Girls Top Performances

Where do you even start? How can you possible even begin to recognize all of the outstanding performances from this meet? All I can think to do is to recall the things that jumped out to me the most. That begins with Sydnei Murphy's 30-point day, which clearly could have earned her the MVP were it not for a magnificent series of performances by Williams. Murphy improved to 6.95 US #3 NC #4 All-Time in the 55 Dash, then won the long jump (19' 7" US #2 NC #3 All-Time) and triple jump (39' 10.5").

Even before the epic 4x400, before Philip Hall closed out his incredible day with a 3200 win, the meet could have ended on a fittingly exciting note after the girls 3200. Five girls battled back and forth through the 16 laps until Elly Henes (Green Hope) and Caroline Yarbrough (Page) pulled away, dueling fiercely to the finish line. Henes won narrowly in 10:43.45 US #7 NC #6 All-Time, with Yarbrough just behind at US #8 NC #7 All-Time. Lily Anderson (TC Roberson, US #9 NC #9 All-Time) and Bridgette Harrell (East Forsyth, US #10 NC #10 All-Time) both broke 10:50, as well - and that represents a HUGE step forward for Harrell. Four in the national top 10 in the same race!

Between those impressive bookends, there were countless praise-worthy performances through the day:

• Khayla Dawson (Olympic) threw a huge PR of 47' 5.5" US #7 NC #2 All-Time in the shot put.
• Nevada Mareno (Leesville Road) won the 1600 and 1000, fighting off a challenge from Maddie McHugh (Hough, 2:56.57 US #25 NC #5 All-Time) in the second race.
• Layla White (Cary) clocked 1:14.10 in the 500 to move up to US #3 NC #4 All-Time.
• Gabrielle Cunningham (Mallard Creek) turned her rocket start in the 55 Hurdles into a 7.87 US #3 NC #3 All-Time,
• Katlyn Sherman (Parkland) and Charminique Hackney (Cary) moved up to US #14 and US #18, respectively, in the 55 Dash; Sherman also moved to NC #15 All-Time.
• Jordyn Brown (Jordan) tied for the state lead in the high jump at 5' 6".