Gary Ayers
ayers5315@bellsouth.net
The Swain High Indoor Track and Field teams and individuals flexed their muscles and ran with speed as the Maroon Devils hosted the BeAPAYNE Polar Invitational recently at the Swain High track.
Eleven area schools competed with the Swain girls capturing 26 Top 5 finishes and the Maroon Devil boys captured 13 Top 5 results. Although team results were not kept, the Swain girls and boys each brought home the gold with four first-place wins.
Three of the Swain performances met the MileSplit US Second Team standard. Arizona Blankenship with 5:17.4 in the 1600 meter run, Annie Lewis with 1:18.4 in the 500 meter dash and Nse Uffort with his 60’ 2” shot put. Blankenship is now ranked first in the state in both the 1600 and 3200 meter events while Lewis is ranked first in the state in both the 500 and 1000 meters.
WNC Cross Country stand-outs were named yesterday with the late Coach Keith Payne as WNC Coach of the Year, Blankenship as the WNC Cross Country Runner of the Year. Carl Baird and Lewis are both first team All-WNC. Angelina Lomeli and Emily Grey Stargell were both named second-team All WNC.
Below are the individual and team results with first-place times shown:
Boys:
55-meter dash
Keyanthae Graham, first place, 6.85
Kaden Sawyer, second place
300-meter dash
Kaden Sawyer, fourth place
500-meter dash
Ross Clapsaddle, first place 1:16.3
1600 meter run
Derek Gunter, fourth place
3200 meter run
Carl Baird, first place 11:03.5
4x200 meter relay
Swain, fifth place
4x800 meter relay
Swain, second place
Pole vault
Duncan Brown, third place
Evan Hall, fourth place
Obi Darnell, fifth place
Mason Doro, sixth place
Shot put
Nse Uffort, first place, 60’ 2”
Colton Shuler, fifth place
David Dingle, 13th place
Girls:
55 meter dash
Lilah Foster, 20th place
Elle Driver, 21st place
Cecilia Solano Jumper, 29th place
300 meter dash
Melani Linton, second place
Addison Blankenship, fifth place
500 meter dash
Annie Lewis, first place, 1:18.4
Audrey Monteith, second place
Lilah Foster, fourth place
1000 meter run
Grey Stargell, fifth place
1600 meter run
Arizona Blankenship, first place 5:17.4
Julianna Meraz-Quijada, fifth place
Madison Blankenship, eighth place
55-meter hurdles
Melani Linton, second place
Mya Burrows-Kurr, fifth place
Addison Blankenship, sixth place
4x200 meter relay
Swain, second place
4x400 meter relay
Swain, third place
4x800 meter relay
Swain, first place, 10:25.1
High jump
Gracie Sutton, fourth place
Addison Blankenship, fifth place
Heidi Ammann, sixth place
Long jump
Lelani Queen, third place
Ryan Ellis, fourth place
Triple jump
Lelani Queen, second place
Ryan Ellis, fourth place
Heidi Ammann, fifth place
Pole vault
Alden Thomas, first place 9’0”
Carden Getting, second place
Hannah Wingate, third place
Gracelynn Deck, sixth place
Shot put
Samantha Woodard, second place
Carley Teesateskie, third place
Madison Blankenship, fifth place
Nevaeh Hughes, 11th place
Sara Hammons, 16th place(tie)
Haley Teesateskie, 16th place(tie)
McKenzie Royce, 16th place(tie)