By David Rogers. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Thirty-eight (38) schools had athletes qualify for the NCHSAA 6A Women’s Indoor Track & Field State Championships on Feb. 12 at the JDL FastTrack venue — but only one program was crowned the North Carolina 6A Women’s team champion.
With three of the top six performers in the Women’s Pole Vault, including No. 1 Sydney Helms, No. 4 Sophie Robbins and No. 6 Gracyn Blanton) and strong showings in multiple events by Cali Townsend, Tessa Buchanan, Lily Stough and Lainey Johnston, the Watauga Pioneers powered their way to the NCHSAA 6A Women’s State Indoor Championship title on Feb. 12 at JDL Fasttrack in Winston-Salem.
In addition to Pole Vault, where the Pioneers were the only team with three athletes qualifying for the state meet, Watauga had “top 5” placings in several events, including 55m Hurdles (No. 5, Tessa Buchanan), 300 Meters (No. 3, Lily Stough), 500 Meters (No. 4, Tessa Buchanan), 1000 Meters (No. 3, Cali Townsend), 1600 Meters (No. 2 Cali Townsend), 4×800 Relay (No. 3: Lainey Johnston, Lily Kimbrough, Sydney Townsend, Cali Townsend), High Jump (No. 2, Lily Stough), Long Jump (No. 2, Lily Stough), Pole Vault (No. 1, Sydney Helms; No. 4, Sophie Robbins) and Triple Jump (No. 3, Lily Stough)
FINAL TEAM PLACINGS
- No. 1 – Watauga (78 points)
- No. 2 – Ragsdale (69)
- No. 3 – Asheville (52)
- No. 4 – Piedmont (43.5)
- No. 5 – Mount Tabor (40)
- No. 6 – Dudley (32)
- No. 7 – A C Reynolds (25.5)
- No. 8 – Southeast Guilford (25)
- No. 9 – East Chapel Hill (23)
- No. 10 – Middle Creek (19.5)
- TIE No. 11 – Berry and Statesville (18)
- No. 13 – E E Smith (15)
- TIE No. 14 – Berry and Statesville (14)
- No. 16 – Alexander Central (13.5)
- No. 17 – Northern Guilford (12)
- No. 18 – Union Pines (11.5)
- TIE No. 19 – Seventy-First and Asheboro (11)
- No. 21 – Gray’s Creek (10)
- TIE No. 22 – Western Guilford and White Oak (7)
- No. 24 – Northern Durham (5)
- No. 25 – T C Roberson (4)
- TIE No. 26 – Ashbrook and J H Rose (2)
- No. 28 – Jacksonville (1.5)
- No. 29 – Northern Nash (1)
SUMMARY OF WATAUGA PERFORMANCES AT NCHSAA 6A STATE INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tessa Buchanan – No. 5 in 55m Hurldes
- Lily Stough – N. 3 in 300 meters
- Tessa Buchanan – No. 4 in 500 meters
- Lainey Johnston – No. 10 in 500 meters
- Cali Townsend – No. 3 in 1000 meters
- Cali Townsend – No. 2 in 1600 meters
- Watauga – No. 6 in 4×400 Relay (C. Townsend, Johnston, Hans, Buchanan)
- Watauga – No. 3 in 4×800 Relay (Johnston, Kimbrough, S. Townsend, C. Townsend)
- Lily Stough – No. 2 in High Jump
- Lily Stough – No. 2 in Long Jump
- Sydney Helms – No. 1 in Pole Vault
- Sophie Robbins – No. 4 in Pole Vault
- Gracyn Blanton – No. 6 in Pole Vault
- Lily Stough – No. 3 in Triple Jump
