WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Southeast Raleigh women’s indoor track and field squad used victories in two of the championship’s three relay events to claim the school’s sixth women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship and their second title in three years. The Lady Bulldogs held off Rocky River by a 60-56 count. On the men’s side, Green Hope’s men won five events, including two relays, to outrun Southeast Raleigh 88-50.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
Southeast Raleigh sprinters made the difference in the meet as the Lady Bulldogs claimed the two shorter relay events as well as the 55 meter hurdles, 300 meter and 500 meter dashes.
Southeast Raleigh’s Kyna Robinson was named the meet MVP as she set a new state meet record in the 500 meters, crossing the line in 1:12.33. Her performance crushed the old record of 1:14.10 set by Cary’s Layla White in 2015. Robinson also won the 300 meter event, sprinting to victory in :39.73 seconds, nipping High Point Central’s Leah Bolden who finished in :39.80.
Robinson ran the third leg of the victorious 4 x 200 Relay team, combining with Ani Judd, Sierra Fletcher and Zarejha Hall to post a time of 1:41.40, over three seconds better than second place Rocky River. Later Robinson anchored the winning 4 x 400 Relay team, working with Fletcher, Hall and Alayna Suitte to cross in 4:01.89 outracing Providence who finished in 4:02.30.
Reagan’s Sophie Faircloth was a double winner, taking top honors in the 1600 and 1000 meter runs. Faircloth cruised to victory in the 1600 in 5:02.92 before crossing in 3:03.80 for the 1000 meter win. Faircloth also anchored the winning 4 x 800 Relay team for Reagan, combining with Ainsley Cooper, Gwen Parks and Samantha Troup to post a time of 9:35.78, more than six seconds faster than second place Grimsley.
Jirah Sidberry gave Rocky River a huge lift in the field events, earning the top spot in the Long Jump and Triple Jump. Sidberry flew 18’ 08.5” in her win in the Long Jump, a foot better than second place Myana Smalls from Apex. Later Sidberry crossed 39’ 08.00” to win the Triple Jump by 2.5 inches over her Rocky River teammate, Kenya Livingston.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
Green Hope cruised to victory on the men’s side, earning the Falcons second state championship in Men’s Indoor Track and Field. The win was Green Hope’s second in the sport in the last three years.
Falcons athletes claimed victory in five events, including the 4 x 400 Relay that saw Christopher Mondie, Sean Petersen, Michael Biddle and Ian Delgado sprint to a 3:27.90 time, beating out second place Southeast Raleigh who finished in 3:29.57. Delgado won the 1000 meter run in 2:30.97, almost three seconds faster than Pinecrest’s Colin Alexander who crossed in 2:33.88.
The Falcons also won the 4 x 800 Relay, as Biddle, Matthew Kehn, Petersen and Delgado churned out a time of 8:06.97, besting second place Cary who ran to a time of 8:09.24. Peyton Barish claimed the 3200 meters for Green Hope, breaking the tape in 9:30.98, just in front of his teammate Ryan Kemper who finished second in 9:33.12. Finn McBride was the victor in the 1600 meters, helping Green Hope sweep the three longest events of the meet. McBride crossed in 4:20.09.
Randolph Ross was a double winner for Garner. Ross earned victory in the High Jump by clearing 6’ 10”. Ross also won the 500 meter dash, sprinting to a time of 1:05.61 and outstriding Overhills’ Zachary Ray who clocked in at 1:05.74 in second. Ross was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Performer for his two victories.
