Girls NCISAA 1A/2A Preview
NOTE: we do not get as many results from this classification as we do from the others in the state, so our database may be missing some performances. Our preview is based on the data in our database, as a performance list has not been released yet. We apologize if anyone is left out.
Athletes to Watch
Gracie Miller (Burlington Christian) is a stud. The senior already has two long jump state titles to her credit, and she is the dominant favorite there again, having set a new PR of 17' 9.5" this season. She also won the triple jump last year, although she has her hands full in that event in 2016. This year she has earned the top seed in the 100 Dash, where she finished 4th two years ago.
Speaking of studs, Melissa Zammitti is back at Davidson Day after two years in the NCHSAA, and she is running better than ever. She definitely has the potential to bring home three wins in the distance races, even with Ralene Kwiatkowski (Carolina Day) and Jennifer Stephenson (Village Christian) on hand to provide strong competition. Zammitti could be most dominant in the 800, where she has a PR of 2:15.98 and a season best of 2:17.31.
Tolyn Koleoso (The O'Neal School) holds the top seed in the 300 Hurdles as the only girl with a sub-50 time in our database. In the 100 Hurdles, though, it should be a close battle between Saige Avis (Caldwell Christian) and Kayli Hight (Trinity School).
Halei Gillis (Carolina Day) is the favorite in the discus throw, as her season best of 124' 6" is almost 10 feet better than her closest challenger - who happens to be teammate Mikayla Ray, the top seed in the shot put. Emma Brooks (Concord First Assembly Academy) is the only girl in this classification to have cleared 5 feet in the high jump, and in fact nobody else has been higher than 4' 8".
Events to Watch
The 3200 should bring the top 3 distance runners in the classification, and 3 of the best in the state overall, together for a spirited battle. Zammitti has the top time after finishing as the top North Carolinian in the adidas Raleigh Relays, during which she broke 11 minutes. Stephenson has run 11:06 this spring and would LOVE to break 11 to end her career, while you can never count out Kwiatkowski.
The Shot Put features three fairly evenly-matched competitors who are also teammates. The Carolina Day trio of Ray, Gillis, and Tess Harris can definitely go 1-2-3, and that would help tremendously in the team scoring. In the triple jump, another trio of close competitors will fight for the medals. Miller is only seeded third, with teammate Victoria Workman holding the top seed and Zhateya Jones (Northside Christian) joining her in jumping over 34 feet this spring.
Teams to Watch
Rocky Mount Academy looks like the favorite to win both sprint relays, and they are especially dominant in the 4x200. Carolina Day and Westchester Country Day could be setting up for a great duel in the 4x400, whereas Asheville Christian appears dominant in the 4x8.