September 10, 2025—For most track and field athletes, the season ends with that last stretch across the finish line. Some enjoy a medal for a second or third-place finish, but a select few enjoy the elation of a state championship. The presentation of the hardware—a championship ring—comes later, but seldom with the same fanfare. Pope High School wanted to make sure their spring state champs were properly honored.

Pope recently presented State Championship rings to individual title winners at the 2025 GHSA Track & Field State Championships and members of the 5A Girls State Champion team, coached by Jerad Johnson.

“In 18 years of doing this,” Johnson said, “I cannot remember a more enjoyable group to be around. This team held each other to high standards. They were motivated, competitive, disciplined and, more importantly, all-around good people who were fun to be around.”

The awarding of rings was a great reminder of the feats each of these athletes accomplished last May at Barron Stadium in Rome, Georgia. The Greyhounds runners earned five event wins. Four were individual first-place finishes (Aislynn Dunn [Girls 800-meter run], Josie Hutchinson [Girls 3200-meter run], Lauren Woodall [Girls 100-meter hurdles], and Dermot Maloney [Boys 3200-meter run]). Their 4x800-meter relay team also won first place (Dunn, Hutchinson, Phoebe Throckmorton, and Ahna Hicks). 

“We had some studs who made a lot of noise in 2024,” Johnson recalled when thinking about how he knew something big was possible a year earlier. “The combined effort of our veterans’ composure and the confidence and excitement of the younger girls was the perfect recipe. Despite any nerves the coaches tried to hide, the girls were confident in their own abilities and their teammates.”

Pope’s Girls Track State Championship was the program’s first since 1996, and they won it in impressive fashion. In addition to their four wins, the girls garnered one second-place, three third-place, and six other top-five event finishes. This overall effort lifted the Pope girls to 96 team points, giving them a dominating 22-point win over the second-place team from Woodward Academy.

Congratulations to Coach Johnson and Pope’s Track & Field individual and team winners! Wear your rings proudly.