Jewish Track & Field Enters New Era in Georgia

This year’s Georgia High School Track and Field State Championships may be remembered not only for where they were held, but also for who stood out. At the University of Georgia’s (UGA) newly completed track and field complex, Jewish athletes from across Metro Atlanta delivered one of their strongest collective showings in recent memory, earning a state championship, multiple runner-up finishes, podium medals, and state qualifications across a wide range of events.

Together, their performances suggested something larger than a single successful weekend: a new era for Jewish track and field in Georgia.

The meet was held on a stage worthy of the moment. For the first time in history, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) combined all state classifications into one, four-day championship meet, bringing more than 400 schools from across Georgia to UGA’s new track and field complex. The facility, completed as a $59.8 million project, seats more than 4,000 spectators and includes a nine-lane 400-meter track, multiple pole vault and jump areas, indoor and outdoor warmup spaces, and a dedicated throws area with amphitheater-style seating. It is also expected to host major future events, including the SEC Outdoor Championships in 2027.

Against that backdrop, Jewish athletes from across Metro Atlanta stood out across many areas of the meet. Lakeside High senior Solomon Raggs won the discus and placed eighth in the shot put, while North Springs senior Alex Dunowitz finished second in the pole vault. Jewish athletes from Riverwood, Pace Academy, Lovett, and other Atlanta-area schools also reached the state stage, making the meet a showcase of Jewish athletic depth across events and schools.

That growth was especially visible at The Weber School, the only Jewish high school in the Southeast with its own home track. Weber athletes earned multiple medals in the hurdles, a podium finish in the 400 meters, and several additional state qualifications. The program’s success came during a period of rapid development, driven by new facilities, stronger participation, and record-breaking performances.

After completing its track and field facilities in summer 2024, Weber hired head coach Trey Carson, whose arrival has coincided with one of the strongest stretches in program history. Over the last two seasons, Weber athletes have broken 15 of the school’s 36 all-time track and field records. This year, the program sent a record number of athletes to the state meet, further establishing Weber as likely the premier Jewish high school track and field program in the country.

“What stands out most is how much the athletes have bought into the program,” Carson said. “With the new facilities and the culture we are building, they understand that Weber track and field can compete at a serious level. This season really showed what is possible when the athletes believe that.”

Weber’s qualifiers represented a wide range of event groups. Senior Eli Clark placed third in the 400 meters after breaking Weber’s school records in both the 200 meters and 400 meters. Junior Ryan Kasmen added sixth- and seventh-place hurdle finishes in his first full year competing in the event, while junior Nuriel Shimoni-Stoil earned runner-up finishes in both the 110-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles.

In the field events, freshman Avery Schwartz qualified for state in the pole vault after winning a middle school state championship the year before. Ranked the No. 2 freshman girl in Georgia in the event, Schwartz represents one of the clearest signs of Weber’s future potential.

What stands out most is how much the athletes have bought into the program,” Carson said. “With the new facilities and the culture we are building, they understand that Weber track and field can compete at a serious level. This season really showed what is possible when the athletes believe that.

For Schwartz, qualifying for state as a freshman was both a milestone and a sign of how quickly she has adjusted to high school competition.

“Qualifying for state as a freshman means a lot to me because high school track is way more competitive than middle school, so it felt really rewarding to make it this far,” Schwartz said. “My coach has helped me improve a lot and always pushes me to do my best, and Weber’s track team has such a great community where everyone supports each other. Moving forward, I’m motivated to keep working hard and see how far I can go.”

Junior Zane Grosswald qualified for state in the high jump, while Joey Mekyten and Hayden Printz qualified as members of Weber’s 4×200-meter relay.

Weber’s rise was one of the clearest signs of growth, but it was not the only one. Across Metro Atlanta, Jewish athletes at public and private schools also delivered standout performances at the state meet.

Raggs became one of the meet’s top Jewish performers, winning the discus state championship and placing eighth in the shot put. A former Epstein School student and a school record holder in both events at Lakeside, Raggs gave the Jewish athlete contingent one of its strongest results and helped anchor the throws side of the story.

North Springs senior Dunowitz added another major performance, finishing second in the pole vault with a lifetime personal record of 15 feet, 6 inches. A former Davis Academy student, Dunowitz ranks No. 2 in North Springs school history behind fellow Jewish athlete, Jordan Frank, who went on to pole vault at the University of Kentucky, adding another chapter to North Springs’ history of standout Jewish pole vaulters.

Riverwood freshman Nate Richmond, a former Davis Academy student and 2025 middle school state champion in the 400 meters, also reached the state stage, qualifying as part of Riverwood’s 4×400-meter relay and continuing his strong start to high school track.

Pace Academy sophomore Amelit Hall, a former Epstein School student, placed 16th in the pole vault in her first year competing in the event, while Lovett senior Elle Kaufmann qualified in both throws, placing 13th in the discus and 15th in the shot put.

While complete historical comparisons are difficult to verify, this year’s meet appeared to mark one of the strongest collective showings by Jewish track and field athletes in Georgia history. At a state championship already made historic by its setting at UGA’s new facility, Jewish athletes added another layer of significance.

For the athletes, the medals, records, and state qualifications reflected countless hours of training, discipline, and competition. For Atlanta’s Jewish community, they offered a moment of pride — and perhaps the clearest sign yet that Jewish track and field in Georgia is entering a new era.

Nuriel Shimoni-Stoil is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Weber School’s Rampage newspaper.