Mount Tabor Boys Claim NCHSAA 4A Title In Dramatic Fashion

* The Mount Tabor boys' performance in the final event, the 4x400, ultimately secured their team title

Photo Credit: Dan Loughlin/MIleSplit North Carolina

Related Links: 

Results

Race Video & Interviews

Photos - coming soon!

WINSTON-SALEM, NC -- The Mount Tabor Spartans have always been a powerhouse at the NCHSAA State Championships, regardless of season -- indoor, outdoor or cross country. 

They've had some star athletes come through their program like Terrell Robinson Jr., Hunter Furr and J-Mee Samuels in the sprints, or Cameron Ponder, Ian Milder or Kenny Kneisel on the distance side scoring a bulk of their points in recent years, and plenty to add to that list in their program's history.  

Despite that firepower, the Spartans had come up just short of NCHSAA Indoor Team titles with their last coming in 2001 and 2002.  

On Friday, it was Jordan Wolverton who etched his name among Mt. Tabor royalty as he got it done individually and earned NCHSAA 4A Meet MVP status.  He led the Spartans to a very tight team battle that came down to the final event, the 4x400m relay.  Wolverton got the job done throughout the day and scored 24 points, with 10 in the high jump -- winning with a personal best 6-8 jump; he was second in the long jump with a mark of 22-9.25 (also a personal best); and was third in the 55m hurdles, posting a time of 7.53 seconds, just .03 seconds of this personal best.

They'd pick up points from junior Andrew Riley who placed third overall in the pole vault; Bryce James who placed seventh in the 55m; and Rance Springs, who placed eighth in the 55mH.

This would place the Spartans in striking distance of the team title, trailing only Weddington -- 37 to 34 -- as both teams were in the second-fastest section of the 4x400m relay.  Cuthbertson was also in the race and was in the fastest section, seeded fourth overall.  

Mount Tabor needed to score some points at the least to hold off Cuthbertson for a podium finish, but it also needed to place a few spots ahead of Weddington to be able to jump them in the standings.

The Spartans team of Rance Springs, Ezra Blair, Jaeden Johnson and Andrew Riley got the job done. 

They won the second-fastest section of the 4x400m in 3:25.43 by a decent margin and then set a decent standard for the fast section.

With five teams seeded faster than them to go, they had locked up at least sixth-place and would Weddington at the worst.

The fast heat of the 4x400m then went back-and-forth among Cuthbertson, Willow Springs, Clayton and Hough. 

Cuthbertson took the lead on the bell lap, but Tim Brown of Hough would push past for the relay win in 3:24.60.

As times started showing on the scoreboard, both Cuthbertson and Willow Springs ran 3:25, finishing second and third in the heat. 

That would be just behind the mark Mt. Tabor.

Weddington would score a point placing eighth overall, holding off Cuthbertson for the final podium spot in the team scores.

Boys 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

It was a full team effort from the coaching staff and athletes bought in to maximize the points and belief that they could get the job done despite the seeds and what the scores looked like coming into the meet.  They'd end up winning the team title by three points scoring 41 ahead of Weddington at 38, Cuthbertson at 35.14, and Reagan at 34.64.

        Male Team Scores                                
            Place School                                          Points
       ===================================================================
                1 Mount Tabor                        MTAB             41  
                2 Weddington High School             WED              38  
                3 Cuthbertson High School            CUTH          35.1428
                4 Reagan                             REAG          34.6428
                5 Marvin Ridge                       MRVN          31.2857
                6 Mallard Creek                      MLLR             26  
                7 Enloe                              ENL              23  
                8 Clayton                            CLAY             22  
                9 Cary                               CARY             20  
                9 Hough, William A                   HOUG             20