Spring all-area series: Here are the top 2024 Savannah-area track and field athletes

It was a memorable track and field season for athletes and teams from the Greater Savannah area with eight gold medals coming out of the GHSA State Track and Field meets.

Savannah Christian senior Jadyn Singleton closed out her career with two Class 3A state championships as she repeated as the long jump champion, took the crown in the triple jump and finished fourth in the 100 meters.

Deedee Colter, who coaches the boys and girls track teams for the Raiders, is the All-Greater Savannah Girls Track and Field Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. On the boys side, she helped Jamari McIvory repeat as the 400 meter state champion, while finishing second in the 200 meters.

The Raider girls finished 10th in the Class 3A team standings and the boys were 13th as Raider athletes produced nine personal bests in the state meet.

On the boys side, Richmond Hill's Levi Sybert, who also coaches the Wildcat girls, earned Coach of the Year honors. The Wildcat boys team finished seventh in the rugged Class 7A meet, with the girls finishing fourth. Wildcat athletes took home 14 state medals, including junior long jumper Billy Cunningham, who won gold with a leap of 24-feet.

The All-Greater Savannah Girls and Boys Track and Field teams are announced today. The first-team selections will be recognized at the Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards show, presented by Georgia Ports, on June 7 at the Johnny Mercer Theatre at the Savannah Civic Center, where the Track and Field Athletes of the Year will be announced. The show is produced with support from Chatham Orthopaedic Associates and WJCL 22 News.

Nominees can register here. Nominee Registration for the 2024 Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards (smartsheet.com)

Tickets for the general public are on sale here: Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards Tickets Jun 07, 2024 Savannah, GA | Ticketmaster

For more information about the show including links to other sports nominees and to opt into email updates, visit its website and you can also follow it on Facebook.

The Coastal Empire High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

All-Greater Savannah Girls Track and Field First Team

Jadyn Singleton, Savannah Christian

The senior closed out her career with a flourish as she repeated as the Class 3A state champion in the long jump with a leap of 18-6, and also won the state triple jump crown with a mark of 39-1. She also had a podium finish in the 100 meters by finishing fourth in 12.15 to win the High Point Award for the Class 3A State Meet.

Jaidyn Hayes, Liberty County

The junior won the Class 3A state crown in the discus with a throw of 123-10, the best mark in the Savannah area this season. She grabbed another state medal with an eighth place finish in the shot put with a throw of 35 feet.

Kinley Gibson, Richmond Hill

The freshman had an impressive debut as she finished seventh in the Class 7A 400 meters with a time of 56.86. Her state prelim time of 56.63 was the fastest in the Greater Savannah area this year.

She also ran a leg on the Wildcat 4x400 relay team that finished sixth at state and the 4x200 relay team that finished fifth. She had one of the top 100 meter times in the Savannah area this year with a 12.40 and had the second best time in the 200 (25.02)

Le'Ryah Bryant, Johnson

The senior had the best Savannah area time in the 200 meters as she clocked a 24.95 to finish fifth in the Class 3A state meet. She was third in the state meet long jump with a leap of 18 feet and ran a leg on the Johnson 4x200 relay team that finished fourth at state.

Jada Brown, Richmond Hill

The junior was a throwing star for the Wildcats as she finished second in the shot put in the Class 7A state meet with a mark of 41-3.75, while placing fourth in the discus (120-9).

Mmekom Inyang, Richmond Hill

The junior finished third in the Class 7A state meet in the shot put with a mark of 40-7 and also posted the best area time in the 100 meter hurdles this season (14.31).

Julia Anastasio, Richmond Hill

The freshman posted the best area time in the 1600 this season when she finished seventh in the Class 7A state meet with a time of 5:13.21. She also ran a leg on the Wildcat 4x800 relay team that finished third at state.

Brooke Crickard, South Effingham

The freshman was the top 800 meter runner in the Savannah area and she finished sixth in the Class 6A state meet with a time of 2:17.75.

Justine Nevels, South Effingham

The freshman was tied for the best mark in the high jump this season in the Savannah area with a leap of 5-6. She finished tied for second in the Class 6A state meet in the event with a jump of 5-2.

Haely Grant, Johnson

The senior, who has signed with Bethune-Cookman, finished second in the Class 3A 400 meters with a time of 58.30 and was seventh in the 200 (25.20). She also ran a leg on the Atom Smasher 4x200 relay relay team that finished fourth at state.

Leah Nyce, Savannah Arts

The junior finished fourth in the Class 2A state meet in the 3200 meters with a time of 11:35.40 and was fifth in the 1600 in 5:26.27. Both times were personal bests.

Aubrey Edge, South Effingham

Edge was the top pole vaulter in the area, clearing 10 feet three times this season. She finished ninth in the Class 6A state meet with a mark of 9-6.

Jayla Lawrence, Richmond Hill

One of the top sprinters in the Greater Savannah area, Lawrence took home three state medals running legs on the Richmond Hill 4x100 relay team (fourth), 4x200 relay team (5th) and 4x400 relay team (6th). She also had the best area time this season in the 300 hurdles (44.63). She has signed with Georgia Southern.

Danni Lynn, South Effingham

The freshman emerged as one of the top throwers in the Greater Savannah area. She was sixth in the Class 6A state competition in the discus with a mark of 119-9.

Amirah Ali, Johnson

The senior had a personal best in the triple jump of 37-2.75 to finish second in the Class 3A state meet.

Zy'Kira Anderson, Liberty County

The junior was third in the Class 3A state meet in the triple jump with a mark of 37-1.75. She also had a personal best of 18-feet in the long jump this season.

Chloe Adkins, Effingham County

The freshman posted the top 3200 meter time among Savannah area runners this season with an 11:27.90 and had one of the top 1600 meter times (5:28.66).

Julia Wilson, Richmond Hill

The Georgia Southern signee had among the best area times in the 3200 (11:45.40) and 1600 (5:20.84).

All-Greater Savannah Boys Track and Field First Team

Jamari McIvory, Savannah Christian

The senior, who recently won the Ashley Dearing Award as the most versatile male athlete in Savannah, defended his Class 3A state title in the 400 meters with a personal best time of 47.11 and finished second in the 200 meters (21.45). He also had one of the fastest area times in the 100 meters this season with a 10.67. McIvory has signed to play football at Northern Illinois as a defensive back.

Coray Stafford, Jenkins

The junior won the Class 5A state crown in the 100 meters with a time of 10.63 after running an area season best of 10.51 in qualifying. He was seventh at state in the 200 (22.51).

Andrew Wynn, Savannah Country Day

The junior had a big-time performance in the Class 3A state meet as he won the 110 meter hurdles with the best time in the area this year (14.59). He went on to take second in the 300 meter hurdles with another PR of 39.16.

Billy Cunningham, Richmond Hill

The junior peaked at the perfect time as he popped off a personal best in the long jump with a leap of 24 feet to win the Class 7A state crown. It was the best mark in the Greater Savannah area this year and the fifth best mark in the state among all classifications for the season. He also had a season best time of 10.77 in the 100 meters and 22.19 in the 200.

Billy Johnson, Jenkins

The senior finished second in the Class 5A State 300 meter hurdles with a personal best time of 37.95 and was fifth in the 110 hurdles with another PR of 14.64.

Kendrick Joshua, Richmond Hill

The sophomore finished third in the Class 7A State meet in the 300 hurdles in 38.09 after running the fastest time in the area this season in the prelims (37.85). He also had one of the top long jump marks in the area with a leap of 21-10.5.

Memphis Rich, Richmond Hill

The Appalachian State-bound senior finished fourth in the Class 7A State Meet in the 3200 meters with a time of 9:17.57 and was eighth in the 1600 meters (4:20.25). He had the best area times in both events this season.-

Charles Pope, Savannah Country Day

The sophomore picked a perfect time to run his personal best as he placed third in the Class 3A 800 meters with a time of 1:58.77, the best mark in the area this season.

Ray Ray Jackson, Savannah Country Day

The senior saved his best for last as he unleashed a discus throw of 175-feet to set a school record and finish second in the Class 3A state meet. He also had one of the top shot put marks in the area with a toss of 48-6 this season. His discus mark was the fifth best this season among all classifications in Georgia.

Shiv Patel, Savannah Christian

The senior had a season best high jump of 6-foot-7 and finished eighth in the Class 3A state meet with a mark of 6-feet. He was also second in the state meet in the long jump (22-10), the second best mark in the area this year.

Garrett McDade, Richmond Hill

The junior improved on his best mark in the pole vault by nearly two feet this year with a personal best of 14-5.25. He was fourth in the Class 7A State Meet with a mark of 14-feet.

Benedictine 4x200 relay team

The Cadets won the Class 4A state title with a time of 1:27.11 as Na'Seir Samuel, Jack Ganem, Stanley Smart Jr., and Bubba Frazier finished atop the podium.

AJ Bynum, Jenkins

In his first year competing in the high jump, the senior had a personal best of 6-foot-7 and finished third in the Class 5A state meet with a mark of 6-4.

Harrison Crofts, South Effingham

The junior had a season best high jump of 6-foot-7 and was fourth in the Class 6A State Meet with a leap of 6-4.

Ben Hockman, New Hampstead

The sophomore was one of the top sprinters in the area as he finished fifth in the Class 3A 200 meters (21.69) and eighth in the 100 meters (10.79). He had the second best time this year among area runners in the 200 with a time of 21.59.

Girls Honorable Mention

Marissa Palmer, New Hampstead

Kalyn Heileman, Richmond Hill

Alexa Hamlin, Richmond Hill

Somaria Courtney, Richmond Hill

Adeline Althen, Richmond Hill

Destinee Gordon, Liberty County

Ivey Hall, Jenkins

Jasmine Wood, Richmond Hill

Joey Mitchell, Richmond Hill

Lydia Alderman, South Effingham

Christeon Lewis, South Effingham

Blessed Diogo, Jenkins

Kaiya Bryant, Jenkins

Braylin Nease, Effingham County

Anarnia Gray, Liberty County

Jameria Gadson, Johnson

Taneiha Bowman, Bradwell

Chloe Morris, Richmond Hill

Makayla Oates, Savannah High

Emily Johnson, Bryan County

Kirah Smiley, Liberty County

Mollie Poppell, Savannah Christian

Gabrielle Barnum, Jenkins

Isabella Melendez, Liberty County

Frances Tedder, Savannah Arts

Jasmine Gaither, Woodville-Tompkins

Boys Honorable Mention

Noah Sybert, Richmond Hill

Austin Clemons, Bryan County

Demetri Hinton, Richmond Hill

Dakarai Walker, Effingham County

Aaziah Scott, New Hampstead

Jahzhia Thomas, Bradwell

Jacoby Pasley, Bradwell

Henry Sink, Benedictine

Stephen Cannon, Benedictine

Avery Singleton, Woodville-Tompkins

Benjamin Hall, Richmond Hill

Santonio Rio, Richmond Hill

Jayden Taylor, Richmond Hill

James Tisby, Beach

Javon Brown, Liberty County

Timothy Alston, Richmond Hill

Kamari Maxwell, New Hampstead

Elijah Fitts, Richmond Hill

Carter Dieterich, Richmond Hill

John Dodson, Benedictine

Hart Tedder, Jenkins

Thomas Hill, Johnson

Elijah Griffin, Savannah Christian

Elijah Blige, New Hampstead

Jaleal Barnard, Richmond Hill

Jabarri Neal, Bradwell

Chance Shipman, Richmond Hill

Antionne Burnett, Bradwell

Jhordan Brooks, Windsor Forest

Raleigh Wesley, Bethesda

Jayden Harris, Windsor Forest

Tyler Grant, Woodville-Tompkins

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Here are the top 2024 Savannah-area high school track & field athletes