Anna Cockrell is Gunning for the Triple: NCRunners Holiday Invite Preview

Girls Preview

Events to Watch

• Pole Vault: Tied for the top returner in NC, Zoe Early (Apex) should have a nice competition with the #9 returner in the nation, Amanda Barnes (Beaufort SC). With Tori Martin (Rockingham) also capable of going over 11 feet, plus two up-and-coming Florida vaulters in the mix, this should be an entertaining event.
• Long Jump: Current NC leader Lauren White has a new uniform this year - after competing unattached for the bulk of the last 3 years, the senior is now at Rolesville, and she will be looking to get back over the 18' mark.  White should have Carolina Johnston (Episcopal School of Jacksonville FL) and Jazmine Gooden (Dudley) right there with her, with Jahnae Bowman (Parkland) also capable of getting into the mix.
• Triple Jump: The Cummings trio of Kenyae Majors, Kelsia Moore, and Kayla Moore will be looking for a clean sweep here; Kenyae leads NC right now with Kelsia #3, but Kayla has the best indoor PR of the three.  With Leona Medley (Wakefield) and Jada Woods (Hopewell) also entered, though, those Cummings girls will have to jump very well to dominate. Charlonda Washington (Southeast Raleigh) could also contend for the top 3. This event is loaded!
• 55 Hurdles: In just about any year (and in most states, for that matter), running 8.09 in December would make you the heavy favorite in this race.  That's where Breanne Bygrave (Wakefield) is right now, but when you're in the same state as Anna Cockrell you can never be the favorite. The Providence Day senior, signed to USC for next year, ran 7.63 in 2015, making her the #2 returner in the country in this event!  There should also be great competition among a second cluster of athletes trying to get under 8.20, including Akira Rhodes (Mallard Creek), Kayla Moore (Cummings), and Jazmine Gooden (Dudley). 
• 55 Dash: This race is a competition between runners with new schools. The #1 returner in North Carolina, Charminiqu Hackney, is at Southeast Raleigh now and is scheduled to make her season debut here.  She will face current state leader Tajah Walston, who moved from West Craven to Cummings this summer.  The field is loaded, with Lauren White (Rolesville), Sun-Sara' Williams (Independence), Genaya Johnson (Mallard Creek), and Anna Cockrell (Providence Day) all capable of winning with a good race.  Count Breanne Bygrave (Wakefield) in that group, too!
• 4x200 Relay: This race is always fun to watch, and it gets even better when several traditional powers clash.  In this case, we get to see the sominant sprint powerhouse of the last two years, Parkland, try to hold that title against the school that wants to usurp the throne, Southeast Raleigh.  You should never count out Wakefield, either, which could make this an interesting 3-way race through the crowded exchanges, where technique and focus are critical.
• 1000 Run: Jena Metwalli (Cannon School) has had a great start to the indoor season, including a 3:07.66 in this event at JDL already.  She should have plenty of push from Emme Fisher (West Carteret), not to mention a pair of proven 800 runners in G'Jasmyne Butler (Leesville Road) and Kate Sanborn (Pinecrest).  There will also be a handful of other intriguing talents in this race capable of going under 3:10, which should make the final section intense!

Athletes to Watch

• Khayla Dawson: The Olympic senior is set to open her season this weekend, and she should dominate the shot put even if she doesn't approach her all-time PR of 48' 1".  Behind her, Kayla Beasley (Hillside) will be trying to break 40 feet for the first time in her high school career, as she continues to establish herself as the next great NC thrower.
• Jena Metwalli: If she is beaten in the 1000, it will be because she is also the top seed in the 1600.  The super-mini senior from Cannon School doesn't look like she should have this level of track speed, but she does (she broke 2:15 for the 800 last spring).
• McKinley McNeill: Don't let the seeds fool you.  The Parkland senior ran 1:14.04 last winter, making her the #3 returner in the nation.  McNeill has already run 1:16.69 this season, and she will pull away from the field in this event, even with talented runners like Tatiana Mills (Berry), Kleo Torres (SE Raleigh), and Victoria Porter (South Meck) in there.
• Anna Cockrell: In addition to being the favorite in the 55 Hurdles and a candidate to win the 55 Dash, the girl who could be NC's greatest female superstar ever is entered in the 300.  Don't forget, she ran 41.31 for the 300 Hurdles in the spring, and clocked 55 or faster on the 4x400 at least twice.  She may have to push herself, but at this point it wouldn't surprise me to see her run sub-39.
• Sara Platek: The Ragsdale junior is back from an injury layoff that ended her cross country season early, and she is running very well.  She has the #2 times in the state in the 1000 and 1600, but in this meet she will try to post a big 3200.  She has surely been inspired by the huge times posted at the beginning of the season at Reagan, and she is more than capable of going under 11 minutes here, even while pushing herself.

Teams to Watch

• Leesville Road: We all know something special is coming from the Pride in the 4x800 this year, and this is the first chance for them to put up an eye-opening time.  Will Nevada Mareno be running, or is she in shut-down mode to recover from her long cross country season?  Even without her, Leesville has a strong 4x8 and a strong team overall, and the Pride could be in the top 5 of the team scores by the end of the day.
• Southeast Raleigh: With two prominent transfers added to an already powerful group of sprinters (not to mention throwers and jumpers), the Bulldogs are loaded with talent.  If Charminiqu Hackney is racing (she hasn't run yet this season), then we will see Southeast Raleigh's full strength for the first time.  This is a team that could compete for state titles in recent years, and they could be the favorites in 2016.
• Parkland: Although the Mustangs lost a ton to graduation, the cupboard is far from bare!  Parkland still has plenty of talent, enough to run strong 4x200 and 4x400 relays and rack up individual points.  Make no mistake, this is still the team to beat until they are beaten.
• Wakefield: With solid depth that leads to strong relays, a signature athlete in Breane Bygrave, and plenty of other potential scorers, this is a team that can sneak up on you and take the overall win.