POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. — The Newton Rams had a successful day this past weekend at McEachern High School as they qualified multiple athletes for the state meet.

In total, the Rams qualified for 15 events and left McEachern with five first place medals.

After sending a large group to Sectionals, Newton head coach Sierra Calhoun was more than pleased to know they will once again send another large group to the state championships.

“I'm incredibly proud of how the team performed at sectionals.” Calhoun said. “Our athletes showed up with energy and determination. We had a lot of personal best as they were all pushing to make it to the state championship. It's rewarding to see the work they've put in all season pay off when it matters most.” 

On the boys side, Newton had a lot of success in the sprint events

Junior Derrick Miller claimed first place in the boys’ 200-meter with a time of 21.85.

In the boys’ 400-meter, Cole Strother finished in first place with a time of 46.97.

Strother was one of many upperclassmen to place on Saturday, and Calhoun noted how the Rams’ more experienced athletes have come to be more familiar with the high-stakes meets.

“Our seniors have grown so much in how they handle the pressure of postseason meets,” Calhoun said. “They've learned how to manage nerves, stick to their race plans, and support each other through the ups and downs. Their composure has not only helped them perform better but has set a great example for the younger athletes coming up behind them.”

Kingston Banks stayed in his winning ways as he secured first place in the boys’ 300-meter hurdles with a time of 39.22.

A first place finish came in the boys’ 4x400 relay, where  Strother, Roman Brown, Marshal Haynes and Kayden Allen combined to run a time of 3:17.51. Newton also went on to claim first place in the boys’ 4x200 relay with a time of 1:27.07.

Although those were the last of the first place finishes for Newton, it was an overall successful day for the Rams when it came to the relays. In total, Newton qualified for seven different relays at the state championships.

“Relays are definitely where you see the senior leadership shine through. Every relay has one senior who steps up and leads the charge through warmups, pep talks and talking down the nerves of the talented but inexperienced underclassman,” Calhoun said. “Over the season, they have grown to trust each other, thanks to daily training sessions where they push each other. That builds a bond that shows up on the track.”

The Newton boys team finished in seventh place in the 4x100(42.93).

The Lady Rams finished in fifth place in the 4x100(48.25), 4x400(3:57.91) and the 4x800(9:46.27) relays. They went on to claim seventh place in the 4x200(1:43.04).

Along with the fifth place medal in the 4x800, the group also set a new program record in the event — which broke a previous time set at last year’s Sectionals.

For Calhoun, it was a full-circle moment for the 4x800 team.

“We knew the potential was there based on their times and how they’d been progressing throughout the season, but to actually see them put it all together and break the record by five seconds was something special,” Calhoun said. “Three of these relay members were on the team that broke the record last year at Sectionals. So, to watch them come back and do it again was a full circle moment.”

In the boys’ 100-meter, Miller claimed fifth place with a time of 11.00.

Kennedi Zachary scored 36-6 in the girls’ triple jump, good enough for third place.

Washington scored a 42-8.50 in the boys’ triple jump to claim eighth place.

In the girls’ 800-meter, Alaysha Holsey ran a 2:17.81 to claim sixth place. Haynes ran a 1:59.85 in the boys’ 800-meter to earn seventh place.

The Rams will now turn their attention to the Class AAAAAA Championships at Grisham Stadium in Carrollton, Ga. Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10. With a week to prepare, Calhoun hopes to see many things from the team as they look to finish the season with a few more medals.

“This week will be about sharpening up — focusing on race-specific work, fine-tuning handoffs and pacing, and making sure everyone is physically and mentally fresh,” Calhoun said. “We’ll keep the intensity high but the volume low. What I really want to see is confidence, focus, and energy — I want them to believe in the work they’ve done and go into the state meet ready to compete at their best.”