Rebels Make History, Lady Rebels Repeat

Rebels Make History, Lady Rebels Dominate Again at Region Meet

 

Fannin County’s track and field program turned in a performance that won’t soon be forgotten, as the Rebels claimed their first region championship in school history while the Lady Rebels made it two in a row in commanding fashion.

 

On the boys side, it was a total team effort that carried Fannin County to the top of the standings. The Rebels piled up 171 points, pulling away from Armuchee and Gordon Lee to secure the title by a 35-point margin.

 

Speed and versatility led the charge. Ryan Preston sprinted to a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.23, while also placing third in the long jump. Braxton Cheatham delivered one of the biggest days of the meet, winning the 400 meters in 51.75 and the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 4.5 inches, while adding a runner-up finish in the 800 meters.

 

Gabe Pirkle added valuable points with a second-place finish in the 400 and a third in the 200, while Kyler Wilson and Winn Rickenbaker helped anchor the middle-distance group with strong finishes in the 800 and 1600.

 

Distance standout Jamari Dunn claimed the region title in the 3200 meters and added a third-place finish in the 1600, continuing a steady season on the track. In the field events, Bryson Cole placed second in the shot put, and Hudson Lynch cleared 5 feet, 8 inches for third in the high jump.

 

Fannin’s relay teams proved to be a difference maker. The 4×400 relay team of Cheatham, Conrad Head, Pirkle, and Lynch took first place with a time of 3:40.49, while the 4×800 team placed second and the 4×100 squad added a third-place finish.

 

Every point mattered, and by the end of the day, it added up to a historic first region title for the boys program.

 

The Lady Rebels, meanwhile, left no doubt in defending their crown.

 

Fannin County racked up 211.5 points to win the region championship by more than 100 points, turning the meet into a runaway early and never looking back.

 

Karli Sams led the way with a dominant distance double, winning both the 800 meters and 1600 meters. She was backed by a strong group in the 800, where Lola Temples finished second and Kensley Pickelsimer took third.

 

Sadie Patton had a big day in the field events, winning the triple jump while also placing second in the long jump and third in the high jump. Toccoa Hampton added a runner-up finish in the triple jump, while Avi Ethington placed third.

 

In the pole vault, Adia Galloway claimed first place, with McKinley Lord and Kate Freeman finishing second and third to give Fannin a clean sweep of the podium.

 

On the track, Ava Acker placed third in the 400 meters and helped power multiple relay teams. The Lady Rebels’ 4×800 relay team of Pickelsimer, Temples, Acker, and Sams brought home a first-place finish, while both the 4×200 and 4×400 teams turned in runner-up performances.

 

In the throws, Presley Daves added more points with a second-place finish in the discus and third in the shot put.

 

By the end of the meet, the scoreboard told the story. Depth, balance, and a steady stream of top-three finishes pushed the Lady Rebels to a second straight region championship in dominant fashion.

 

With both teams advancing qualifiers to the GHSA Class A Division I Sectional Meet, Fannin County now turns its focus to the next stage, carrying plenty of momentum and a pair of region trophies to show for it.