Several Trojans turn in elite performances at Starr's Mill meet

Kate Merritt, Ja’Maria Harvey, Tyrese Woodgett, and the 4x200 relay team of KJ Smith, Woodgett, Anthony Paulk, and Travis Adams turned in the top performances for the Coffee High track teams at the Friday Night Lights meet at Starr’s Mill High School in Fayetteville on Friday. Twenty-two women’s teams and 26 men’s teams competed at the meet.

MileSplitGA.com recognizes Elite Performance for high school runners in Georgia. Merritt (1600 and 3200), Harvey (400), and the 4x200 relay team all had Elite Performances. 

Merritt placed third in the 3200 meter run to earn the only medal for the event. Her time of 11:32.89 is a bronze level elite time. While her time in the 1600 meter run did not place in the top 8 places, the time was good enough to be included as a bronze level elite performance with a time of 5:28.92.

Harvey placed fourth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 59.56 seconds. Her time was a bronze level elite time. She is also on her way to break her own school record of 58.24 seconds set on May 15, 2021 at the GHSA State Championships (5A and 6A ) 2021 at Carrollton High School. 

Woodgett scored a 5th place finish in the 100 meter dash with an official FAT time of 11.15 seconds.

The 4x200 relay team ran 1:31.22 for a new school record and an eighth place finish. The 2019 record was set by IJ Tatum, Maurice Turner, Boston Benson, and Jaden Moore with a time of 1:32.16 at the Swamp Relays at Ware County High School on March 9, 2019. 

The following runners set personal records for the meet: Senior Nevin Swanson set two new records in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:03.48 and 4:39.31 in the 1600 meter run. He came very close to usurping the school record set by Cameron Watson (2:03.15) on April 29, 2021 at McConnell Talbert Stadium in Warner Robins in the Region 1-5A meet. Nathanael Tapia improved his time in the 800 meter run to 2:28.87. Andre Brewton cleared the hurdles with a time of 20.11 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles. Zean Preston established a new best time for the 300 meter hurdles with 48.63 seconds. 

The Lady Trojans scored 11 points a tie for 18th place finish out of 22 female teams. Meanwhile the Trojans finished with five points for a 21st place out of 26 male teams.