Interviews From Mondo Elite
Photos From Mondo Elite
Results From Mondo Elite
The snowy weather couldn't stops these athletes from dropping some crazy times this weekend at the Mondo Elite HS Invitational.
Things started off hot on Friday night with the girls 4x800m. Cuthbertson (running as Carolina Cavaliers) has been elite in this event all season, and they looked to improve on their season best. All four (Alyssa and Justine Preisano, Stella Kermes, and Charlotte Bell) of their splits were within a second of each other, all falling in the 2:18-2:19 range! They bettered their time from the VA Showcase by four seconds and ran a new NC No. 2 all-time 9:14.44. Their mark is good for a new meet and facility record, as well as a brand new US No. 1 mark this season!
Those four girls weren't done by any means as they all lined up for the girls elite mile on Saturday. They were on top of each other as they charged down the home stretch, all clocking 5:00-5:01 for the full mile! Those marks, led by Alyssa, sit them NC No. 13, 14, 15, and 16 all-time in the event!
Mary Bonner Dalton (Myers Park) stole the spotlight during the elite mile however, as she pulled away from the Cuthbertson quartet and clocked NC No. 9 all-time 4:57.03 to take the victory!
It is NC Sophomore No. 2 all-time behind Nevada Mareno, whose 4:43 as a sophomore still ranks NC No. 2 all-time for all grades.
In the hurdles, Falon Spearman had a phenomenal day. She took home the 55mH finals to start the day, and came back even stronger to capture the win in the girls elite 60mH. Her sister, Santana, was runner-up in the 55mH and 3rd in the 60mH, with Taylor McKinnon (Cardinal Gibbons) taking runner-up in the 60mH. Although it was not a personal best for Falon, she was still happy with her performance.
Dana Wilson (Greensboro Day School) was our featured future star of the week, and she proved exactly why in the elite 60m dash.
She took home the victory en route to clocking US Freshman No. 1 this season 7.59. It is US No. 31 and NC No. 3 all-time for her grade.
Teri Pridgen (Cannon School) was 3rd in 7.68 and now sits NC No. 1, and US No. 7 for sophomores.
In the elite 800m, Lauren Tolbert (Highland Tech) reminded everyone just how dominant she can be, clocking 2:13.81, a new NC No. 3 all-time performance. Amelia Maughan (Chapel Hill) was runner-up in a NC No. 25 all-time 2:18.29.
Jaylin Pate (East Mecklenburg) captured the victory in the girls elite 400m running 58.38.
Lauren Fleming, who was 2nd in the elite 60m, bounced back and took home the win in the elite 200m clocking 24.80.
On the boys' side, Blaise Atkinson (Lake Norman Charter) stole the show once again. Because his school does not have an indoor track program, Atkinson cannot run in the NCHSAA state championship, but that hasn't stopped him from throwing down some big marks this season.
He took home the win in the 55m dash finals, 55mH prelims and finals, and elite 60mH finals.
Trevin Moyer (Mountain Island Charter) had the fastest time in the 55m prelims, but elected not to run the finals to get ready for the elite 60m and 400m. The payoff was worth it as Moyer took home victories in both of the events.
In the elite mile Jacob Laney (Porter Ridge) set the tone early and took home the victory in NC No. 1 this season 4:16.03. Zack Gilbertson (Pinecrest) and Ethan Snyder (Marvin Ridge) went 2-3 both clocking 4:21.
Armonte' Ferguson (Charlotte Christian) took home the 300m victory on Friday and came back strong Saturday with a win over David Lampkin III in the elite 200m.