With the North Carolina Indoor State Championship wrapping up last weekend and spring beginning to show in the Carolinas, it is time to look forward to the quickly approaching outdoor track season ahead of us. With senior year stars like Le'Ezra Brown, Jack Anstrom, and Ja'Neil Harris no longer in the picture, there are many new spots at the top of the North Carolina track and field world. Let's take a look at some of the top returners and athletes from the Eastern Region we have our eye on heading into the spring.
Eastern Region Athletes to Watch
Riley Kiziah / Hoggard / Jr. - Kiziah threw down the second-fastest sophomore 1600 in North Carolina history, running 4:09.74 at the RunningLane Track Championships last spring, only behind current Duke standout Dawson Reeves' 4:09.70 mark from 2022. Coming off his incredibly successful sophomore year campaign, the now Hoggard junior took home his first NCHSAA 8A Cross Country State Championship this fall in convincing fashion. Kiziah is already a major star in the North Carolina distance running scene and a favorite to take home 1600 and 3200 state titles this spring.
Colten Smith / Northside / Jr. - Another member of North Carolina's stacked junior class, Smith is the top returner in the East for the 400 meters, running 48.02 last year to take home the NCHSAA 1A State Championship. Smith has already finished 2nd in the NCHSAA 1A/2A Indoor State Championship earlier this year and will look to continue his positive momentum heading into the spring.
Jeremiah Faison / Eastern Wayne / Sr. - A hybrid athlete as the top returner in the 110-meter hurdles in the East running 14.08 and one of the top jumpers in the state, recently taking the win in the high jump along with the 55-meter hurdles at the NCHSAA 4A Indoor State Championship. Faison will certainly be a major player this spring as he looks to continue his strong senior year campaign.
Owen Reece / Topsail / Sr. - The Eastern region's top returner in the 3200 and recent US Naval Academy commit Reece is due for a major spring campaign. Reece holds the fastest outdoor 3200 personal best in the state of any NCHSAA athlete at 9:01.22 and is coming off taking home his first State Championship in the 3200 at the NCHSAA 7A Indoor Meet just a few weeks ago, dominating from start to finish for the win.
Ethan Rich / Western Harnett / Sr. - It would be a disservice not to include Rich on this list. Over the past two years, Rich has dominated the 6A classification (formerly 3A), racking up multiple state championship victories on the grass in the fall and on the track for the 1600 and 3200. Rich holds personal bests of 9:04.44 in the 3200 and 4:14.62 for 1600; he will look to continue his championship-winning streak outdoors this spring.