Dudley repeats as 3A girls track state champions as several meet records fall
For the second straight year, Dudley's girls track & field team finishes the spring season as the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A state champions.
Dudley more than doubled the point total for second place, posting 86 total points behind four first-place finishes.
Jalee Brown was named the most outstanding performer of the championship. Brown was part of all four gold medals for the Panthers, including two new state meet records.
In the 100 meter dash, Brown finished in a time of 11.59 seconds, just 0.10 seconds ahead of Statesville's Janiya Johnson in second place. Both athletes broke the previous meet record of 11.70, set by Johnson last year.
Brown also held the 4x200 relay team set a new meet record with a time of 1:37.74. The previous record was 1:38.29, set by Parkland in 2019. The Dudley relay team, which also included Aa'Niyah Massey, Nilijah Darden, and Gabrielle Cheek, finished nearly four seconds faster than second place Statesville.
First place in the 200 meter dash went to Brown as well, posting a time of 23.80 seconds. She also ran the first leg of the 4x100 relay team, which won gold with a time of 47.01 seconds.
Another meet record fell in the 1600 meter run. North Lincoln's Olivia Ferraro crossed the finish line in 4:54.29, more than four full seconds ahead of second place, which sets a new meet record. The previous record of 4:57.34 was held by Caroline Murrell of Northwood and was set in 2021.
Murrell's record in the 3200 meter run was also broken on Monday. Fike's Erin Pope finished the race with a time of 10:51.45, breaking Murrell's previous mark of 10:51.83, which was set in 2021. Pope's time was 24 seconds ahead of second place Morgan Miller of First Flight.
Ashbrook's Camryn Massey broke two meet records in field events. In the discus throw, she broke her own state record of 148-02 set last year, posting a distance of 154-11 on Monday. Massey also set a new meet record in the shot put with a distance of 45-00.25. The previous record of 43-7.50 was held by Hillside's Kayla Beasley, set in 2018.
Franklin finished second in the team standings with a score of 40. North Buncombe (39), Southern Guilford (38), and North Lincoln (36) rounded out the top five.
3A Girls Track & Field Results: Running Events
4x800 Meter Relay
1. North Buncombe (Maya Flynn, Sophia Banks, Katie Johnson, Eden Barnwell) - 9:25.02
2. West Carteret (Sally King, Ryan Germain, Kenley Ballou, Anderson Day) - 9:27.40
3. Croatan (Maisy Stephens, Joli Rossi, Lexi Tripp, Cameran Ladd)- 9:28.05
100 Meter Hurdles
1. Ogechi Ezeigbo (Atkins) - 14.34
2. Emma Hall (West Henderson) - 14.36
3. Elizabeth Deen (Southern Guilford) - 14.51
100 Meter Dash
1. Jalee Brown (Dudley) - 11.59 (New Meet Record)
2. Janiya Johnson (Statesville) - 11.69 (New Meet Record)
3. Nilijah Darden (Dudley) - 11.81
Previous Meet Record: 11.70 set by Janiya Johnson of Statesville (2023)
4x200 Meter Relay
1. Dudley (Aa'Niyah Massey, Jalee Brown, Nilijah Darden, Gabrielle Cheek) - 1:37.74 (New Meet Record)
2. Statesville (Nakirah Adams, Janiya Johnson, Dynasty Hamilton, Jamia Witcher-Knox) - 1:41.57
3. Northside-Jacksonville (MaCaela Claxton, Cheyenne Walker, Janiah Boyd, Kaydence Daniels) - 1:43.29
Previous Meet Record: 1:38.29 set by Parkland (2019)
1600 Meter Run
1. Olivia Ferraro (North Lincoln) - 4:54.29 (New Meet Record)
2. Lily Yampolsky (Lake Norman Charter) - 4:58.85
3. Erin Pope (Fike) - 4:59.27
Previous Meet Record: 4:57.34 set by Caroline Murrell of Northwood (2021)
4x100 Meter Relay
1. Dudley (Jalee Brown, Nilijah Darden, Gabrielle Cheek, Dottie Braswell) - 47.01
2. Statesville (Cali Mathis, Sakari Johnson, Nakirah Adams, Janiya Johnson) - 47.90
3. Northside-Jacksonville (Janiah Boyd, Cheyenne Walker, MacCaela Claxton, Kaydence Daniels) - 49.34
400 Meter Dash
1. Tianna Spinks (Soutnern Guilford) - 54.40
2. Sanai Forte (Harding) - 57.29
3. Zaniya Little John (West Charlotte) - 57.49
300 Meter Hurdles
1. Emma Hall (West Henderson) - 44.51
2. Emmi Cheek (Ashe County) - 45.62
3. Lexi Tripp (Croatan) - 46.34
800 Meter Run
1. Lily Yampolsky (Lake Norman Charter) - 2:13.41
2. Jillian Parks (Central Davidson) - 2:13.67
3. Bella Green (North Lincoln) - 2:17.89
200 Meter Dash
1. Jalee Brown (Dudley) - 23.80
2. Tianna Spinks (Southern Guilford) - 23.94
3. Janiya Johnson (Statesville) - 24.28
3200 Meter Run
1. Erin Pope (Fike) - 10:51.45 (New Meet Record)
2. Morgan Miller (First Flight) - 11:15.86
3. Ellie Harrington (South Brunswick) - 11:27.24
Previous Meet Record: 10:51.83 set by Caroline Murrell of Northwood (2021)
4x400 Meter Relay
1. North Buncombe (Maya FLynn, Eden Barnwell, Bailey Barrett, Sophia Banks) - 3:54.49
2. Dudley (Dottie Braswell, Kendall Penniegraft, Aa'Niyah Massey, Amaya Wright) - 3:59.30
3. Franklin (Rylee Cassada, Amy Mendoza Lopez, Laura Covarrubias, Hope Smith) - 4:01.61
3A Girls Track & Field Results: Field Events
Long Jump
1. Jada Brown (Hibriten) - 18-08.00
2. Sydney Krause (Central Cabarrus) - 18-06.25
3. Elizabeth Deen (Southern Guilford) - 18-05.00
High Jump
1. Macy Miller (South Rowan) - 5-04.00
2. Lauryn Gholston (Jacksonville) - 5-04.00
3. MaCaela Claxton (Northside-Jacksonville) - 5-02.00
Discus Throw
1. Camryn Massey (Ashbrook) - 154-11 (New Meet Record)
2. Noelle Millner (Dudley) - 118-01
3. Ashlyn Lewis (West Carteret) - 114-00
Previous Meet Record: 148-02 set by Camryn Massey of Ashbrook (2023)
Triple Jump
1. Jada Brown (Hibriten) - 39-00.50
2. Elizabeth Deen (Southern Guilford) - 37-11.00
3. Sydney Krause (Central Cabarrus) - 37-04.00
Pole Vault
1. Lily Houston (Northwest Cabarrus) - 11-06.00
2. Boston Stringer (Franklin) - 11-00.00
3. Blythe Jaworsky (North Lincoln) - 11-00.00
Shot Put
1. Camryn Massey (Ashbrook) - 45-00.25 (New Meet Record)
2. Emily Hartsoe (Ashe County) - 41-02.75
3. Jasmine Colwell (North Brunswick) - 40-04.00
Previous Meet Record: 43-7.50 set by Kayla Beasley of Hillside (2018)
3A Girls Track & Field Team Standings
1. Dudley - 86
2. Franklin - 40
3. North Buncombe - 39
4. Southern Guilford - 38
5. North Lincoln - 36
6. Statesville - 32
7. Croatan - 27
8. West Carteret - 26
9. Northside-Jacksonville - 24
10. Jacksonville - 22
T11. First Flight - 21
T11. Atkins - 21
T11. West Charlotte -21
T11. Ashe County - 21
T15. Ashbrook - 20
T15. Hibriten - 20
