Swain County wins 4th straight 1A girls track & field title
Swain County's girls track & field team has dominated the 1A state championships the last several years, and Monday was more of the same.
The Maroon Devils won their fourth straight state championship, posting 94 points — 53 points ahead of second place, which was a tie between Avery County and Lejeune with 41 points each.
There were four gold medals won by Swain County. Arizona Blankenship went home with three gold medals, including in the 1600 meter run and the 3200 meter run. She was also the first leg on the first-place 4x800 relay team, joining Angelina Lomelli, Annie Lewis, and Emily Grey Stargell in setting a new meet record of 9:37.43.
Mount Airy held the previous state record of the 4x800 relay. The old mark was 9:42.16, set in 2012.
Lewis also won a gold medal in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:14.97.
Elkin's Aniya Edwards was named the most outstanding performer at the state championship. Edwards won three gold medals and set one new meet record.
Edwards' time of 56.16 seconds in the 400 meter dash broke the previous meet record of 56.28 set by Reneazia Collins of Monroe in 2013. Edwards also took first place in the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash.
One meet record fell in the field competition. Avery County's Abby Burleson recorded a pole vault height of 11-03.00, breaking the previous record of 11-0.25 set by Amelia Rogers of Swain County in 2023.
Followin Avery County and Lejeune in the team standings was Wilson Prep (40) and Robbinsville (39).
1A Girls Track & Field Results: Running Events
4x800 Meter Relay
1. Swain County (Arizona Blankenship, Angelina Lomelli, Annie Lewis, Emily Grey Stargell) - 9:37.43 (New Meet Record)
2. Christ the King (Claire Oglesby, Kelsey Keegan, Nicole Alfers, Shea Roche) - 10:00.25
3. Thomas Jefferson (Haidyn Toney, Audrey Friedman, Naomi Vargas, Stella Friedman) - 10:06.14
Previous Meet Record: 9:42.16 set by Mount Airy (2012).
100 Meter Hurdles
1. Aniya Hawkins (Corvian Community) - 14.34
2. Zaria Holt (Bradford Prep) - 14.66
3. Misa Samuels (Bradford Prep) - 15.24
100 Meter Dash
1. Aniya Edwards (Elkin) - 12.02
2. Morgan Good (Carver) - 12.242
3. Tynasia Emory (Wilson Prep) - 12.248
4x200 Meter Relay
1. Mountain Island Charter (Sydney Labenson, Bailey Wallace, Natalie Patton, Olivia Patterson) - 1:44.71
2. Wilson Prep (Rachel Key, Jakayla Whitehead, Tynasia Emory, Janiya Johnson) - 1:45.09
3. Avery County (Renn Herdklotz, Kaydence Menifee, Maddy Barrett, Lillie Ward) - 1:45.10
1600 Meter Run
1. Arizona Blankenship (Swain County) - 5:06.64
2. Angelina Lomelli (Swain County) - 5:13.85
3. Brooke Haynes (Mount Airy) - 5:28.94
4x100 Meter Relay
1. Mountain Island Charter - 49.05
2. Bradford Prep - 49.15
3. Wilson Prep - 50.06
400 Meter Dash
1. Aniya Edwards (Elkin) - 56.16 (New Meet Record)
2. Amari Baldwin (Albemarle) - 59.26
3. Corinne Cotton (Murphy) - 59.427
Previous Meet Record: 56.28 set by Reneazia Collins of Monroe (2013).
300 Meter Hurdles
1. Maddy Barrett (Avery County) - 44.11
2. Amiliana Simmons (Warren County) - 45.64
3. Melani Linton (Swain County) - 46.15
800 Meter Run
1. Annie Lewis (Swain County) - 2:14.97
2. Dvdaya Swimmer (Cherokee) - 2:20.25
3. Karsyn Huskey (Polk County) - 2:20.49
200 Meter Dash
1. Aniya Edwards (Elkin) - 24.50
2. Makaila Williamson (Rosewood) - 25.07
3. Sarah Bare (Alleghany) - 25.38
3200 Meter Run
1. Arizona Blankenship (Swain County) - 11:00.45
2. Nicole Alfers (Christ the King) - 11:06.33
3. Angelina Lomelli (Swain County) - 11:37.79
4x400 Meter Relay
1. Avery County - 4:02.25
2. Bradford Prep - 4:07.35
3. Elkin - 4:09.09
1A Girls Track & Field Results: Field Events
Long Jump
1. Annie Driggers (Corvian Community) - 17-04.25
2. Zoie Shuler (Robbinsville) - 17-03.50
3. Rachel Key (Wilson Prep) - 17-01.75
High Jump
1. Rachel Key (Wilson Prep) - 5-04.00
2. Zoie Shuler (Robbinsville) - 5-04.00
3. Gracie Sutton (Swain County) - 5-02.00
Discus Throw
1. Mirianna Corea (Eastern Randolph) - 118-08
2. Brittany Ellis (North Rowan) - 1115-05
3. Joss Stamper (Cherokee) - 113-00
Triple Jump
1. Zoie Shuler (Robbinsville) - 37-01.75
2. Claire Barlow (Robbinsville) - 35-04.50
3. Ella Matheson (Hayesville) - 34-04.75
Pole Vault
1. Abby Burleson (Avery County) - 11-03.00 (New Meet Record)
2. Alden Thomas (Swain County) - 10-00.00
3. Hannah Wingate (Swain County) - 9-06.00
Shot Put
1. Brittany Ellis (North Rowan) - 38-01.25
2. Jasmine Brown (Albemarle) - 36-06.25
3. Samantha Woodard (Swain County) - 35-05.25
1A Girls Track & Field Team Standings
1. Swain County - 94
T2. Avery County - 41
T2. Lejeune - 41
4. Wilson Prep - 40
5. Robbinsville - 39
6. Elkin - 38
7. Christ the King - 37
8. Bradford Prep - 33
T9. Albemarle - 28
T9. North Rowan - 28
11. Corvian Community - 27
12. Mountain Island Charter - 25
13. Union Academy - 18
14. Cherokee - 16
15. Thomas Jefferson - 15
