Dudley's TeQullie Jackson and Cuthbertson's Dustin Allen have been named the USTFCCCA North Carolina Coaches of the Year. Jackson wins the boys' team award and Allen wins the girls' team award.
Allen is coming off a strong 2021-2022 season as the head of the Cavaliers. The ladies swept the team titles in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field, while setting multiple North Carolina records in the relays.
"The biggest thing with this program is the fact that we are never satisfied. Winning is great, but we know we can be even better and we strive to get there one day at a time," Allen said.
It was no easy feat to capture that 2022 NCHSAA 4A Outdoor state title. Cuthbertson tallied 64 points, holding off Mallard Creek's 58 points. At the state meet, Cuthbertson had two state champions on the girls' side, Charlotte Bell in the open 800m, and the 4x800m relay team. They had tons of all-state finishes to add to their total, including Justine Preisano in the 800m and 1,600m, Stella Kermes in the 1,600m, Elizabeth Sawicki in shot put, and the 4x400m relay squad. Allen was also named the 2021 USTFCCA Coach of the Year Award, making this his second consecutive award win.
"It's always amazing to be honored this way," Allen said, "To me, it shows that people are recognizing the work that these kids and coaches have been putting in for years. Winning once is an amazing honor, but to win two years in a row is something even more special."
Allen loves to give credit where credit is due. He mentioned assistant coach after assistant coach, going through what they each uniquely brought to the table to help this team be what they are today: Jeremy East, Kirk Walsh, Derek LeMay, Matt Russel, Michael Hicks, John Liu, and Emily Swift.
Coach Allen had to step away from the team in October for the birth of his twin boys, but he left his team in the full trust of the coaching staff.
As Allen reflects on his time with his upperclassmen and upperclasswomen the memories off the track outweigh the victories on the track: "Our senior breakfasts, escape room visit, senior quarry visits and just hanging out in my classroom waiting on the rain to pass."
| CUTHBERTSON HIGH SCHOOL | ALL RESULTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVENT | PLACE | ATHLETE | GRADE | RESULT | WIND | H# | |
| F 400m | 15 | Caroline Palmer | 12 | 1:00.04 | 1 | ||
| F 800m | 1 | Charlotte Bell | 10 | 2:12.23 | 1 | ||
| F 800m | 2 | Justine Preisano | 10 | 2:13.35 | 1 | ||
| F 1600m | 3 | Stella Kermes | 10 | 4:50.96 | 1 | ||
| F 1600m | 4 | Justine Preisano | 10 | 4:56.62 | 1 | ||
| F 1600m | 11 | Charlotte Bell | 10 | 5:12.52 | 1 | ||
| F 3200m | 5 | Stella Kermes | 10 | 10:52.72 | 1 | ||
| F 3200m | 6 | Lillian Nasta | 11 | 11:00.80 | 1 | ||
| F 4x400m | 2 | 3:56.23 | 2 | ||||
| F 4x800m | 1 | 9:12.43 | 1 | ||||
| F TJ | 15 | Isabelle Liu | 10 | 34-06.50 | -1.4 | 1 | |
| F PV | 9 | Ava Studney | 12 | 10-06.00 | 1 | ||
| F D | 5 | Elizabeth Sawicki | 12 | 114-11.00 | 1 | ||
| F S | 3 | Elizabeth Sawicki | 12 | 39-02.50 | 1 | ||
On the boys' side, the honor goes to Coach Jackson and his Dudley squad.
"Winning this award means the world to me," Coach Jackson said, "After my track career ended I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life. I tried everything from law school, fire academy...before finally coming back to my roots, track and field."
The boys of Dudley ran away with the NCHSAA 3A Outdoor state title scoring a whopping 80 points. They finished 28.5 points ahead of second place Croatan. Isaiah Monroe took home the NCHSAA 3A MVP after his wins in the 100m, 200m, and 400m. Le'Ezra Brown added all-state finishes in the 100m, 110mH, and 300mH, while Jonathan Smith added an all-state finish in the 300mH, and Steven Davis II took home the win in high jump.
"I feel like I finally found my purpose, and I'm grateful to wake up and do what I love everyday. I graduated from Lancaster High School in Texas, as a program we swept state titles for years. My track coaches chance the direction of my life. As a coach I want to give my athletes that same experience."
The values and lessons that Jackson has learned during his time at Dudley are worth a lifetime. "Personally I've learned that winning isn't the goal. Being a safe space to develop young adults into life is the goal. If we win some medals and titles on the way that's a plus, but ultimately I want each of my athletes to be productive young men in society."
Jackson mentions his coaching staff as key pieces to the team's success, as he does he first two athletes he coached, Mehki Wall and Isaiah Monroe. "They trusted me and my vision for this program since day one. They helped lay the foundation for this program to succeed. Jackson's favorite memory with this group of kids is the NCHSAA 3A state title just a few months ago. It was extra special to Jackson, as it was Dudley's first boys' state track and field title.
| DUDLEY | ALL RESULTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVENT | PLACE | ATHLETE | GRADE | RESULT | WIND | H# | |
| M 100m | 1 | Isaiah Monroe | 12 | 10.80 | -1.7 | 1 | |
| M 100m | 1 | Isaiah Monroe | 12 | 10.91 | -3.5 | 1 | |
| M 100m | 5 | Le'Ezra Brown | 9 | 11.08 | -3.0 | 2 | |
| M 100m | 4 | Le'Ezra Brown | 9 | 11.28 | -3.5 | 1 | |
| M 100m | 14 | Rory Baker | 11 | 11.61 | -3.0 | 2 | |
| M 200m | 1 | Isaiah Monroe | 12 | 21.12 | -0.8 | 2 | |
| M 200m | 7 | Steven Davis II | 12 | 22.57 | -1.9 | 1 | |
| M 400m | 1 | Isaiah Monroe | 12 | 48.13 | 2 | ||
| M 400m | 6 | Steven Davis II | 12 | 50.63 | 1 | ||
| M 110H | 3 | Le'Ezra Brown | 9 | 15.30 | -1.3 | 1 | |
| M 110H | 4 | Le'Ezra Brown | 9 | 15.35 | -0.9 | 1 | |
| M 110H | 6 | Jonathan Smith | 12 | 15.78 | -1.4 | 2 | |
| M 110H | 6 | Jonathan Smith | 12 | 16.00 | -0.9 | 1 | |
| M 300H | 3 | Le'Ezra Brown | 9 | 40.35 | 1 | ||
| M 300H | 4 | Jonathan Smith | 12 | 40.65 | 1 | ||
| M 4x200m | 8 | 1:30.74 | 1 | ||||
| M 4x400m | 1 | 3:22.40 | 2 | ||||
| M HJ | 1 | Steven Davis II | 12 | 6-04.00 | 1 | ||