North Carolina athletes performed well over the weekend.
Photo taken by Ted Plunkett, Milestat.
At the Asics High School Invitational in Virginia, Kelsey McCorkle, Mike Price, Wayne Davis, Brandy Swann, Anthony Hendrix, Jonique Fonville, Dannielle Davis, and Fuquawn Green all came away with individual titles.
The KTC High School Indoor Track Classic, in Tennessee, John Harwell, Taylor Cook, and Dannielle Hobbs were the only individual winners. However, Nyosha Bryant, Aslynn Halvorson, Taylor Cook, and Ashley Bethune turned in top performances as well.
Asics High School Invitational
(Liberty University - Virginia)
Wayne Davis Video - 60mH Finals and interview with Brandon Miles of Milestat.com
Photos: Hoerner Gallery | Plunkett Gallery
Many North Carolina HS athletes headed up to Liberty for the Asics HS Invitational. South Central's Kelsey McCorkle had a very good day. Kelsey won both the 55m and the 300m in fine fashion. She clocked a 7.18 in the finals of the 55m and a 40.91 in the 300m. Her 55m time is ranked 2nd and her 300m time is currently ranked 1st in North Carolina so far this season.
Brandy Swann of Jacksonville also had quite a day. She finished 2nd to Kelsey in the 300m with a time of 41.83. This time currently ranks her 4th in NC. However, her best performance of the meet was in the 500m, which she won. Brandy ran an impressive time of 1:16.76. This time not only moves her into the top spot for the season, but it jumps her into 5th on the NC All-Time list. Brandy is flying so far this season.
Brandy's Jacksonville teammate, Ryanna Henderson also had a solid meet. She ran 5:23.18 in the 1600, which ranks her #1 in the state. Her most impressive performance of the meet was in the 1000, though. Ryanna ran a great time of 3:03.36 for 3rd place overall. This time also ranks her #1 in the state, but more importantly moves her into 6th on the NC All-Time list.
Southeast Raleigh now has a family of hurdlers. Dannielle Davis, the younger sister of Wayne, is making a name for herself in NC. Dannielle won the 55m hurdles at Liberty with a time of 8.68. She is now ranked 4th in North Carolina in this event. Wayne Davis also won the 55mH, to make is a Davis sweep. Wayne ran 7.20 in the prelims and then 7.16 in the finals. Both times are faster than what he ran at the NC Opener at Chapel Hill. His 7.16 is good enough for 10th fastest time in US history. Just last weekend, Wayne ran the 2nd fastest time in US history for the 60mH. You could say he's picked up exactly where he left off last year/summer.
Forsyth Country Day's Lynne Hull, the NCISAA champ in the pole vault, continue to hover around the 10' mark. Lynne finished 7th overall with a clearance of 10'.
Johnique Fonville of New Bern competed in all 3 jumping events at the meet. She had the most success in the triple jump, as she won the event. Her mark of 35-10.50 moves her into 6th in NC this indoor season.
Fuquawn Green of New Bern continued his successful season at the Asics meet by placing 1st in the 55m and 2nd in the 300. Fuquawn ran a time of 6.54 in the prelims and then 6.46 in the finals. His time ranks him 4th in NC thus far. In the 300m he lost to fellow North Carolinian Booker Nunley, but ran a solid time of 35.99. Fuquawn is currently ranked 4th in NC in the 300 as well, with a 35.70 at the Appalachian State High School meet.
Garners's Booker Nunley is having quite an indoor season thus far. Last weekend he ran the 13th fastest time in US history in the 60mH. However, this weekend, the hurdles didn't go as well. He qualified for the finals, but then was DQ'd from the event. Look for him to get his form back in this next weekend. However, he did compete in the 300m, and he did win this event. Booker ran 35.97 for first place and a new personal best.
In the 500m, Anthony Hendrix of New Bern captured the individual title. Anthony ran a time of 1:06.09, winning by well over a second. This run currently moves him into 1st thus far this indoor season. Anthony also ran in the 300m, which he placed 3rd. This gave NC a 1,2,3 finish in the 300m. His time was 36.52. Joining Anthony with a top finish was his teammate, Rodney Stewart. Rodney placed 4th overall with a time of 1:08.86. He is just starting to round into form after a long football season for New Bern.
Andrew Hendrix, also of New Bern, ran well in the 1000m, placing 4th overall. Andrew has been running very well so far this season. This was his first 1000 of the season and he clocked a 2:36.62. That is the 2nd fastest time indoors this winter and is a new personal best for him. Look out for Andrew this season, he is definitely at the top of his game.
Josey Weaver of Madison had a solid double (well really a triple with the pole vault) running both the 1600 and the 3200. He finished 10th in the 1600 with a time of 4:34.93. That currently ranks him 4th indoors for NC. He ran a solid 9:44.32, good enough for 5th in the 3200. That time was just off his 9:43 from the NC Opener. He is ranked 3rd in the state in the 3200. Not to be forgotten, he also ventures over to the pole vault, where he has cleared 13-6 this season. Asics wasn't as good to him, as he cleared 12', and finished in a tie for 9th. This has to be a tiring triple for Josey!
Joining Josey in the pole vault, representing NC, was Rockingham County's Evan Sandling. Evan was the top finisher from NC with his 6th place finish. Even cleared 13 feet. He is currently in a tie for 2nd in NC so far this indoor season.
In the 55mH, I already mentioned Wayne Davis' 10th fastest time in US history of 7.16. Wayne's teammate, Keare Smith of SE Raleigh, also a very fine day. Keare ran 7.33 in the prelims, a new personal best. In the finals, he hit 7.41, fast enough for 2nd overall to Wayne.
New Bern continued running well in the 4x400, as they won the event in 3:27.95. It wasn't their fastest time of the season, as they ran 3:24.02 at the Hispanic Games, but as you can see from above, they had quite a meet prior to this race.
Finally, it's only fitting I talk about one more winner from New Bern. Mike Price, who has been jumping quite well this indoor season, won the long jump. He lept out to 22-08.75 to win by almost a foot. He is currently the top long jumper in the state with his 22-10.75 last weekend at Arkansas.
KTC High School Indoor Track Classic
(East Tennessee State University)
NC's top female sprinter, Nyosha Bryant of West Charlotte, had another solid day. Nyosha finished 2nd in the 200m dash and 3rd in the 60m. She clocked a 7.62 in the finals of the 60m, good enough to qualify for Nike Indoor Nationals. In the 200m, she ran a great time of 24.81, only losing to last year's National Outdoor Champion, Chalonda Goodman out of Georgia. Her time moves her to 3rd in NC history for the 200m indoors!
Charlotte Latin's Malai Walker also had a solid meet. She qualified for Nike Indoor Nationals in both the 60m dash and the 200m. She qualified for the finals of the 200m and finished 5th overall with a time of 25.62. Also running solid times was Sheguyra Guy of West Charlotte, 7.99 in the 55m and 25.76 in the 200m.
Sun Valley's Dannielle Hobbs came away with an impressive win in the girl's 800m run. She clocked a time of 2:23.52 which is the fastest time in the state thus far and a new personal best. Looks like the 1000m is shaping up to be quite a race with Hobbs and Henderson of Jacksonville both running well. As a side note, Sun Valley placed 4 girls in the top 10 in the 800. Sawyer ran 2:30, Price hit 2:31, and Hofmann ran 2:33. With their win at the NC Opener in the 4x800, looks like they are still the team to beat in the girl's 4x800.
Ashley Bethune of Harding had another solid meet. She qualified for Nike Indoor Nationals in the 60m dash with a time of 7.86. However, her best event is the hurdles, and she finished 4th in the finals. She finished the finals with a time of 9.00, but in the prelims clocked a much quicker 8.81. Right now, Ashley is the top female hurdler in North Carolina. Jasmine isley of Charlotte Latin also made the final at ETSU. She ran 9.14 in the prelims and then 9.21 in the finals, good enough for 5th overall.
Taylor Cook of Watauga had a successful meet, winning the high jump and placing 2nd in the pole vault. She cleared 4-7.75 in the high jump and 9-6.25 in the pole vault. Currently, Taylor is tied with a few other girls for the top spot in NC for the girl's pole vault. She has cleared 10' this season.
Aslynn Halvorson of Butler threw very well at ETSU. She placed 2nd overall, tossing the shot out to 42-6, just one inch off of what she threw at the NC Opener. She is easily the top "putter" in NC this year. Joining her in the top 3 was Nnenna Okwara of Charlotte Latin. Nnenna threw 35-1 for 3rd place.
Butler's Spencer Adams and Jeremy Johnson both met the Nike Indoor National qualifying standard in the 60m dash. Jeremy was timed at 7.14 and Spencer 7.21. Neither made the finals but can be pleased with their national qualifying times. Adams then took to his best event, the hurdles, and finished 2nd to William Wynne, one of the nation's top returning hurdlers. Adams was timed 8.13 in the prelims and 8.15 in the finals.
Will Taylor of Sun Valley won the unseeded 1600 with a time of 4:41.94. He easily won the event and probably should have been in the seeded section.
Asheville teammates, John Harwell and Isaac Presson, continue to run well. These sophomores have already had quite a career at both the local and national scene. Remember, John won the 9th grade mile at last year's Nike Indoor Nationals. At ETSU, John won the 3,000m with an impressive time of 8:53, equivalent to a sub 9:30 3200. Isaac was 3rd in 9:07, equivalent to around the low 9:40's. Both athletes are running well this indoor season, continue to look for big things from each of them.
Three NC pole vaulters placed at the top of the competition. Stephen Hodapp of Butler cleared 13-00 and placed 3rd overall. Also clearing 13-00 was Eric Fowler of East Forsyth who finished 4th. Finishing in 6th with a clearance of 12-6 was his East Forsyth teammate Aaron Zakula.