Watch Kasey Dingman win Friday Night Lights in 17:46!
North Carolina's best teams and individuals battled at Friday Night Lights officially kicking off the first big weekend of the cross country season. 4000 athletes competed from the Middle School 2 Miles at 5:10 with the Championship races wrapping up after 10 PM ahead of fireworks.
In the girls championship race, Kasey Dingman (Lake Norman) had a strong debut at the Providence Invitational running 17:46 to place 3rd as the top North Carolina girl running 17:46. She ran her personal best in 2023 on the same course running 17:43, so debuted just as strong for 2023 as she wrapped up the 2024 season. She'd have some strong competition however in sub-18 5K runners in Amelia Medlin (Hoggard), Alessia Potts (Pinecrest) and Nicole Alfers (Christ the King) as well as defending NCHSAA 3A State Champion Morgan Miller (First Flight) and Sofi Alexander (Asheville) and Caitlin Kasten (Covenant Day) who really emerged in the fall.
Despite the strong competition, Dingman went to the front early and lead the field through the Mile in 5:25, four seconds ahead of Alexander with Kasten, Potts, Medlin, Miller, Olivia Ferraro (North Lincoln) and many more just behind.
Over the second Mile, Dingman would only grow her lead crossing in 11:09 now 15 seconds ahead of Alexander who went through in 11:24. Alexander had now a four second lead over the chase pack which consisted of Medlin, Kasten, Potts, Arizona Blankenship (Swain County), Catherine Parker (NCSSM/Unattached) and Elle Dawson (Ragsdale/Unattached).
The field would make up some ground on Dingman, but her lead she'd built was too much to overcome as Dingman brought it home all alone down the homestretch winning in 17:46.5!
Alexander and Blankenship would battle down the final straight at Ivey Redmon with Alexander taking second in 17:57 to Blankenship's 17:58. Both girls had massive personal bests with Alexander improving from 18:37 and Blankenship from 19:18!
Medlin would just hold off Dawson for 4th place in 18:04 to 18:07 with Kasten just behind in 18:09 with Potts at 18:16.
Josie Schihl (Cuthbertson) and Audrey Crowder (Durham Academy/Unattached) would both move up over the final Mile to place 8th and 9th in 18:19 and 18:20 with Olivia Ferraro rounding out the top 10 finishers in 18:20.
Dingman's mark only trails Nevada Mareno's 17:38.53 from 2015 in Friday Night Lights meet history! Alexander and Blankenship each would move into the top 10 in event history now ranking 8th and 9th respectively.
