State champ: Aycock's Warner wins 300-meter indoor track title

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 14, 2015 11:23 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

WINSTON-SALEM -- Courtney Warner walked around, shook out her legs, settled her nerves and waited for her next race.

She vowed not to false start a second time.

When Warner reported for the 300-meter dash, tournament officials had placed her in the wrong -- and slowest -- of the three heats that had 19 total competitors. The Charles B. Aycock senior accepted the news and carried her blocks to the starting line.

Once the gun sounded, Warner charged down the track and crossed the line in 40.67 seconds. However, she had to wait until the remaining runners had posted their times.

"Yeah, I was sweating it out," Warner said.

Had the elite sprinter done enough?

Oh yeah.

Despite the adversity, Warner claimed the 300-meter state title on the JDL Fast Track in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A women's indoor championship meet Saturday afternoon.

A mere 98 seconds separated the top five placers. Statesville's Cambria Shuford claimed the silver medal in 41.20 seconds, followed by Weddington's Cyan Mercer in 41.48. Asheville's Pia Mackie (41.94) and Southern Guilford's Kylie McMillan (42.05) completed the top five.

"I did it again," Warner said. "It's rewarding. It lets me know that I'm working hard and doing what I need to do to get better."

The day began in ominous fashion for the elite sprinter.

Warner false started and was immediately disqualified in the 55-meter dash. She wondered if her lone chance for a state title had slipped away since she had just the 300 dash remaining after CBA head coach Roger Rhodes had scratched her from the 500.

Rhodes made the move to give Warner ample time to rest between the two events.

"I had lost my balance and I moved before he (the starter) said 'go'," Warner said of her 55-meter snag. "I was really, really upset for a while. I just had to stay calm and relax instead of getting all worked up over that."

After a brief talk with Rhodes, Warner regrouped.

Rhodes and her parents watched from the stands as Warner stepped into the blocks and dashed down the track once the starter's gun sounded. He glanced at the scoreboard and felt she had done enough to return home as a state champion.

He was right.

Warner became just the second three-time state champ in CBA history along with Devin Hall, a freshman at UNC Wilmington who won three 1-meter 3-A diving crowns in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Along with Warner and Hall, there have been six individual state champs in Golden Falcons athletics that include Mark Aycock (men's outdoor track), Charlie Hughes (men's swimming), Ngu Tran (men's wrestling) and Tara Simmons (women's golf).

"I'm very proud as a coach to experience another awesome memory with this extremely talented athlete," Rhodes said. "Also, (we're) looking forward to a repeat state (title) win the spring. Hopefully with her God-given speed and drive, she will be able to pursue her life-long goals and dreams."

And relive another "gold"en moment.