NCHSAA 4A State Meet Preview

Jeff George

Girls Field Events


Although she came up as a sprinter, and she has had a recent surge in the sprint races, Sydnei Murphy (Apex) has really become a jumper now. She sits at NC #1 overall in both the long jump and the triple jump, and she will be difficult to beat in both events. She is best in the triple, where her 40' 8" season best is US #13, but she has unfinished business in the long jump - she wants that 20-foot mark! K'Lynn Beal (Broughton) is Murphy's top competition in both jumps, with Jamie Stacey (Ashley) also a threat in the long jump, but both will have to break new ground to really threaten for the upset.

If you only go to see one field event, though, make it the discus. Hasana Clark (Southeast Raleigh) has the top seed in an event that will pit three 140+ throwers against each other. Alycia Springs (Mallard Creek) has a best of 153' 10.5", but she has been in a bit of a slump lately, and Khayla Dawson (Olympic) is right in the thick of things, as well. The shot put is more of the same: Springs and Dawson have both thrown 48, with Clark at 45 (and throw in Northern Durham's Jza-Quashia Chavis at 44 feet for good measure).

Emerging star Kayla Nesbitt-McEwen (High Point Central) leads a youth movement in the high jump; last week the sophomore joined freshman Kenya Livingston (Rocky River) as the only two NC girls over 5' 8" this spring. Don't count out Jordyn Brown (Jordan), who has a season best of 5' 7". In the pole vault, there are three competitors who have been over 12 feet: Apex teammates Anna Eaton and Zoe Early, plus Ragsdale's Chesney Ward.


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