Students win state championships in track and field

Four students from Gaston County Schools and the Cherryville High School 4x400 boys relay team captured N.C. High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) state championships in track and field.

Lauren Tolbert of the Highland School of Technology claimed a state championship in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and 800-meter run.  In addition, she broke the 800-meter run record for the 1A meet and was named the Most Outstanding Performer.  Tolbert, who will attend Duke University this fall, finishes her high school career with a total of nine state championships:  six for outdoor track and field, two for indoor track and field, and one for cross country.

The Cherryville High School boys relay team of Mason Grindstaff, Cooper Sloan, Jack Mulvey, and Jackson Owens won the boys 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:30.35, two seconds better than the runner-up. 

In the 3A state competition, three athletes claimed state championships for their schools.  Austin Brotemarkle of Forestview High School won the boys' 3200-meter run, and Nicholas and Zachary Willer of Stuart W. Cramer High School finished fourth and fifth, respectively.  Additionally, Zachary Willer claimed his second state championship. He won the boys' 1600-meter run with a time of 4:19.86.  His twin brother, Nicholas, finished third.

Alexis Willis of Stuart W. Cramer High School, who previously won an indoor state championship in the triple jump, claimed her second state championship by winning the outdoor triple jump with a leap of more than 39 feet.  She also placed second in the long jump competition.

In addition to the individual and team state champions, below is a list of the student-athletes who placed at the track and field state meet:

3A Classification
▪ Ashbrook High School placed fourth in the boys 4x200-meter relay.  Team members included Sincere Moss, Alan Archer, Camron Mayfield, and Tylique Aldridge.
▪ Zaniya Littlejohn of Stuart W. Cramer High School placed seventh in the girls 100-meter dash and sixth in the girls 200-meter dash.
▪ Zachary Willer of Stuart W. Cramer High School placed third in the boys 1,600-meter run and fifth in the boys 3,200-meter run. His twin brother, Nicholas, placed fourth in the boys 3,200-meter run.
▪ Alexis Willis of Stuart W. Cramer High School placed second in the girls long jump.
▪ Stuart W. Cramer High School placed eighth in the Boys 4x800-meter relay.  Team members included Patrick Lamp, Nicholas Willer, Jordan Granados, and Zachary Willer.
▪ Victoria Mills of Forestview High School placed seventh in the girls 300-meter hurdles. 
▪ Rachel Tolbert of South Point High School placed seventh in the girls 400-meter dash.

1A Classification
▪ Khya Brooks of Cherryville High School placed second in the girls high jump.
▪ Rylee-Grace Burgis of Cherryville High School placed eleventh in the girls high jump.
▪ Jackson Owens of Cherryville High School placed sixth in the boys 400-meter dash.
▪ Jack Mulvey of Cherryville High School placed ninth in the boys high jump.
▪ Henry Bene of Highland School of Technology placed sixth in the boys 800-meter run.