yuka Bass (8th).
Boys 4×100: 2nd.
Girls 4×100: 5th.
Boys 4×200: 3rd.
Girls 4×200: 3rd.
Boys 4×400: 2nd.
Boys 4×800: 4th.
Girls 4×800: 2nd.
Boys discus: Kameron Roberts (4th) and Hermen Sirmans (6th).
Girls discus: Kamaria Davis (5th).
Boys high jump: Malachi Sherman (4th).
Girls high jump: Mikah Woods (5th).
Boys long jump: Antensio Lane (6th).
Girls long jump: Burgman (4th) and Huewitt (7th).
Boys pole vault: Klen Flanigan (4th).
Boys shot put: Corbin Wright (7th).
Girls shot put: Shamiaha Webb (8th).
Boys triple jump: Nicholas Williams (8th).
Girls triple jump: Ari Williams (5th).
