Track/Cross Country- Generic Graphic
May 18, 2012
It went right down to the last event on Friday in a wild chase for the team title in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A women's track and field championships.
Seven teams were within four points of the lead at the Irwin Belk Track at North Carolina A&T entering the four by 400 meter relay, but when it was over North Buncombe had rallied to slip into first place.
Led by Sage Proffitt, the meet's Most Outstanding Performer, North Buncombe scored 34 points to 30 for second-place Fayetteville Westover. There was a three-way tie for third among Wilson Fike, Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons and Waxhaw Marvin Ridge with 29 each, and then Charlotte Catholic and Chapel Hill tied for sixth, just six points back, with 28 points.
Proffitt ran the anchor leg on the four by 400 relay team which finished fourth and secured the team title for North Buncombe. She also won the pole vault, clearing 11-6, and placed third in the 800.
A total of 55 schools scored in the women's meet.
Nyshedra Brown of West Craven won both the 100 and the 200 and eclipsed the 3-A standard in the 100 meters by a mere .02 of a second, recording a time of 11.77 seconds. Ariel Davis of Northern Guilford set a new state 3-A record in the women's 110 high hurdles at 14.39 seconds.
In men's competition, Charlotte's Berry Academy, buoyed by winning three relays and getting individual championships from Cameron Hudson in the 100 and Larry Gibson in the 400, grabbed the team crown. Berry had 65 points to 47 points for runner-up Northern Guilford in winning its second consecutive state title as it won the 2-A crown last year before moving into the 3-A ranks.
Hudson was the meet's Most Outstanding Performer award as he helped Berry to the title. Besides winning the 100, he was second in the long jump, ran the lead leg on the victorious four by 100 relay team and was the anchor on the state champion four by 400 relay squad.
Jacksonville White Oak finished third with 41 points, followed by defending 3-A champ Fayetteville Douglas Byrd with 38 and Wilson Fike with 32. A total of 55 teams tallied points in the men's championships.
Jacksonville's Wesley Tucker was a double winner, taking first place in both hurdle events, and Fike's Josh King took top honors in the high jump and triple jump.
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