By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
James Newton became the answer to his own question.
“Who’s the fastest in the 100?” the Western Alamance senior said.
Newton – who doubles as a receiver on the school’s football team –won the 100-meter race as part of a strong outing in the Alamance County track and field championships Monday at Southeast Alamance.
Newton, with a time of 10.98 seconds, edged Burlington Christian Academy’s Micah Stewart (11.28) in the boys’ 100, which is his favorite event.
With former Cummings sprinter Jonathan Paylor, now playing football at North Carolina State, dominating sprint events in the area (and winning state championships) for several seasons, it was time for someone else to emerge as fastest.
“It’s a good feeling,” Newton said. “This was on one of my lists. I’ve been second and third, and finally getting first.”
Stewart was a threat.
“I’m just happy to compete,” Stewart said. “I’m not putting my mind on who’s out there running. I like to compete.”
In the 200, it was closer for Newton, whose winning time of 23.12 seconds was ahead of teammate William Clinkscales (23.38) and Williams’ Jaxon Goforth (23.68).
Western was the boys’ team champion. The Warriors posted 131 points to runner-up Southern Alamance’s 112½, followed by Southeast Alamance at 111½, and Willams 105½ among nine schools.
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Western won all four relays – 400 (43.22), 800 (1:32.47), 1,600 (3:46.72) and 3,200 (9:09.87). Newton, a Gardner-Webb football signee, anchored the 400 relay, following teammates Colten Hill, Will Clinkscales, and Kylon Richardson.
Neil Edwards of Southeast prevailed in the 400 (52.12).
Southern’s Seth Dalrymple claimed the 800 (2:05.24) with nearly a six-second margin.
The 1,600 winner was Max Thomas of Williams in 4:43.38 and the 3,200 champion in 10:13.83.
Southern’s Thai Meeler rolled to victory in the 110 hurdles (17.68). Graham had a winner with Kenneth Wilkins in the 300 hurdles (47.15).
Southeast high jumper Brysant Hinton won at 5 feet, 8 inches, Williams long jumper Jaeden Smith (21-10¾) had almost a 2-foot winning margin, and BCA triple jumper Stewart (44-2) won by more than 2½ feet. Stewart also won the triple jump a year ago in the meet.
The shot put winner was Drew Easter of Southeast at 42-6 and the discus champ was Brantley Messick of Southern with a personal-best 131-11 to win by more than 11½ feet.
For Messick, a junior who was also third in the shot put, it was the first invitational title for the football team’s lineman.
“I’m just doing it to play a (spring) sport,” he said.
Hunter Lubitz of Williams won a two-entrant competition in the pole vault at 8-6.
Girls’ results
Cummings varied its lineup and limited the number of events for some of its entrants and still won the team championship. Coach Donnie Davis said he let the athletes choose their events.
D’Anna Cotton of Cummings won the long jump in 17-4 and the triple jump at 39-8.
Cummings freshman Kaili Payne, who competed in volleyball and indoor track and field for Southeast Alamance before transferring, won the 100 hurdles (14.60) and 300 hurdles (48.26).
Cummings also had a winner with high jumper Jamoni Jones (4-4). Brooke Packingham was the runner-up in the 100 hurdles, long jump and triple jump.
The Cavaliers had departed by the time the team trophy was to be presented. They had racked up 126 points to runner-up Western’s 100½, with Southeast at 98½ and BCA at 98 among eight teams.
Southeast’s Janay Pegram won the 100 in 12.48 and the 200 in 25.66.
BCA excelled in longer events. Mary Katherine Parham was the winner in the 400 in 1:01.42 and the 800 in 2:26.96.
Teammate Blakeley Bork claimed the 3,200 in 12:44.81.
Ava Childress of Williams edged Bork for the 1,600 title, posting a time of 5:43.76.
The girls’ relays were won by four different schools – Cummings in the 400 (48.78), Southeast in the 800 (1:50.61), Western in the 1,600 (4:27.86) and Southern in the 3,200 (11:39.08).
Southern’s throwers won, with Kenley Linens in the shot put (28-11) and Kennedy Harris in the discus (88-11).
Elizabeth Thomas of Southeast was one of two entrants to clear the bar in the pole vault, winning at 5-6.
Cummings Invitational
Cummings will be host for a major in-season regular-season invitational for the first time in numerous years. The Cummings Invitational will be held Saturday, beginning at 10:00 a.m. with entrants from at least 28 schools, Davis said.
Adidas Indoor Track Nationals
Cotton won the long jump with a personal-best leap of 20-1½ last weekend at Virginia Beach, Virginia. It marked the first time a Cummings girl had exceeded the 20-foot mark.
Cotton was the runner-up in the triple jump at 40-7½. She also placed second in the 60 hurdles in a personal-best 8.55 seconds.
Packingham was sixth in the 60 hurdles in 8.90 and placed seventh in the long jump at 17-5½.
Payne won the freshman division’s 60 hurdles in 8.93 seconds. She was fourth in the long jump at 16-7¼.
