Florala’s Matthew Gibbs will compete for the Class 1A boys shot put championship today in the state track and field meet at Memorial Stadium in Selma.

Gibbs is the only Wildcat to be participating in the state finals because most of the track team was playing on the baseball team last week during sectionals.

The absence of most of his track team wasn’t an issue, FHS coach Justin Jones said.

“Some guys who run for us weren’t able to compete, which is fine,” Jones said. “That’s just the way it happened.”

Gibbs will start his try for gold today at 11 a.m.

Last week, the Florala senior threw a good shot put at sectionals, launching the ball 45 feet. Earlier this season, Gibbs threw a 46-footer in Troy, Jones said.

“If he throws between a 45 and 46-footer (today), then I think he’s got a good shot of doing something special,” the coach said. “We’re just going to see how it goes.

“He’s good at it,” Jones said. “(Gibbs) knows what he’s doing. He’s good at it as anybody else who going to be there.”

Unless there’s a big surprise at today’s meet, Jones believes Gibbs will place in the top three or four.