When Hendersonville’s Emma Laughter cleared the bar at 7’6” in the pole vault at the JDL Fast Track in Winston Salem on Saturday morning, she wasn’t sure what had just happened.
It quickly settled in that the sophomore had won her first state championship though.
“I was just super excited,” Laughter said. “It feels awesome. It was a really close race.”
Laughter was just one are athlete to win a state championship on Saturday. Brevard’s Noah Graham won the 3200 meter run (9:46.03) and Polk County’s 4×800 relay team of Sean Doyle, Jacob Wolfe, Jeremy Allsbrook and Mitchell Brown repeated as state champions.
There were plenty of area athletes that finished in the top ten at the state meet as well.
In the 3-A state meet, West Henderson’s Dylan Shamburger finished fourth in the 1000 meter run (2:39.57). North Henderson’s Trevor Craft finished ninth (37.46) in the 300 meter dash. West Henderson’s Taylor Meadows finished 10th (1:49.19) in the 500 meter run. Meadows, Gracie Tate, Melena Robinson and Rylee Dean finished sixth (1:53.23) in the 4×200 relay for West.
In the 1-A/2-A state meet, Polk’s Doyle finished second (2:36.50) in the 1000 meter run. Wolfe finished fourth (2:42.50). Doyle also finished third in the 1600 meter run (4:30.63). Brevard’s Graham finished fourth (4:36.44).
In the 3200 meter run, Brevard’s Andrew Robinson finished runner-up to his teammate Graham (9:55.40).
Polk’s 4×400 team of Doyle, Wolfe, Wil Rimer and Allsbrook finished sixth (3:42.54).
Hendersonville’s Alex Arcara finished fifth (11-06) in the pole vault. Polk’s Troy Lieberman finished sixth (11-00) and Hendersonville’s Joseph Deluca finished 10th (9-06).
Polk’s India Godlock finished 10th (5:55.78) in the 1600 meter run. Brevard’s Eliza Witherspoon finished third (12:02.98) in the 3200 meter run.
Hendersonville’s 4×200 relay team of Keayla Beddingfield, Taylor Tipton, Kaelah Avery and Micaiah Darity finished ninth (1:56.63). Polk’s team of Izzy Jackson, Marissa Longshore, Haley Fowler and Maranda Gosnell finished 10th (1:56.97).
Hendersonville’s 4×400 team of Avery, Anna Yokote, Andrea Kolarova, and Tipton finished seventh (4:30.37) and Polk’s Godlock, Jackson, Emma Wagoner and Julianna Robbins finished ninth (4:31.90).
In the 4×800 relay, Polk’s Godlock, Fowler, Emma Wagoner and Savannah Robbins finished second (10:36.34).
Polk’s Marissa Longshore finished eighth (4-06) in the high jump. Polk’s Indian Branham finished third (7-06) in the pole vault. Polk’s Anamarie Gunderson finished fourth (7-06) in the pole vault.
Hendersonviile’s Amy Yarborough finished fourth (34-10) in the shot put. Polk’s Michaeala Nelon (34-00) and Tameeia Brown (31-04.25) finished sixth and 10th respectively.
Polk’s Wagoner finished 10th (32-01) in the long jump.
From: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20160213/preps/160219892
