On Saturday, in the final race of his high school career, after placing second as a sophomore and missing his chance last year, Sales won his first N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A state championship with an impressive victory over West Charlotte's Trenton Guy and Wakefield's T.J. Graham at N.C. A&T's Irwin Belk Track.

After running the nation's sixth-fastest 200 time (21.07 seconds) in his preliminary heat, Sales returned for the final in search of an elusive championship. Last year, he sat out of the meet after being injured in a car accident.

This time, he charged toward the finish line in the last 100 meters and edged Guy in a time of 21.34. In the process, Sales defeated the state's leading boys 100- and 200-meter sprinter, who was voted the meet's most valuable male performer.

"Sometimes you do things that even shock yourself," Sales said. "That was one."

Sales might have shocked himself, but other track and field athletes from the Triangle performed true to form on a clear yet windy Saturday afternoon.

"Everybody showed up today," said Southeast Raleigh senior Gabby Mayo, who captured her second consecutive most valuable female performer award after winning the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the 100-meter hurdles.

Boys and girls athletes from the region won first place in 15 of 35 events.

For the second year in a row, New Bern won the boys team title by accumulating 53 points, defeating West Charlotte (53) and Butler (35).

Harding University's girls team scored 79 points to hold off defending champion Southeast Raleigh (70) and Fayetteville E.E. Smith (44).

Southeast senior Ebonie Cunningham secured the 400-meter title for the third consecutive year. After recently recovering from a sore hip flexor, she posted a 55.17.

Athens Drive's Christy Johnson shaved a second off her personal best time trying to challenge Cunningham. She finished second in 55.73.

Southeast's Chrishawn Williams won the triple jump and finished second in the long jump, and the boys 4x200 relay team of Phillip Hardy, David Fulton, Darius Law and Lorenzo Norfolk won with a time of 1:26.90.

Athens Drive senior Callan Fike repeated as the girls 1,600-meter champion, then finished ahead of the 800-meters field. Apex's Andie Cozzarelli also repeated as the 3,200 champion.

Durham Southern senior Patience Coleman won the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 8 inches and collected her second consecutive 4-A state title.

Clayton senior Johnny Dutch, who entered was the defending state champion and state record-holder in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, broke his 110 record with a personal best of 13.39 seconds.

Dutch wasn't as successful in the 300, in which Butler junior Spencer Adams leaned forward at the finish line for an unexpected victory. Before the official scores were announced, Dutch appeared to be the winner.

"I didn't think I won," said Adams, whose time of 36.04 topped Dutch's previous state record.