By Greg Oshust
Marietta Daily Journal Sports Writer
ROSWELL - Traditional Region 6AAAAA powerhouses were leapfrogged in the team standings by newcomer Alpharetta as the north Fulton school won the team championship at the Region 6AAAAA Girls Track and Field Championships at Ray Manus Stadium on Saturday.
Pope led the team standings, while Lassiter was second and Alpharetta was third after the first day of competition on Friday, but the Lady Raiders surged ahead on the strength of their wins in both of the relay events, as well as both of the sprinting events to capture the 6AAAAA crown in their first year in the region.
In the end, Alpharetta finished on top with 102 points, while Lassiter was second with 98 points and Pope placed third with 93 points.
It was a milestone for the third-year north Fulton school, which finished second in Region 6AAAA last year and won the Fulton County title earlier in the season.
Alpharetta coach Nicole Hudson was proud of her team's perseverance as it jumped from third to first.
"We were third after the first day, but we made up our minds never to give up," Hudson said. "We won the Fulton County championships, but there were some who doubted our chances against the Cobb County heavy hitters. We faced a little adversity with some of our athletes out, but we pulled together and got it done."
Despite the lower than expected finish, Pope coach Cathi Monk was proud of her team's showing.
"Third place was not what we were hoping for, but I think the kids came through," Monk said. "Third place is nothing to be ashamed of in a tough region like this. We're looking forward to the state meet and we'll go from there."
Alpharetta dominated the relays, winning both the 400-meter relay and 1,600 relay, while the Lady Raiders also got a big boost from wins by Audris Williams in the 100-meter dash (12.12) and the 200 dash (24.71).
Second-place Lassiter was led by Christina John, who won the discus with a throw of 118-feet, 4-inches, qualifying John for the Class AAAAA girls state championships in Albany May 3-5 in the discus as well as the shot put, where she finished second on Friday.
Gabrielle Piper also won a region title for Lassiter, winning the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.86.
Third-place Pope got a third region title from Zandi DeBowles, who won the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 45.05 to go along with her region titles and state meet berths in the high jump and long jump won on Friday.
Pope picked up a couple of more region titles from sisters Saskia and Alyska Kalmeijer, with Saskia Kalmeijer winning the triple jump (37-4) and Alyska Kalmeijer the 800 (2:22.22).
It was the second 6AAAAA triple jump title for Saskia Kalmeijer, earning the senior and College of Charleston signee a return trip to the state meet.
"I felt really good and I jumped well," Saskia Kalmeijer said. "I'm a senior, so I wanted to go to go back to state."
Saskia Kalmeijer will be joined at state by her sister Alyska, a sophomore who is in her first year on the Pope varsity.
"I finished the race really strong against some tough competition," Alyska Kalmeijer said. "I'm very excited to be going to state."
Walton's Leila Norman made it a clean sweep of the distance events by winning the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:30.38 to go along with the 1,600 title she won on Friday.
It was the second time in Norman's career that the junior won both region distance events, having won the both the 1,600 and 3,200 as a freshman in 2005.
"It was just a nice weekend for me against some pretty good competition," Norman said. "Winning both the 1,600 and 3,200 was very exciting."
Kell's Elizabeth Bond also earned a state meet berth by winning the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.28.
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