Local track athletes qualify for state finals

By From staff reports
Published in Sports on May 6, 2013 1:47 PM

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ROCKY POINT -- Goldsboro's 400-meter girls' relay and Princeton speedster Johnny Frasier will lead a large contingent of Carolina 1-A Conference sprinters and jumpers to Greensboro for the N.C. High School Athletic Association track and field championships on Friday.

One day later, competitors from Charles B. Aycock, Eastern Wayne and Southern Wayne will invade the N.C. A&T State University track for the 3-A portion of the NCHSAA championship meet.

The top four finishers in each event qualify for the state finals.

The Cougars' foursome of Nekooshia Kornegay, Josephine Grant, Kaylah James and Kimberley Martin posted a Mideast regional-winning time of 53.06 seconds at Heide Trask High School. James qualified for the state finals in the 100 and 200 dashes, while Martin advanced in the 200.

Miranda Simmons clinched a state berth in the 400. Distance specialist Nichole Mehlaff qualified for states in the quarter-mile (800) and half-mile (1,600) runs. Grayson Collins advanced in the 3,200 run.

Rosewood's Alysse Atwell placed third in the 100 and 300 hurdles, and ran a pair of legs on the meet-winning 800 and 1,600 relays. The Eagles also qualified in the 3,200 relay.

Brynna Lee won the pole vault and freshman Lexi Mercer was third in the high jump.

On the boys' side, Frasier captured the 100 dash in 11.09 seconds and ran a leg on the Bulldogs' 400 relay, which finished third. Lane Dougherty won the Mideast crown in the pole vault (10 feet) and teammate Martin Bayles took third.

Goldsboro's Christian Martens (400) and Rasheid Malette (300 hurdles) qualified as individuals. Martens will also participate on the Cougars' 1,600 relay, which ended up fourth in 3:42.63. He'll be joined by Keyshawn Jenkins, Jaleel Cook and Antonio Futrelle.

3-A regional

MOREHEAD CITY -- C.B. Aycock's Courtney Warner and Southern Wayne's Cierra Thompson placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 100-meter dash during the NCHSAA 3-A east regional contested at West Carteret High School.

The Golden Falcons' placed third in the 400 relay and fourth in the 800 relay.

Aycock's Devin Graves finished regional runner-up in the 110 hurdles and took third overall in the 300 hurdles.

Eastern Wayne's 800 relay of Romello Hamilton, Lavoris Vick, Larry Newsome and Dayshawn Pridgen placed third.