Adylein Hunt prepares to throw the discus at the Prince Relays

TIFTON — Tiftarea Academy’s track season is down to two events.

The Panthers roll into Albany and Hugh Mills Stadium today for the Georgia Independent School Association Region 3-AAA meet. Later this month, they will go back to Albany for the three-day state track and field meet.

Tiftarea has shown plenty of promise during the year, but head coach David Dark has a confession about today’s event.

“I’m pretty nervous about it,” he said.

He is very confident that several of his athletes will make state, however.

Among these athletes are Spence Massey, Adam McKinney, Reese Speight, Dallas Hunt, Sara Beth Royal, Adylein Hunt, Abby Carswell, Caroline Sullivan, Maddie Harper and Marlee Marlowe.

Speight is one of Tiftarea’s team leaders.

“He is there for the team,” said Dark, “a real team player.”

Adylein Hunt, said Dark, has gotten stronger in her events. Tiftarea has also gotten better in relays. The “A” team, consisting of Grant Hall, McKinney, Massey and Colby Grant has had good finishes. Dark’s 4×400 team of Tristan Scarberry, Dallas Hunt, McKinney and Massey were one second shy of defeating Deerfield-Windsor at Deerfield’s relays.

“I think the girls and boys will show up better than they think,” said Dark.

Marlowe and Royal qualified 1-2 in the 100 hurdles at last year’s region meet. Marlowe, Carswell and Adylein Hunt were three members of a second place 4×100 team. Massey and Dallas Hunt qualified for state as part of the 4×400 team. McKinney made it in the 800, Hunt in the mile, Scarberry in the 100 hurdles and Michael Garvey in discus.

Marlowe went on to win state in hurdles.

At March’s Deerfield event, competing against public and private school teams, Marlowe was fifth in the 100 hurdles. Massey was 10th in the 100, Nate Fortson was ninth in the 3,200 and Hunt was ninth in the 400. McKinney had the best individual result, third place in the 800.