By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — How do you spell E-F-F-O-R-T? By whatever spelling, it was clearly on the faces of the Watauga and Liberty Bell middle school track and field athletes on March 10, in an early season meet hosted by Watauga High School.
There were runaway performances as well as “close-as-close-can-get” finishes. Relay races are always exciting and always with the risk of dropping a baton. But this early season competition was more about establishing personal benchmarks to improve upon for the rest of the season. Ultimately, in the Watauga culture, it is about individual growth as much as it is about winning. Not everyone can finish No. 1, but everyone can finish with a personal best.
BONUS PHOTOS below Results tables.
All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
GIRLS DIVISION
Visiting Liberty Bell Middle School swept the first six spots in the Girls 800 Meters and did well in the middle distance relays but otherwise it was the Watauga District middle school team’s day.
In one of the most thrilling finishes of the afternoon, Watauga’s Kate James Moore nipped unattached Maia Carter, both seventh graders, at the finish line by the narrowest of margins. Moore crossed the line in 5:46.51 while Carter stopped the clock at 5:46.64, producing a near photo-finish.
Perhaps one of the more remarkable stories of the day was fourth grader Lila Carter placing No. 4 in the field of 12 mostly seventh and eight graders. Although well off the winning pace, the younger Carter shows a lot of potential with her 6:34.74 finish ahead of so many older runners.
Watauga was especially strong in the sprints, including fielding seven 4×100 relay teams (28 sprinters) to sweep the event.
Ember Honeycutt, a Watauga eighth grader, finished No. 1 in the grueling 400 Meter sprint, almost a full two seconds ahead of Liberty Bell sixth grader Tatum Schnelle.
There must be something “springy” in the sixth grade water at both schools, because the top three spots in the Girls Long Jump were swept by sixth graders, including No.1 Sadie Gilbert of Liberty Bell (11-05), No. 2 Hannah Reule of Watauga (11-03), and No. 3 Schnelle (10-01.25).
A pair of Watauga athletes captured the top two spots in the Girls High Jump: No. 1 Charlotte Rosenbalm and No. 2 Honeycutt, both clearing 4-10.
In outscoring Liberty Bell, 90-28, Watauga excelled in the sprints, hurdles, relays, throws and jumps, while the visitors showed out in the distance races, as a team.
BOYS DIVISION
Watauga eighth grade Sean Rea finished more than 30 seconds ahead of his nearest rival in the Boys 1600 Meters race, punctuating a 70-49 team win over visiting Liberty Bell Middles School on March 10, hosted by Watauga High School.
The afternoon started on a good note for the local boys with three 4×800 Watauga relay teams taking the top three spots. The day got even better in the Boys 110 Meter Hurdles, with eighth grader David Ballenger-Peter leading a pack of six Watauga runners sweeping the top six positions.
Liberty Bell’s Anaury Edwards finally got the visitors a first No. 1 finish in the 100 Meter Dash, but Watauga still all but dominated the event in taking the next 12 positions in the field of 30 student athletes.
Watauga also dominated the 4×100 relay, sweeping the top six spots and seeing the first three relay teams cross the finish line in under one minute. Sawyer Blackburn immediately followed in capturing the grueling, 400 Meter Dash, almost eight seconds ahead of the next competitor in the field of 14 athletes.
A quintet of sixth graders made a splash in the Boys 800 Meter Run, led by Liberty Bell’s Isaac Abram in the No. 1 position with a time of 2:42.23. Eighth grade teammate Bruce Hunter was No. 2 (2:46.20), followed by a pair of Watauga sixth graders, Montgomery Morgan (No. 3, 2:53.46) and Landon Everett (No. 4, 3:02.89).
Liberty Bell’s Anaury Edwards was the only visitor entered in the Boys Long Jump, but certainly showed well as the No. 1, leaping 17-10.50. Watauga eighth graders Stephen Thang (No. 2, 15-01.50) and Nakhi Miller (No. 3, 14-10.50) led a dozen Watauga entries in the event.
BOYS DIVISION RESULTS
GIRLS DIVISION RESULTS
BONUS PHOTOS
All photographic images by Jared Everett for High Country Sports
