The first high school invitational at Winston-Salem State's "hidden gem" of a facility is the highlight of this weekend.
Quietly, a few years ago, Winston-Salem State built a fantastic track & field facility just off of bustling US Highway 52. To this day, many in the area's track community don't even know it exists, or where it is. Tomorrow, for the first time, the facility will host high school competition. Mixed feelings accompany the meet, as the University announced two weeks ago that it was discontinuing three men's sports, among them the historic men's track program. While track lovers will always celebrate the opening up of a great facility that allows for high-level competition at many levels, this weekend's enjoyment will be tinged with the sadness that comes when opportunities are closed off. The meet itself has a strong field, with local squad Parkland set to defend their home turf on the girls' side, while several strong boys' teams battle it out.
Meet Page
(With performance list)
Virtual Meet
Girls | Boys
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Girls Preview
Events to Watch
The 200 Dash looks like a great race up front, with three girls that all have the potential to win: Courtney Crawford (McMichael), Myshale Spigner (Parkland), and Santese Pryor (Jordan). You can find a similarly tight competition in the shot put, where Jamaica Dean (Parkland) and Sara Fulcher (East Chapel Hill) hace both thrown over 36 feet this season. The 400 Dash has three legit sub-60 runner with no real star, although Rickell Reid (Sun Valley) is the clear favorite. Veteran distance runner Alyssa Torres (Northwest Guilford) may be the runaway winner in the 1600, but could face some solid competition in the 800 from Allison Price (West Forsyth), who stormed onto the scene this winter as a 500 runner, and Kaylie Loyd (Southeast Raleigh), who led the state in the 1000 at one point last winter.
Athletes to Watch
A trio of stars from Jordan will be competing unattached tomorrow, led by senior Alexis Perry (long jump, high jump, 100 hurdles); she will be joined by teammates Pryor (100 and 200) and Kelsey Perry (long jump, triple jump, 100 hurdles). Brianna Heisnis (Apex) is one of the state's best discus throwers, and a solid competitor in the shot put, as well. Elizabeth Ambler (Northern Guilford) will be battling herself in the pole vault, as her PR is a full four feet higher than anyone else in the meet, but if the conditions are right she could make a move for the 12-foot mark.
Teams to Watch
With their depth in the sprints and strength in the relays, Parkland's girls are the team to beat (although it appears that the holiday weekend may have deprived them of a few athletes, which could make it closer than the virtual meet indicates). Southeast Guilford appears to be the only team close enough to threaten them for the team title.
Boys Preview
Events to Watch
The boys' relays could boil down to interesting two-team battles: Knightdale vs. Southeast Guilford in the 4x1 and 4x2, Knightdale vs. Northern Guilford in the 4x800. The 100 Dash looks amazingly close, with the top 8 entries all having verified times this season between 10.83 and 10.89. Likewise with the high jump, where leaders Jaylon Holt (Southeast Raleigh, 6' 8") and Derrick Streater (Sun Valley, 6' 6") are being chased by a pair of 6' 4" jumpers. The competition at the top of the hurdles will be fierce, as well. Matthew Foster (Jordan) puts his fast hand time on the line against Hezekiah Ward of Southeast Guilford, Demonte Wilson of Crest, and Erin Jenkins of Vance. The distance races will have a distinctly Greensboro look to them: watch for the duel between familliar foes Carl Walton Jr (NW Guilford) and John Elwood (Northern Guilford) in the 800, with Clay Jones (Fuquay Varina) right in the mix, as well.
Athletes to Watch
Jon Beyle (East Chapel Hill) is the leading discus thrower in the state, and he will be looking to claim the top spot in the shot put, as well. Harvey McSwain II (Crest), a top competitior in the 200 so far this season, will try his hand at the 400 today, and he will meet up with dominant 500 runner Brian Davis of Fuquay-Varina in that race. Southeast Raleigh's Holt is one of the most versatile athletes in the state, and he will contend in the triple jump as well as the high jump (not to mention the hurdles).
Teams to Watch
Southeast Guilford and Knightdale appear to be the two heavyweights in the virtual meet, and event choices may decide which team comes out on top tomorrow. Northern Guilford is lurking close behind, and their strength in the distance races could be the factor that gets them into the top 3. Of course, you can never count a deep team like Southeast Raleigh out; NCRunners hardly has any spring season results from them, so they don't appear in the virtual meet, but rest assured that they will be in the hunt for a team title.