State champions highlight list of top area track and field performers
Several area athletes performed well Friday and Saturday in the NCHSAA track and field championships at North Carolina A&T University. The performances were highlighted by three individual state champions and Croatan boys finishing second in the 3-A.
Here is a look at the local athletes that stood out:
Avery Gaby, East Duplin: The junior won the 2-A boys state title in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.02 seconds and was sixth in the 300 hurdles in 42.09.
AJ Matas, Croatan: The senior won the 3-A boys state title in the shot put at 50 feet, 2 inches to help his team finish second in the team standings.
DaShawn Grant, Lejeune: The senior won the discus state boys 1-A title with a throw of 155-07.
Christian Drawhorn-Sloan, Croatan: The senior was the winner of the boys 200 wheelchair in 1:04.15, the wheelchair shot put at 7-10.75 and the wheelchair discus at 19-8.75.
Will Rouse, Croatan: The senior was third in the 3-A boys 3,200 in 10:03.6 and fourth in the 1,600 in 4:23.63.
Colten Rodriguez, Croatan: The senior was fourth in the 3-A boys 1,600 in 4:23.63 and 10th in the 3,200 in 10:03.6.
Paige Berthold, Lejeune: The sophomore was third in the state 1-A girls 800 in 2:28.83, fourth in the 1,600 in 5:41.83 and ran the fourth leg in the 4x400 relay that that was fourth in 4:18.25.
MaCaela Claxton, Northside: The freshman was fourth in the 3-A girls high jump at 5-2.
Cailin Ames, Croatan: The sophomore was girls in the girls 3-A shot put at 36-1.
Kenny Lombreglia, Croatan: The senior was sixth in the 3-A boys 300 hurdles in 41.11.
Nathaniel Larrieu, White Oak: The junior was seventh in the 3-A boys 300 hurdles in in 41.29.
Zach Pruett, Croatan: The senior was third in the 3-A boys pole vault at 12-6.
Ben Futral, Croatan: The senior was sixth in the 3-A boys pole vault at 11-6.
Ben Sherman, Swansboro: The sophomore was sixth in the 3-A boys triple jump at 43 feet.
Madilyne Blanton, Lejeune: The junior was fifth in the 1-A girls 300 hurdles in 52.20 and 10th in the 100 hurdles in 18.08.
Tori Olson, Lejeune: The junior was sixth in the 1-A girls 3,200 in 13:19.89.
Croatan boys 4x400: The relay team of Brayden Stephens, Luke Nicolajsen, Matthew Quispe and Kenny Lombreglia was third in the 3-A meet in 3:24.36.
Lejeune girls 4x400: The relay team of Shyanne Bryant, Abigail Brown, Amiya Winston and Paige Berthold was fourth in the girls 1-A meet in 4:18.25.
Chris Miller can be contacted via email at chris.miller@jdnews.com. Follow him on twitter @jdnsports.
This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Jacksonville-area track and field athletes do well in 2022 championships
