Familiar names reign at NCHSAA 4A indoor track and field meet: Cuthbertson, Mount Tabor win

Mary Bonner Dalton of Myers Park and Hannah Rae Shaffer of Cardinal Gibbons have been battling, nip-and-tuck, for first and second places for three years.

“Whenever we come together,” Dalton said, “we know we’re going to have a great race.”

No one in attendance at Friday’s N.C. 4A Indoor Track and Field Championships at JDL Fast Track could have imagined how great the girls’ 3,200-meter run would be.

Dalton, who set an all-classification state record to best Shaffer for the 2023 indoor state title, entered this year’s state meet having posted this indoor season’s fastest event time in the country. Dalton (10:29.16) and Shaffer (10:34.86) separated themselves from the pack early in the race, and repeated last year’s first- and second-place finishes. Shaffer’s time was among the country’s top 10 this season.

Chandler Welsh (R.J. Reynolds-Winston-Salem) and Josie Schihl of team champion Cuthbertson (58 points) were third and fourth in 10:41.27 and 10:47.83 respectively. Welsh’s and Schihl’s times were among the country’s top 20 this season.

“The fact that we’re all able to push each other and have this huge accomplishment,” Dalton said, “I’m really proud of all of us and how hard we’ve worked for this.

“It’s so cool to see how North Carolina is really making a name.”

Shaffer had her turn in the sun earlier in the meet when she anchored the Crusaders’ all-classification record-setting 4x800 meter relay team (9:18.21) — including Maggie Whitham, Addy Mitchell, and Peyton LaNase.

Dalton and Shaffer led by example in offering applause for each other and their peers during the awards ceremony.

Lucky 7 for Cuthbertson

Cuthbertson earned its seventh consecutive girls’ team title by outpacing Olympic by 15 points. Charlotte Bell won the 1,600-meter run (4:44.75), and placed second in the 1,000 behind teammate Justine Preisano (2:54.59). Dalton and Preisano were second and third in the 1,600.

Olympic received a gold-medal performance from I’Ja Walter in the 300-meter run. Her time of 39.50 was .22 seconds faster than Maya Love (Independence). The Trojans girls won the 4x200-meter relay (1:42.23), and the meet-concluding 4x400-meter relay in 3:59.4.

Narrow win for Mount Tabor

The Mount Tabor boys edged Weddington by just three points, and Cuthbertson, the two-time defending champion, was less than three points behind Weddington in third.

The 2024 title is the third for the Spartans, but the first since 2002.

Mount Tabor was led by senior Jordan Wolverton, who took home the Most Outstanding Performer award as he won the high jump, took second in the long jump and third in the 55-meter hurdles.

No Smalls feat for Panther Creek

Panther Creek senior Kirstin Smalls repeated as the girls’ high jump champion by eclipsing 5 feet, 6 inches.

Smalls, who is among the state champion Catamounts’ basketball team’s top three players in scoring, rebounding, steals, and blocked shots, missed Panther Creek’s hoops trip to Apex Friendship to defend her title. Catamounts basketball coach Danielle Sullivan was most delighted to receive a text message affirming Smalls’ field event triumph.

Smalls added to her family’s high jumping tradition, including sister Morgan’s three indoor state titles in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Liming double brings Cary family full circle

Cary senior Luke Liming won the boys’ 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in 4:15.86 and 9:12.51, respectively. Liming earned his state championships in the school year of the 31st anniversary of his mother Brennan (Fish) helping the Imps to a girls’ 4x800 relay outdoor state title. Mother and son both were coached by Cary Hall of Famer Jerry Dotson.

Hillside history

The storied Hillside track and field program — led for decades by National High School Sports Hall of Famer Russell Blunt (after whom the school’s stadium is named) — never had an indoor or outdoor pole vault state champion — until Friday. Ayana Jackson cleared 12 feet to etch her name among the Hornets’ legacy. The NCHSAA added the pole vault to its indoor championship program in 2000.

Among Hornets boys, Desmond Smith won the 55-meter dash in 7.37 seconds.

Greater Neuse River power

C.J. Martin (Clayton) completed a boys’ 300-meter dash photo finish in a meet-record 34.36 seconds to outlast Michah Walker (Parkland-Winston-Salem) by .01 second for top honors. Garner’s Dominic Harper (34.55) and Cleveland’s Shawn Williams (34.99), third and fourth, gave the Greater Neuse River Conference three of four medalists.

This year’s 300-meter dash field was so fast that Martin, Walker, and Harper all surpassed the 2023 event’s winning time. Walker improved his time from a year ago by 1.22 seconds.

Additional notes

▪ Joslyn Hamilton (Rolesville) won the girls’ 55-meter dash (6.96) and 55-meter hurdles (7.78) en route to Championship MOP honors.

▪ Kori Randle (Garner) was a two-event winner, in the long jump (18 feet, 9.5 inches) and triple jump (39-8).

▪ Green Hope won the boys’ 4x800-meter relay (7:55.99).

▪ Boys’ team runner-up Weddington (38 points) — three points off the pace of Mount Tabor — was paced by sophomore Hunter Bates’ golden 1,000-meter run (2:31.23), and pole vault champion Eli Clark (15 feet).

▪ Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools victors included the Hough boys’ 4x400 relay team (3:24.60) and the Huskies’ Tim Brown — first in the boys’ 500-meter run (1:03.69).

▪ Mallard Creek secured first in the boys’ 4x200 relay (1:30.76).

▪ Ardrey Kell’s Tyler Glover placed first in the girls’ shot put (46 feet, 9 inches).

▪ Among Union County Public Schools (UCPS) winners was Margaret Garner (Porter Ridge) in the 500-meter run (1:14.27).

▪ Jayden Wentz (Olympic) won gold in the men’s triple jump (46 feet, 8 inches).

NCHSAA 4A results

This story was originally published February 10, 2024 at 10:47 AM.