Summer Track Wraps Up

Now that outdoor track is officially over for all North Carolina high schoolers, let's take a look at some of the big stories that emerged this summer.  Two of these stories will continue to affect high school track next year and in future years, as well, so we can revisit them when track rolls back around.  Here's a brief guide to the age groups used in summer track: in USATF and AAU track, Young Men and Young Women are 17-18 (also 19 for AAU) and Intermediate Boys and Girls are 15-16.  In USATF, the Youth age group is 13-14; in AAU, they have Sub-Youth for 13 and Youth for 14.

 

Youth Movement

 

The performances by North Carolina athletes in the 13-14 age group give us a glimpse of the immediate future of high school track in our state.  It seems like we have a bright future, because there have been some top-notch Youth performances this year.  Consider Marcus Krah, who won 3 USATF JO titles in Wichita: his 44' 6.25" triple jump makes him the 15th best returner in the state, and he hasn't even entered high school yet!  Marcus also leads a fleet of up-and-coming hurdlers with his time of 13.29 (that's for 100 hurdles, not 110, and only 33" height), and his long jump mark of 21' 4" isn't too shabby, either.  Joining Krah in the elite middle-school ranks is Bryce Love, who will actually be the third-best returner in the 400 with his best time of 48.27.  Bryce also has PR's of 10.73 in the 100 (#9 returner) and 21.81 in the 200 (#11 returner).  A leg injury, hopefully minor, prevented him from potentially setting 3 national Youth age-group records, adding those to the three Midget age-group records he already owns.  Phillip Hall blazed to double USATF National JO titles with best times of 2:00.92 in the 800 (#26 returner in the state) and 4:14.96 in the 1500.  He leads a very deep group of young mid-distance guys that should invigorate the track scene for years to come.

 

Let's not forget about the girls in this discussion!  Many of you are already familiar with Eliza Dekker, who competes for Durham Academy (the NCISAA allows 7th- and 8th- graders to compete in high school competition).  Following her 2:16.59 PR in the 800 at New Balance Nationals, she has run 4:41.41 for 1500 and 10:07.99 for 3000 this summer (that's on pace for 10:52 for 3200m).  The breakout star of the summer for the girls, though, has to be Jaleesa Smoot.  Her 56.13 in the 400 puts her at #4 for all returners in the state, and she also has competitve 12.25 and 25.50 PR's.

 

Throwers may have been the best all-around event group of the middle-school athletes this summer, both for boys and girls.  Khayla Dawson has thrown the 6-pound shot 42' 5", Alycia Springs has a discus PR of 122' 8.5", and Samantha Layko has hurled the javelin 110'.  Ricky Smith (a rising 8th grader!) has a best heave of 49' 7.75" with the 4K shot and 142' 11" with the 1K discus, and he's not the only stud out there.  Marcus Abraham leads the middle-school discus throwers with a mark of 162', and his shot put mark is 47' 0.5"; Tewodros Craig has PR's of 48' 2.25" and 158' 7.5".

 

High Schoolers Stepping Up

 

Speaking of throwers, how about the pockets of high-level training that are developing in the eastern part of the state?  Down in the Brunswick area, Coach Minor has his son Colin (South Brunswick) ready to follow in graduated brother Ryan's footsteps, particularly in the hammer (PR of 174' 3" for the rising sophomore).  A little further north in the Jacksonville area, The Pride Track Club is producing a strong crew of "weight men."  Those guys are led by 5' 9", 165-pound James Rowland (Northside), a rising junior who will be returning as the #8 discus thrower, #9 shot putter, and the top man in the state in both the hammer and javelin.  Tthat is almost unheard-of versatility for a thrower, and his brother Geoffrey (a rising senior) is no slouch in the javelin, either.  John Leonard (Terry Sanford) also had a productive summer.

 

 

Keith Marshall (Millbrook) improved his 100 time with a windy 10.44 this summer, and he also positioned himself as a contender in the 200 with a 21.54 mark.  Tevin Hester jumped into the lead for returning sprinters in the latter race, cranking out a windy 21.17.  Xavier Jones (Ragsdale) dropped his PR to 48.22 in the 400, with Fuquay Varina teammates Brian Davis and Jamaree Murray hard on his heels at 48.43 and 48.47, respectively.  Murray is a rising sophomore and Jones a rising junior, giving North Carolina serious contenders to return to sub-48 territory soon.  Gabrielle Gray flew to TWO 11.63 clockings at the USATF National Junior Olympics, and Marissa Bellamy put up 23.90 in the 200 and 54.63 in the 400.  Isaiah Moore continued to establish himself as the eventual heir to North Carolina's great hurdle tradition, as he ran 14.18 for the 110's to become the #2 returner in the state (and he's just a rising sophomore).

 

 

Going Out In Style

 

Could anyone possibly write a better ending to a fantastic career than T'Sheila Mungo (Independence)?  Not only did she bust out a PR of 53.92 in the 400, but she also ventured up to the 800 for the first time, resulting in a best of 2:15.09.  That should provide a great transition to UNCC!