RECAP: NCRunners Independent Schools Indoor Championships

Kavi Gibson, Brooks Barbee, Chandler Jones, Price Fee, Dallas Reeves, highlight deep field as 17 meet records fall

Results

Photos by Andrew Brown

--

WINSTON-SALEM - A lot of repeats, and one newcomer highlighted the team-title chase and 13 meet records fell at the seventh NCRunners Independent Schools Indoor Track & Field Championships Thursday at JDL Fast Track on Monday.

Providence Day's girls won their seventh straight title (and third straight in Division I), Coastal Christian's boys won their third straight Division II/III championship, Hickory Christian's girls (Division II/III) won their second straight title, and Metrolina Christian earned the schools' first state track team championship, upending reigning Division I boys' champion Charlotte Christian.

This was the third year of split divisions at the meet, as the sport continued to grow in the private schools after Cary Academy's Conrad Hall championed efforts in 2020 to give private school student-athletes an opportunity to compete in an indoor track and field championship meet.

Besides the 17 meet records, there were also 9 multi-event winners (2 in Division I boys; 1 in Division II/III boys; 4 in Division I girls; 2 in Division II/III girls) and 8 repeat winners (1 in Division II/II boys; 2 in Division II/III girls; 2 in Division I boys and 3 in Division I girls)

Also highlighting the meet was 2024 and 2025 North Carolina Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year and this past season's Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals qualifier and All-American, Cary Academy's Kavi Gibson (Duke commit), and Christ School's distance crew, won Nike Southeast and were 7th at Nike Cross Country Nationals.

Gibson repeated as champion in the 1,000 meters, running a meet record 2:28.84 (US No. 9, NC No. 3, AT NC No. 10) and holding off Metrolina Christian's Price Fee (2:29.73, US No. 21, NC No. 8, AT NC 17). Gibson also ran a leg on the winning 4x400-meter relay, to give him 6 indoor state titles and 11 state titles overall (he won the 2024 and 2025 indoor 1600-meter titles, 2025 indoor 1,000 meters and 3,200 meters, this past fall's NCISAA 4A cross country title, and he completed the distance sweep at the 2025 NCISAA Division I state meet last year, winning the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 4x800-meter relay).

The Christ School distance group was led by Brooks Barbee, who won the 3,200 meters in a U.S. No. 8 performance, 9:01.11, which was also NC No. 1 and all-time NC No. 6.  Also, Dallas Reeves ran an all-time NC No. 47 performance in the 1,000 meters (2:31.90), as others had solid performances: Noah Clancy (9:23.38, PR, 4th, 3,200 meters); Carl Baird (9:31.68, PR, 6th, 3,200 meters); Reynolds Young (4:19.61, runner-up in 1,600 meters).

*Medalists (top-3) in each event were named NCRunners All-State. 

PROVIDENCE DAY GIRLS HAVE WON A PERFECT 7 STRAIGHT

Providence Day proved a force once again, edging out rival Charlotte Country Day for the team title for the second straight year, 109-106, to win the school's seventh straight title.

The Chargers girls have never lost in the seven-year history of the meet, with Charlotte Country Day finishing runner-up for the sixth time, including three of those by 3 points or less (102-100 in 2023; 126-125 in 2025 and this year's 3-point margin).

"The girls really came together as a team today," said Providence Day program head and alum Ben Hovis. "Two girls scored 49 of the 109 points. Freshman Emma Adams and Senior Evelyn Hee were phenomenal in their three open events. The rest of the points came from simply a wide range of girls across the board and all the events."

Besides Adams (1st, high jump; 1st triple jump; 4th, 55-meter hurdles) and Hee (2nd, long jump; 2nd triple jump; 2nd, 55-meter hurdles), 12 others scored, two more in multiple events, including 12 who scored 6th, 7th and 8th place points (3, 2 and 1) to push Providence Day to the title: Abby Canales (7th, high jump; 8th, 55-meter hurdles); Paige Feemster (4th, long jump; 6th, 55 meters and 300 meters), Abby Godean (7th, 55 meters); Brynn Meadors (6th, 500 meters); Tina Garofoli (7th, 500 meters); Emmie Lozier (6th, 1,000 meters); Devin McElroy (7th, 1,000 meters); Emery Boonshaft (7th, 3,200 meters); Endigo Gant (7th, shot put); Elizabeth Yancey (7th, pole vault); Ellington Harris (7th, long jump); Tara Alli (3rd, triple jump).

"As a team they outscored their pre-meet projected score by about 15 points, which shows the team as a whole really stepped up when it mattered," said Hovis. "As it has the been last four years, it came down to the 4x400-meter relay to see who would win the girls title. I think the 4x400 epitomized what girls indoor track at Providence stay is all about. That team today had four girls who had never run track prior to this season. None of them knew what went down in last year's 4x400 relay. The two freshmen on the team ran outstanding, as did the two seniors. Hopefully the way it ended will stick with these girls for a long time. The whole team showed a lot of passion, competitiveness, perseverance, and pride in winning today."

In that event, Providence Day finished third (6 points) in 4:16.95 and Charlotte Country Day was fifth (4 points) in 4:18.29, to help the Chargers secure the win.

But just before that finished, Providence Day had gained major points in the triple jump, one of the last field events taking place. Head girls' coach Kris Jones, once again, coached his jumpers to a sweep in the triple jump for 24 points, an event the Chargers have dominated in track. In all, Providence Day's girls' jumpers scored 49 points (high jump, long jump and triple jump).

Adams, Hee and Tara Alli went 1-2-3, with all jumping over 31 feet for the sweep.

COASTAL CHRISTIAN BOYS THREEPEAT

Coastal Christian won their third straight Division II/III title, scoring in every discipline, while leaning on their field events, as the Centurians' outdistanced runner-up Asheville School for the second straight year, this time 121-85.

"The quote I've always coached them with is, "Life's 10% what happens to you, 90% how you respond," said Coastal Christian coach Maya Baxter. "We control what we can, and then compete hard, trusting the work put in all season."

That trust led to Coastal Christian walking away with state titles in four events: Corban Cazier, this past fall's NCISAA 3A cross country champion and last spring's Division II 1,600 meter champion, won the 1,000 meters in 2:38.98, adding to his 3 previous indoor relay titles (4x400-mete relay, 2024 and 4x800-meter relay in 2024 and 2025) to give him 6 state private school titles for his career. Also winning state titles for Coastal Christian: Banks Downing (shot put, 42-5); Owen Arnette (long jump, 21-0) and Cole Williamson, Nykko Kraemer, Trey Coble and Micah Short (4x800-meter relay, 8:55.62).

And although 5 more medaled (top-3), the bulk of the scoring came after the victories and medals, as the Centurians scored in 13 of 15 events, with 59 of their 121 points coming in the field events, 29 in distance, 26 in relays and 7 in sprints.

"This meet was really about everyone doing their part," Baxter said. "Each athlete I made sure had their own personal pep talk to know this isn't something accomplished by one or two people. Every single one of them mattered and had to do their assignment to get to the win at the end."

Also medaling for Coastal Christian to earn NCRunners Independent Schools Indoor Championships All-State honors: Kraemer (1,000 meters, 3rd); Eli Salvant (pole vault, 2nd); Kale Sturtz (pole vault, 3rd); Salvant, David Brinton, Dylan Schmick, Conor Lampman (4x200-meter relay, 2nd); Cazier, Micah Short, Joel Kuhn, Trey Coble (2nd, 4x400-meter relay).

METROLINA CHRISTIAN BOYS WIN FIRST TRACK TITLE

Metrolina Christian scored in nearly every event (14 of 15) and had top-3 finishes in 13 events, to edge defending champion, Charlotte Christian, 123-119.5. 

Metrolina Christian's Micah Crenshaw and Nath Savoy won state titles, and Leyton Guhl (55 meters, 300 meters, 4x200, 4x400), Levi Little (500 meters, 4x200, 4x400), Price Fee (1,000 meters, 4x400 and 4x800) and Josh Koos (4x400, 4x800) all medaled (top-3) in multiple events (including individual and relay titles) to lead the Warriors to the school's first state track title, indoor or outdoor.

"This was the best team effort we've ever had," Metrolina Christian coach Brett Honeycutt said. "Besides scoring in 14 of 15 events, we had 7 school records, 17 PRs, 21 who scored in the meet, and 13 who had a performance that ranked on our school's all-time top-10 list. We needed everyone today, and we were grateful to win."

Crenshaw won the long jump, in a massive PR of 21-feet, 8.5 inches (more than 1 foot better than he had ever jumped), and the triple jump, an event he came in as the top seed by about 2 feet. Savoy, also the top seed in the pole vault, won the event in 11-feet, 6 inches after finishing runner-up at the indoor championships last year and medaling (top-3) at the NCISAA Division I outdoor championships last spring.

"We talk a lot about honoring God with your effort," Honeycutt said. "That no matter if you win, set a school record, run a PR, or in essence get what you want, as long as you honor God with your effort, you did everything you could, so you can't be disappointed. That puts the focus where it should be, because God gave us everything we have, so why wouldn't we want to honor Him by doing our best?"

Besides Crenshaw, Savoy, Guhl, Little, Fee and Koos scoring, 12 others had major contributions by scoring crucial points, including four who scored 1 or 2 points, to help push Metrolina Christian over the top: Jacob Seamon (55 meters, 5th; 4x200-meter relay, 2nd), who has committed to play baseball at LSU; Matthew Burch (the two-time defending indoor shot put champion who had a huge season best by three feet, but finished runner-up this year by less than 3 inches and on the last throw by Providence Day's Raj Davis); Aiden McCormick (5th, long jump; 4th, triple jump, scoring crucial points), Koos (7th in the 1,000 meters), Ben Efland (7th in the 3,200 meters), Sam Ribar (7th, 55-meter hurdles), Matthew Wilson (8th, 55-meter hurdles), Peyton Tarlton (4x200, 2nd), Tyler McClure (4x800 relay, 2nd), John Capps (4x800 relay, 2nd), Seth Roberts (4th, shot put), and Eli Marcano (5th, shot put in a 2-foot PR).

"We had talked about the possibility of winning since before Christmas, when the boys had a strong meet at our Christmas is Near Invitational and finished runner-up to state power Cuthbertson," Honeycutt said. "But we knew it would take everyone, from the student-athletes who would win or medal, and the student-athletes who would score 1 point."

And that played out, as they needed every point to win.

HICKORY CHRISTIAN GIRLS REPEAT

Last year, Hickory Christian won just two events to beat defending champion, Coastal Christian, 108-100 for their first girls' Division II/III title, but this year the Knights nearly doubled up the Centurians, winning 7 events and taking 17 medal spots (top-3) to win, 179-97. 

It was the largest margin of victory in the girls' meet, Division I or Division II/III, and overall when the classifications were combined, in the meet's seven-year history.

The second girls' track and field title, indoors or outdoors, added to the school's girls' state titles after the girls' NCISAA 1A cross country three-peat more than 10 years ago (2012, 2013, 2014).

"We were thrilled to win our second straight indoor NCISAA girls title yesterday." Hickory Christian coach Jason Stewart said. "We had our largest ever girls indoor track team at HCA this season and it was truly a team effort from all the athletes to all of the coaches. We only have one senior athlete this season, and we hope to continue improving and growing as a team next year. Thank you NCRunners for sponsoring this indoor championship." 

Of the 7 event winners for Hickory Christian, Caroline Sprinkle won two individual events (high jump, 4-10, and long jump, 15-0); and Natalie Nicholls won an individual event (500 meters, 1:20.82) and ran on a winning relay (4x400-meter relay). Other winners were: Madelyn Jane Carter (3,200 meters, 11:40.43); Alayna Stewart (pole vault, 10-6), Sophia Krick (triple jump, 31-6) and Brayden Handy, Kallie Morgan, Adley Drum and Nicholls (4x400-meter relay, 4:22.86).

The story was the field events, though.

Hickory Christian scored a staggering 84 points in the field events, sweeping the top 3 spots in the pole vault and nearly sweeping the long jump, triple jump and high jump, as they took 2 of the top 3 spots in each of those events. The Knights also scored 52 points in the sprints, 22 in distance races and 21 in relays.

Leading the charge in the field events were: Sprinkle, who besides winning the long jump and high jump, also took third in the triple jump (31-3.75); Krick, who not only won the triple jump, but was runner-up in the pole vault (7-6), third in the high jump (4-6) and ran a leg on the fourth-place 4x200-meter relay, while pole vault winner Stewart was runner-up in the high jump (4-8) and third in the long jump (14-1.5). Also, Drum and Morgan not only teamed with Sprinkle and Handy in the winning 4x400-meter relay, but Drum was third in the pole vault (7-0) and ran a leg on the fourth-place 4x200-meter relay, and Morgan was third in the triple jump (30-0). 

MORE HIGHLIGHTS

MULTI-EVENT WINNERS

BOYS

* Micah Crenshaw, Metrolina Christian, Division I long jump (21-feet, 8.5 inches) and triple jump (42-8)

* Joey Wynn, Charlotte Christian, Division I 300 meters (34.87) and high jump (6-0)

* Brayden Ross, Carolina Day, Division II/III high jump (6-0) and triple jump (41-7)

GIRLS

* Madison Rae Noble, Charlotte Christian, Division I high jump (5-6), triple jump (35-11.75)

* Kiri Campbell, Metrolina Christian, Division I 55-meter hurdles (8.28), 300 meters (40.51)

* Bailey Brackett, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, Division I 1600 meters (5:04.56) and 3200 meters (10:46.95) 

* Emma Adams, Providence Day, Division I triple jump (34-7) and high jump (4-10)

* India Wilson, Greensboro Day, Division II/III 55-meter hurdles (8.39), 300 meters (41.38)

* Caroline Sprinkle, Hickory Christian, Division II/III high jump (4-10), long jump (15-0)

REPEAT WINNERS

BOYS

* Jaden Satterfield, Greensboro Day, Division II/III 55 meters (2024, 2025, 2026)

* Coastal Christian, Division II/III 4x800-meter relay (2024, 2025, 2026)

* Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy, Division I 1,000 meters (2025, 2026)

* Asheville School, Division II/III 4x200-meter relay (2025, 2026)

* Asheville School, Division II/III 4x400-meter relay (2025, 2026)

GIRLS

* Kiri Campbell, Metrolina Christian, Division I 55-meter hurdles (2025, 2026)

* Bailey Brackett, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, Division I 3,200 meters (2025, 2026)

* Danica McCarron, Cary Academy, Division I pole vault (2025, 2026)

* Aava Kearney, Greensboro Day, Division II/III 55 meters (2025, 2026)

* India Wilson, Greensboro Day, Division II/III 55-meter hurdles (2025, 2026)

* India Wilson, Greensboro Day, Division II/III 300 meters (2025, 2026)

* Caroline Sprinkle, Hickory Christian, Division II/III long jump (2025, 2026)

* Hickory Christian, Division II/III 4x400-meter relay (2025, 2026)

MEET RECORDS (13)

BOYS

DIVISION I (3 records broken)

* Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy, 2:28.84 (old record, 2:30.46, Dawson Reeves, Christ School, 2024)

* Sose Arhuidese, Jack Titcomb, Joey Grabek, Miles Cash, Cary Academy, 3:26.54 (old record, Charlotte Christian, 3:27.83, 2025)

* Benjamin Dorsey, States Cooke, Chandler Jones, Ricky Browne, Charlotte Country Day, 8:02.67 (old record, 8:06.79, Providence Day, 2024)

DIVISION II/III (6 records broken)

* Jaden Satterfield, Greensboro Day, 55 meters, 6.52 (equals his own record set in 2024)

* Ashton Coon, O'Neal School, 300 meters, 34.70 (old record, 37.41, Aydan Cannon, Hickory Grove Christian, 2024)

* Elijah Copeny, Davidson Day, 500 meters, 1:07.17 (old record, 1:07.75, Connor Hudson, Cary Christian, 2025)

* Benjamin Spain, Rocky Mount Academy, 9:26.72 (old record, 9:27.61, Reynolds Young, Asheville Christian, 2025)

* Brayden Ross, Carolina Day, 6-0 (old record, Conor Lampman, Coastal Christian, 5-10, 2025)

* Owen Arnette, Coastal Christian, 21-0 (old record, 20-2.75, Caleb Dramis, Wake Christian, 2025)

GIRLS

DIVISION I (2 records broken)

* Danica McCarron, Cary Academy, 12-0 (tied her own Division I record)

* Taylor Gordon, Jessie Wrenholt, Sakeenah Odom-Pollard, Christina Hall, Cannon School, 1:46.42 (old record, 1:46.77, Charlotte Country Day, 2024)

DIVISION II/III (2 records broken)

* Charlotte Biagini, Kaylee Garrett, Mattie Tanner, Sydney Whitfield, Coastal Christian, 1:55.07 (old record, 1:57.91, Trinity Academy of Raleigh, 2024)

* Brayden Handy, Kallie Morgan, Adley Dunn, Natalie Nicholls, Hickory Christian, 4:22.86 (old record, 4:25.81, Hickory Christian, 2025)

TOP-50 NATIONALLY RANKED PERFORMANCES

BOYS

* Brooks Barbee, Christ School, US No. 8, 3200 meters, 9:01.11

* Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy, US No. 9, 1,000 meters, 2:28.84

* Chandler Jones, Charlotte Country Day, US No. 16, 500 meters, 1:04.49

* Price Fee, Metrolina Christian, US No. 21, 1,000 meters, 2:29.73

* Charlotte Country Day, 4x800-meter relay, US No. 33, 8:02.67

NC TOP-10 STATE RANKED

BOYS

* Brooks Barbee, Christ School, NC No. 1, 3200 meters, 9:01.11

* Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy, NC No. 3, 1,000 meters, 2:28.84

* Cary Academy, 4x400-meter relay, NC No. 4, 3:26.54

* Charlotte Country Day, 4x800-meter relay, NC No. 4, 8:02.67

* Chandler Jones, Charlotte Country Day, NC No. 7, 500 meters, 1:04.49

* Price Fee, Metrolina Christian, NC No. 8, 1,000 meters, 2:29.73

* Raj Davis, Providence Day, NC No. 8, shot put, 52-3

* Matthew Burch, Metrolina Christian, NC No. 9, shot put, 52-0.25

GIRLS

* Kiri Campbell, Metrolina Christian, NC No. 10, 55-meter hurdles, 8.28

ALL-TIME TOP-50 STATE RANK

BOYS

* Brooks Barbee, Christ School, AT No. 6, 3200 meters, 9:01.11

* Kavi Gibson, Cary Academy, AT NC No. 10, 1,000 meters, 2:28.84

* Price Fee, Metrolina Christian, AT NC No. 17, 1,000 meters, 2:29.73

* Charlotte Country Day, 4x800-meter relay, AT NC No. 19, 8:02.67

* Chandler Jones, Charlotte Country Day, AT No. 24, 500 meters, 1:04.49

* Cary Academy, 4x400-meter relay, AT NC No. 27, 3:26.54

* Charlotte Country Day, 4x400-meter relay, AT NC No. 41, 3:28.01

* Ashton Coon, O'Neal School, AT NC 42, 34.70

* Dallas Reeves, Christ School, AT NC No. 47, 1,000 meters, 2:31.90