Top Fayetteville track and field performers at NCHSAA regional championships

Rodd Baxley, The Fayetteville Observer
·3 min read
The E.E. Smith Golden Bulls saw a pair of their relay teams win gold at the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional in Franklinton.
The E.E. Smith Golden Bulls saw a pair of their relay teams win gold at the NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional in Franklinton.

The Fayetteville area had 17 track and field athletes rack up impressive individual performances at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's regional championships.

The top four athletes in each event advance to the championship meets, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at North Carolina A&T University.

E.E. Smith, which saw its programs sweep the All American Conference championship, led Fayetteville with six athletes advancing to Friday’s 3A state championship meet.

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Here's a look at the athletes who will be competing for a state championship this weekend.

3A Qualifiers

Holley Johnson, E.E. Smith: Johnson won gold in the long jump and added a bronze medal in the 400-meter run at the 3A Mideast regional in Franklinton.

Charity Stroud, E.E. Smith: Stroud took top honors in the high jump for the Golden Bulls.

Briyana Tillman, E.E. Smith: Tillman had a runner-up finish in the 400-meter run.

Abraonna Williams, E.E. Smith: Williams claimed a silver medal in the long jump.

Octavious Smith, E.E. Smith: Smith won bronze in the 800-meter dash.

Ka'Liyah Speller, E.E. Smith: Speller earned a third-place finish in the discus event.

E.E. Smith girls: The Golden Bulls won the 4x200 and 4x400 events. They tacked on a third place finish in the 4x100 relay.

Yazeare Powell, Cape Fear: Powell led the Colts with a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles and a fourth-place nod in the 100-meter run.

Nathan Williams, Cape Fear: Williams took silver in the 200-meter dash and bronze in the 400-meter race.

Futoria Harris, Cape Fear: Harris had a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter races.

Cape Fear boys: The Colts won gold in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

Yates (left) and Phillips
Yates (left) and Phillips

A’Jaylah Yates, Seventy-First: Yates won gold in the 100-meter and 200-meter races to pace the Falcons.

Senai Phillips, Seventy-First: Phillips took first in the 100-meter hurdles and finished second in the 300 hurdles.

Taylor Long, Terry Sanford: Long had a fourth-place finish in the 800-meter run.

Terry Sanford girls: The Bulldogs took fourth in the 4x200 relay.

4A Qualifers

Ford
Ford

JaMeesia Ford, Jack Britt: Ford won three gold medals at the 4A Mideast regional in Apex. She finished first in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races.

Kenya Hall, Gray's Creek: Hall won a pair of silver medals in the shot put and discus events to lead the Bears.

Xzavier Thaggard, Gray's Creek: Thaggard took fourth in the high jump.

Gray’s Creek girls: The Bears won bronze in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

Zaria Washington, Pine Forest: Washington finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles.

Meckah Mintz, Pine Forest: Mintz won bronze in the high jump

Pine Forest girls: The Trojans had a fourth-place finish in the 4x100 relay.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Jack Britt's JaMeesia Ford, E.E. Smith pace Fayetteville's track and field athletes at NCHSAA regional meets