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Marlee Hicks runs at the track & field meet at Swain County High that took place Nov. 15.
Larry Griffin
lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com
The Swain County Maroon Devils track & field team competed in the New Balance Dash for Doobie event on Saturday, Nov. 18, with several athletes qualifying for the NCHSAA 1A/2A meets, according to Coach Keith Payne.
“Man, it was fast,” Payne said of the race via email later.
The 3,200-meter record of 10:51 was broken three times. Swain’s Connor Lambert got it first with 10:45, and then an hour later Kane Jones ran a 10:21, which was just a second away from qualifying for the state meet.
Then, Carl Baird topped them all with a 9:54 finish, which Payne said made him “not only the standard bearer, but the first male to qualify for the indoor 3,200-meter run.”
“It was such a fast day,” he wrote.
The girls’ races saw four girls qualifying for the state meet, with Angel Lomelli continuing the strong work she’s done all year, finishing 11:30. Annie Lewis, who has also consistently finished fast, ran 11:49, while fellow powerhouse Emily Grey Stargell got 12:12.
Meanwhile, Arizona Blankenship, who has only run one other time since May of this year, ran 12:29.
While all four students qualified, the NCHSAA guidelines say only three can compete – so Payne said they’ll be looking at who will race at the meet later on.
“All four of these young ladies have qualified in other events as well,” Payne wrote.
The Devils had another track and field meet after press time on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Swain County High’s track at 2:30 p.m.
The team’s next meet will take place Wednesday, Dec. 6, also at home at 2:30 p.m.