GREENSBORO – Melanie Frye of West Wilkes won three events to lead her team to the 1-A women’s team title in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state track and field championships on Friday night at the Irwin Belk Track at North Carolina A&T State University.

Frye won the long jump, pole vault and 100 hurdles as West Wilkes won its first women’s state track title ever, scoring 53 points to 43.5 for runner-up Swain County. North Stokes was third with 39, followed by Hayesville (38) and Hampstead Topsail (35).

Shaquita Copeland of Perquimans was the state champ in both the 200 and 400.

South Stokes cruised to the 1-A men’s championship, tallying 77 points to hold a 29-point advantage over second-place Pamlico. Chocowinity Southside was in third with 46, followed by Polk (39), East Carteret (34) and Rocky Point Heide Trask (31).

Sam Brinson led the way for South Stokes and was the meet MVP, sweeping to victory in the 800, 1600 and 3200.

In 3-A, Asheville’s T.C. Roberson had a strong showing in both men and women but came up just short, finishing second in both meets. The Roberson men were just two points behind state champ Northern Nash’s 63 points, with Jacksonville in third with 57 followed by Winston-Salem Parkland (43), West Rowan (34) and a tie for sixth between Gray’s Creek and Burlington Williams with 23 each.

Josh Morgan of T.C. Roberson was the 3-A men’s MVP, winning both the 800 and 1600, anchoring the championship 3200 meter relay team and anchoring the 1600 meter relay squad which was second.

Atolani Akinkuotu of Winterville South Central was a double winner in the 100 and 200.

Jamestown Ragsdale won the 3-A women’s meet with 67 points, three ahead of Roberson, with Jacksonville in third with 54 points. Then came Western Guilford (51), High Point Andrews (47), and Parkland (39).

Sensational South Central sophomore Kelsey McCorkle captured top honors in both the 100 and 200, setting a new 3-A mark in the 100 at 11.79 seconds, and earned the 3-A women’s MVP.

Dekalah Price of High Point Andrews was a double winner, taking the long jump and triple jump, while Jacksonville’s Manika Gamble won both hurdles events.

The 1-A and 3-A classifications held their championships on Friday with the 2-A and 4-A meets scheduled for Saturday, starting at 10 a.m.

Wendy’s and the Carolinas Ford Dealers are the presenting sponsors of the NCHSAA sports program.