THE JEFFERSON girls’ track team defended its home turf and gained some momentum heading into the postseason in the process by winning Saturday’s Jefferson Relays Group II division.
Jefferson has just one regular season meet remaining, April 16 against Banks County and Commerce.
Rachel Goza, Kelly Goza, Lauren Taronji and Holly Baron teamed up to finish first in the 4 x 400 meter relay (4:31.8) in Saturday's event, while Reese Bowles, Taronji, Laura Price and Alison Missler delivered a win in the 4 x 800 meter relay (10:50.4).
Jefferson finished with 124 points, easily beating second-place Hart County (79 points). Eight girls’ teams competed in Group II, including fellow region schools like Hart County, North Oconee, Rabun County, Elbert County and East Jackson.
Larger schools competed in Group I.
Other Jefferson competitors scoring high were Karla Carreno (third, 100 meters, 13.35 seconds; second, high jump, 4-08), Eden Starnes (third, 100-meter hurdles, 18.12 seconds; third, 300 meter hurdles, 51.40 seconds), Abby Carson (third, pole vault, 7-06), Kasey McDonald (second, shot put, 32-06) and Summer Bartek (third, discus, 95-01).
Jefferson’s 4 x 100 meter relay team (Rachel Goza, Barron, Starnes and Carreno) also finished third (53.10 seconds), while the distance medley relay team (Barron, Rachel Goza, Bowles and Taronji) finished second.
The Lady Dragons will compete in the region meet April 30 and May 3 at East Jackson. The state meet is May 12-14 in Albany.
