See complete individual meet results at cherokeescout.com.
Cullowhee – All five local teams laced up their spikes and traveled to Western Carolina University to compete with 18 other teams at the WNC Kickoff Invitational on Friday. There were several new regional qualifiers, along with top-eight finishers.
For Andrews, Samuel Preston led the way with a third-place finish in the boys triple jump (41 feet), qualifying for regionals in the process. O’Malley Salinas finished fourth in the boys 3,200-meter run (10 minutes, 34.64 seconds), while Kegan Ellis finished sixth in the long jump (19’3.25).
For the Lady Wildcats, Kylie Donaldson finished sixth in the long jump (15’11.5), while Demi Davis and Alexis Beasley finished sixth (29’9) and seventh (29’7), respectively, in the shot put. Andrews also had three relays place, taking fifth in the boys 4x800-meter relay (9:23.60), sixth in the girls 4x100-meter relay (55.65) and seventh in
the girls 4x200-meter relay (2:00.42).
Jordan Oliver led the way for Murphy, taking first in the girls 100-meter wheelchair dash (37.95), wheelchair shot put (8’1) and wheelchair discus (17’0). Cameron Grooms took third in the boys 400-meter dash (51.68), qualifying for regionals in the event. Other top-eight finishers were Calista Rumfelt tying for fifth in the girls high jump (4’8), Ryan Payne (23.91) and Grooms (23.92) finishing sixth and seventh in the boys 200-meter dash, and Saige Kent finishing eighth in the discus (85’4).
The Bulldogs also had five relays place, taking third in the boys 4x200-meter relay (1:35.23), fourth in the boys 4x100-meter relay (45.99), fifth in the girls 4x200-meter relay (1:58.85), seventh in the girls 4x800-meter relay (12:09.90) and eighth in the boys 4x800-meter relay (9:53.34). Corinne Cotton also qualified for regionals in the girls 800-meter run (2:39.59).
For Hiwassee Dam, Ethan Russell placed sixth in the boys 3,200-meter run (10:42.00) and qualified for regionals in the 1,600-meter run (4:47.01). Tri-County Early College saw two school records fall, with Jaden Crocker setting a new mark in the girls discus (79’10) and Sebastian Clevez setting a new mark in the boys 200-meter dash (25.06). The Lady Jaguars Fern Crayton finished eighth in the 1,600-meter run (5:51.29) and qualified for regionals in the 800-meter run (2:43.35).