This weekend played host to the 2022 All-American Track Classic at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina.
The stories of Friday night belong to the 4x800m, and the high jump competitions. Kyzaiah Stone (Cleveland) kept his fantastic season going, clearing 7-0 yet again this season to take the victory in the event. On the girls' side, Panther Creek duo of Faith Spencer and Kirstin Smalls went 3-4 in the event.
The 200m prelims went off next, and the top 16 times would advance to Saturday's two-heat timed final. Josiah Wrice (Butler) had the top time in prelims from NC, clocking 21.91. Other NC qualifers included: Brunner Williams (Providence Day), Terrell Robinson Jr. (Mount Tabor), Jamier Moten (Ardrey Kell), Killian Fahy (Cuthbertson), Reece Morgan (Cuthbertson), and Terrell Ford (Olympic).
Lauren Fleming (Marvin Ridge) led the way for North Carolina girls in the prelims, running the 4th fastest preliminary time of 24.92. Joining her in the finals from her home state were: Victoria Knight (Weddington), Ai'yana Gray-Williams (Parkland Magnet IB), Madison Moraja (Weddington), Ziyah Etchison (Parkland Magnet IB), and Kendall Johnson (Millbrook).
The 4x800m competitions were dominated by athletes from North Carolina. The Cuthbertson ladies continued their dominance in the 4x800m, running a new meet record of 9:07.24. #TeamNC finished 3-4-5-6-8-10-11 with Charlotte Country Day in 3rd, Mount Tabor in 4th, and Weddington in 5th.
The boys' side was a lot of the same, as Weddington and Mount Tabor shot straight to the lead. However, it was Caden Townshend anchoring home Weddington to take the win in 7:57. Mount Tabor held on for 2nd in 8:00. Charlotte Country Day and Green Hope finished 6-7 and Ardrey Kell was 9th.
On Saturday morning we saw the 100m, 100mH, and 100mH prelims.
In the 100m dash, it was again Fleming leading the way for North Carolina athletes, finishing No. 2 with her 12.02 run in the 8th preliminary.
Briana Benloss (Mallard Creek), Etchison, Knight, and Gray-Williams all made the top finals section of the 100m finals. Raven Verner (Mallard Creek) joined them in the finals.
In the finals, Fleming clocked 12.01 and took home a 5th place finish. Gray-Williams and Knight finished right behind her in 6th and 7th. Fleming kept her strong weekend up in the 200m finals, taking home a 3rd place finish. Gray-Williams secured another podium finish and took 6th.
In the girls 400m, North Carolina went 3-4-6-7-8, led by Moraja and Kaylyn Brown (Mallard Creek). Cuthbertson duo of Presley Worf and Rebecca Cornett took 6-7 and Danielle Sanchez (Millbrook) was 8th.
Charlotte Bell (Cuthbertson) helped lead her squad to a 4x800m title on Friday, but Saturday was her time to shine. The sophomore standout took home the wins in both the 800m and mile runs, running a meet record of 4:54.10 in the mile.
Maddie Huecker (Lake Norman) took runner-up in the 800m, and Bell's classmate Stella Kermes was 4th. The North Carolina girls kept the domination going through the top twelve: Ashley Horwitz (Providence Day) in 5th, Hannah Rae Shaffer (Cardinal Gibbons) in 6th, Natalia Martin (Olympic) in 7th, Madeline Stolberg (Lake Norman) in 9th, Hannah Riley (Mount Tabor) in 10th, Annie Miller (Metrolina) in 11th, and Justine Preisano (Cuthbertson) in 12th.
As we mentioned, Bell took home the win in the mile, but it was not easy. Five girls broke 5:00 including Shaffer (3rd), Kermes (4th), and Preisano (5th). Sarah Mitchell (Apex) finished 7th in 5:00.33.
Fresh legs from North Carolina competed in the 3,200m run. Mary Bonner Dalton stole the show and dropped a new meet record and NC Sophomore No. 3 all-time 10:30.20 to capture the win. Lillian Nasta (Cuthbertson) and Elizabeth Ritter (Weddington) finished 3-4 respectively, each with very impressive performances.
It was the "Spearman Sisters Show" in the 100mH, as Falon took home the win in 13.81, and Santana was 3rd in 14.38.
North Carolina girls kept up the dominance in the 400mH, as Aria Wegh (Marvin Ridge), out of the first of six heats, destroyed the field clocking a 1:02.30 in her 400mH debut to take the win.
Mallard Creek and Parkland went 1-2 in the 4x100m, respectively. Parkland doubled back in the 4x400m to take 3rd, but Cuthbertson took the spotlight and took home the win in the event in 4:00.86.
On the boys' side of things, Armonte Ferguson (Charlotte Christian) led the way in the 100m finals, taking runner-up in 10.67. Jaylin Milton-Hall (Mountain Island Charter) and Robinson Jr. finished 6-7, respectively.
Brunner Williams was the top finisher from North Carolina in the 200m finals, taking 3rd overall. Morgan, Robinson Jr., and Fahy went 4-5-6 in the finals, respectively.
The 400m finals went to the line as Fahy just barely missed the win. He finished runner-up and was only .0012 off the win.
Emanuel Williams (Central Academy of Technology) took home 5th in the 800m clocking 1:57.11 and had a remarkable final 150m.
North Carolina put on a show in the mile, taking the top four places. They were led by Christ School sophomore Dawson Reeves who ran 4:16.61, good for NC Sophomore No. 2 all-time. Patrick Gibbons (Ardrey Kell), Elliott Kleckner (South Central), and Ethan Snyder (Marvin Ridge) rounded out the top four.
Isaac Clark (Weddington) finished runner-up in the 3,200m, running NC No. 3 9:13.57. Austin Brotemarkle (Forestview) took home 5th, and Elliott and Cooper Kleckner finished 9-10.
Xavier Branker (Ardrey Kell) clocked a wind-legal NC No. 1 in the 110mH, taking home a 2nd place finish in the finals.
In the 4x100m, the boys of Charlotte Christian took down Mallard Creek to win the event.
Cuthbertson took home the final track event of the weekend, running 3:22.83 to win the 4x400m.
Over in the field events, Kendall Ford (Weddington) took 3rd in the girls pole vault.
In girls long jump, Ija Mumford (Parkland) took 2nd place, Faith Spencer was 3rd, and Jasmine Greene (Olympic) was 4th.
North Carolina went 1-2-3 in the girls triple jump, led by Spencer and Mumford going 1-2. Cuthbertson's Maya Studney took home 3rd.
Mallard Creek's Macy Dulaney took 3rd in girls discus.
Jared Harrell (Panther Creek) put on a show in the horizontal jumps, winning the boys triple jump in 47-6.5 and 2nd in the long jump.
Spencer Mermans (Charlotte Country Day) won the boys discus in 168-02.