Deerfield-Windsor track and field sweeps region titles, Terrell in second

FITZGERALD — The numbers told the story, but Jake Clawson didn’t need to see the final tally to know how his team had performed.

“We did about what we expected to do,” the Deerfield-Windsor head coach said after Wednesday’s Region 3-AAA championships. “I told them anything less than 200 points would be a disappointment.”

Mission accomplished — twice.

Deerfield-Windsor School swept both team titles in dominant fashion, with the boys piling up 201.5 points and the girls finishing with 214, comfortably ahead of runner-up Terrell Academy in both standings.

The Knights nearly doubled the output of the field, finishing ahead of Terrell Academy (115), Brookwood (84), Tiftarea (84) and Valwood (73.5). The Lady Knights delivered a similar performance, outdistancing Terrell (112), Brookwood (94), Valwood (44) and Tiftarea (26).

It wasn’t just winning. It was depth.

Deerfield-Windsor stacked points across nearly every event, leaning on a balanced roster that produced in sprints, distance, hurdles, relays and the field.

Sophomore standout Whatley Fountain led the charge on the boys side, winning the 3200 meters and finishing second in both the 800 and 1600, anchoring a distance group that consistently delivered points . Boyd Pollock added wins in the 110-meter hurdles and long jump, while Mason Wiggins captured the 300 hurdles. The Knights also claimed victories in the 4×400 and 4×800 relays, a reflection of their overall depth.

The Lady Knights followed the same blueprint.

Hallie Kay Wright won the 100-meter hurdles, Molly Starr topped the field in the high jump, and Kennedy Hackett took first in the pole vault. Deerfield-Windsor also controlled the relays, including a win in the 4×400, while consistently placing near the top in distance and field events .

While Deerfield-Windsor ran away with the team titles, Terrell Academy delivered a strong showing with several standout individual performances.

On the boys side, Evan Montgomery won the 100 and finished second in the 200 meter, and Bryse Peachey placed second in the triple jump. Hayven Aycock added a runner-up finish in the long jump .

The Eagles’ girls were especially strong in distance events, where Anna Kate Miller swept the 800, 1600 and 3200, and Ella Melvin captured the 400-meter title. Jacey Lane added a win in the discus and a second-place finish in the shot put, helping Terrell secure second place overall .

Now, the focus shifts to a bigger stage.

Deerfield-Windsor will head to the GIAA state championships at Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, a three-day meet scheduled for April 30 through May 2.

Clawson said the approach changes — slightly.

“I think looking ahead the goal on Thursday at the state meet is to get as many people through the preliminary rounds as possible and give ourselves the chance to score points on Friday and Saturday,” he said.

If Wednesday’s performance is any indication, Deerfield-Windsor won’t just be trying to qualify athletes.

The Knights and Lady Knights will be looking to do what they’ve done all season.

Score — and score big.