NCHSAA 1A State Championship Preview

The top seven from the 2021 NCHSAA 1A State Championship have all graduated, leaving an empty throne for the taking atop the NCHSAA 1A boys' classification. However, places 8-13 all return and are hungry for their first taste of gold. 

Sophomore Blake Nicholson (Christ the King) was 9th in 2021 and is fresh off a 3rd place finish at the 1A West Regional. Jaylan Bark (Cherokee) was 16th last year and was runner-up in the 1A West Regional. 

The story out of 1A West is Andrews' freshman O'Malley Salinas. Salinas is NC Frosh No. 7 on the season after his 16:30.34 victory at 1A West. His time is also NCHSAA 1A No. 2 this season. Although he defeated Nicholson at regionals, Nicholson has the No. 1 time in NCHSAA 1A on the season. He ran 16:22.10 at the Catawba Shores Conference Championship. Nicholson was also runner-up on the track this past spring in the 3,200m.

Union Academy senior Evan Mitchell is ready to capture his first state title this weekend. He is fresh off the win at 1A Midwest, running 16:43.23 and winning by over 20-seconds. Mitchell was 11th in 2021 at the state meet, but after a huge year, he is ready to do what it takes to taste victory at the state level. 

If the race plays out more conservatively, keep an eye out for 1A Midwest runner-up Joshawa Huneycutt. He was runner-up in the 1,600m on the track in the spring and has some good end speed. In 2021, he finished 10th at the state meet and helped South Stanly finish runner-up as a squad.

Evan Sturgill is the top returner from defending champion Bishop McGuinness. 

Cherokee has been the top dog in NCHSAA 1A this year, and they look to cap it off with the state title. They were 6th as a team in 2021, but they return their entire top seven and now are ready for their moment of glory.

Lejeune, led by 1A East Regional champion Preston Berthold, have also been consistently strong on the season. They scored 23-points to win the team regional title as well. 

Northside's Andrew Harding took down Berthold at the CPC Championship, however. 

Nicholson and his Christ the School squad cannot be taken lightly, either. They were runner-up to Cherokee at 1A West. 

Mountain Island Charter and Swain County, also coming out of the 1A West, are underdogs ready to strike.  

Ryan Halterman (East Wake Academy) won the 1A Mideast Regional, and Voyager Academy, on the back of Karl J. Davis and Glenn Stiles, won the team title.

Looking at the girls' race, Swain County is looking like a strong candidate to repeat.

Although we haven't seen defending champion Arizona Blankenship this season, her team has been stellar in 2022. Senior Amaya Hicks is NCHSAA 1A No. 2 this season, and was 4th at the 1A West Regional. Swain has three freshman in their top seven and they have been outstanding in their quest for a state title. At the regional Annie Lewis was 5th, Angelina Lomelli was 14th, and Marden Harvey was 16th. Senior leader and all-state 3,200m runner Gracie Monteith was 8th at the regional to cap off a dominating 24-point margin of victory over Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy. 

There is another freshman in the 1A classification that deserves your attention, however. Cherokee's Dvdaya Swimmer won the 1A West Regional and is NCHSAA 1A No. 1 and NC All-Class Frosh No. 6 on the season. 

The 1A West Regional provided some big times. Fern Crayton (Tri-County Early College) and Nicole Alfers (Christ the King) were 4th and 5th respectively. Their times from the regional are 1A No. 3 and 4 on the season. 

Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy has a strong 1-5 split, and they helped them place runner-up to Swain at the 1A West Regional. 

Anna Peeler (Woods Charter) won the 1A Mideast Regional, and they finished 3rd as a team.

Eno River Academy went 2-3-9-10-17 to cruise to the win. Their top two Emily Pierce and Emma Vacca, are seniors. While their 3-4-5 are all freshmen.

Over in 1A East, Paige Berthold took home the individual win while leading Lejeune to 19 points, and a regional victory.

The team battle over at 1A Midwest was tight. Bishop McGuinness won over Gray Stone Day and Cornerstone Charter, 62-64-69. All three squad's top five placed in the top 25 overall.

Eastern Randolph's Brecken Snotherly won the regional and set the tone heading into next weekend.