NCHSAA 4A State Meet Highlights

NCHSAA 4A State Track Championships

Despite significant rain, including one very heavy stretch, the 4A state meet produced some incredible, national-caliber performances!  The rain started during the second round of field events and the sprint preliminaries, and it began heavy by moving across the bleachers from south to north, advancing with a loud clattering on the bleachers that sent spectators (and some sonn-to-be competitors!) running for shelter.  Field events were heavily interrupted by the rain, which soon became lighter and steady for a while, but the running events pressed on.  Eventually the rain was light enough to resume, and it finally stopped altogether around the time of the 300 hurdle finals.

 

Story of the Meet (other than the weather):

Variety is the Spice of Life!

 

In looking back over the results, it seems like there was a different winner for almost every event.  There were only six double winners in the meet overall, and they fall into the exact same pattern for boys and girls: throwers Sequoia Watkins and Courtland Clavette, hurdlers Keni Harrison and Stanley Broaden, and the West Mecklenburg and Knightdale relay teams.  That means no dominant sprinter winning the 100 & 200, no dominant distance runner doubling in any combination, and no dominant jumper winning the long and triple.  Each event was a battle, and there were many mild upsets as competitors that were expected to finish 3rd, 4th, or 5th elevated their game to bring home the gold medal!

 

Girls

 

 

Team Champion: Wakefield

 

 

Team Runner-Up: T. C. Roberson

(Editor's Note: we missed TCR's trophy presentation, so they are represented here by Brooke Gordon)

 

 

MVP: Keni Harrison, Clayton

13.69 for 100 hurdles, 41.41 for 300 hurdles (US #1 this year, State Meet Record)

 

 

Story of the Girls' Meet: The Youth Movement!

 

Look closely at  the girls' results, and you will see that nearly every event has a junior or a sophomore at the top, and many events had several underclassmen leading the field.  Only Keni Harrison, Sequoia Watkins, Dannielle Davis, and Sarah Graham won events as seniors.  This even extends to the relays, where only Cary's 4x800 was senior-dominated; Wakefield has 3 girls back from their 4x4, and West Meck has all 4 girls back from the state champion 4x2 and 4x1 relays!  You know what that means: next year's state championship should be amazing!

 

 

Other Top Performances:

 

Cary 9:06.17 for 4x800 (All-time NC #1, State Meet Record, US #4 this year)

 

Green Hope 9:15.48 for 4x800 (NC #4 all-time)

 

Watauga 9:21.27 for 4x800 (NC #5 all-time)

 

Sydney White (East Forsyth) 12' 7" in pole vault (State Meet Record)

 

 

  Sydney White Interview

 

 

 

Anna McBride 10:46.08 for 3200 (NC #10 all-time, State Meet Record)

 

Sequoia Watkins doubles with 42' 5.25" in shot and 141' 6" in discus.

 

West Mecklenburg doubles with 48.11 for 4x100 and 1:40.29 for 4x200 (NC #15 all-time)

 

Ariah Graham 55.01 for 400 (NC #11 all-time)

 

Shelby Howell 2:13.05 for 800 (NC #12 all-time)

 

Samantha George (Millbrook) earns back-to-back 1600 titles with 4:58.75.

 

 

Boys

 

 

Team Champion: Knightdale

 

 

Team Runner-Up: Hopewell

 

 

MVP: Courtland Clavette, A. C. Reynolds

55' 0.25" in shot put, 184' 3" in discus (State Meet Record, NC #7 all-time)

 

Other Top Performances:

 

Stanley Broaden (Ashley) doubles with 14.38 for 110 hurdles and 37.41 for 300 hurdles (NC #15 all-time, US #19 this year)

 

Knightdale doubles with 1:26.05 for 4x200 (NC #8 all-time, US #11 this year) and 3:15.41 for 4x400 (NC #4 all-time, US #12 this year)

 

Mitch Mallory (Wakefield) earns back-to-back 3200 titles with 9:13.00, also 2nd in 1600.

 

Anthony Bynum wins 200 in 21.33, 2nd in 100.

 

Blake Williams (Northern Durham) claims back-to-back 1600 titles with 4:19.20, then on to run unattached at UNC for 1:53.07 800!

 

NCHSAA 4A State Track Championships

On-Site Coverage

Videos

100 Hurdles (Heat 1) 100 Hurdles (Heat 2) 110 Hurdles (Heat 1) 110 Hurdles (Heat 2)
Girls 100 Dash (Heat 1) Girls 100 Dash (Heat 2) Boys 100 Dash (Heat 1) Boys 100 Dash (Heat 2)
Girls 400 Dash (Heat 1) Girls 400 Dash (Heat 2) Boys 400 Dash (Heat 1) Boys 400 Dash (Heat 2)
Girls 300 Hurdles (Heat 1) Girls 300 Hurdles (Heat 2) Boys 300 Hurdles (Heat 1) Girls 200 Dash (Heat 1)
Girls 200 Dash (Heat 2) Boys 200 Dash (Heat 1) Boys 200 Dash (Heat 2) 100 Hurdles (Final)
110 Hurdles (Final) Girls 100 Dash (Finals) Boys 100 Dash (Finals) Girls 4x200 (Heat 1)
Girls 4x200 (Heat 2) Boys 4x200 (Heat 1) Boys 4x200 (Heat 2) Girls 3200 Run
Girls 4x100 (Heat 1) Girls 4x100 (Heat 2) Boys 4x100 (Heat 1) Boys 4x100 (Heat 2)
Boys 4x400 (Heat 2) Boys 200 Dash (Final) Girls 200 Dash (Finals) Boys 300 Hurdles (Final)
Boys 400 Dash (Finals) Girls 400 Dash (Finals) Boys 800 Run Girls 800 Run
Boy 3200 (Final Lap) Girls 300 Hurdles (Final) Boys Shot Put flight 1 Girls Discus flight 1
Boys High Jump Boys Shot Put flight 2 Girls Shot Put Final Girls Discus Flight 2
Girls Discus Final Boys 100 Final Head-On Boys 110H Final Head-On Girls 100 Final Head-On
Girls 100H Final Head-On  

Girls Highlights

Boys Highlights