2015 Carolina 1A Track and Field Championships

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 30, 2015 1:48 PM

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By RUDY COGGINS

rcoggins@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- Martin Bayles surpassed his personal best, broke a school record and tied a conference mark that is nearly a decade old.

Rosewood's boys capitalized on their depth in every event and successfully defended their Carolina 1-A Conference men's track and field team championship in dominating fashion.

Princeton's girls -- all 10 of them -- scored critical points, including a 1-2-3 sweep in the pole vault to dethrone reigning league champ Rosewood by the slimmest of margins -- 122-117.

Those storylines told just a few of the tales that unfolded during the season-ending Carolina 1-A Conference track and field championship meet at Harvey Brooks Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Bayles passed numerous heights as his fellow competitors dropped by the wayside during the pole vault competition. Once he stepped onto the asphalt runway, he took a deep breath, steadied his pole and cleared his first height.

His confidence soared.

As the event progressed, Bayles saw the bar raised to 12 feet, 6 inches. His personal best was 12-0, which was also the school record set by Ethan Anderson. Again, he focused on the bar, the pole bent under his weight and Bayles cleared the height with room to spare.

The pole tumbled to the ground as Bayles landed on the soft cushion.

"There's no better feeling," Bayles said, who matched the conference record set by North Johnston's Jonathan Arthur in 2005.

"(When I start), I just try to clear my head as best I can and have nothing but the height on my mind when I'm running. I've been working hard (toward this)."

Bayles wasn't the only competitor to etch his name in the conference record books. Princeton freshman Shamonda Bell established new records in the 100 dash (12.94 seconds) and 200 dash (27.55 seconds).

Spring Creek senior Rachel McCollum threw a meet-best 36 feet, 3 inches in the shot put, which broke a record set in 1999 by an Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf competitor. McCollum repeated as the Carolina shot put champion and also won the discus.

Rosewood's Marquail Al-montaser set a new conference mark in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.92 seconds. He also emerged as the conference champion in the 300 hurdles and triple jump.

Al-montaser and N.C. State football signee Johnny Frasier staged a classic race in the 110 hurdles. The two sprinters were neck-and-neck until the final hurdle.

"We were tight and I knew I had to push it out, get over the (last) hurdle as fast as I could and then it was a dog race to the finish line."

Zach Barnes claimed the Eagles' other lone individual win in the 400 dash. He ran the anchor leg on the meet-winning 1,600-meter relay which capped a 214.5-point outing for Rosewood.

"I was very pleased with everyone's performances today," RHS head coach Robert Britt said. "We have been very balanced all year and that showed today. I think we scored in every event. If you can do that, you will have a very good chance to be conference champions."

The Eagles have won four of the last five league titles and 11 overall since 1998.

Princeton finished a distant second with 119.5 points. Sophomore Austin Sullivan claimed the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. But he had to work to finish off teammate Jose Aguillon in the 1,600.

One step separated the two during the final 400 meters.

"He's pretty good, stays with me the whole race," Sullivan said. "I was worried about his kick because he's got an amazing kick. I went as hard as I can."

Bell led Princeton's girls with victories in the 100, 200 and 400. However, the Bulldogs' biggest achievement was a 1-2-3 finish in the pole vault, which led to 24 points and helped them edge Rosewood for their first team crown since 2006.

The Eagles didn't enter a pole vaulter.

"That was huge," PHS head coach Mark McLamb said. "I thought we had a chance, but you never know how these things play out. Who would have thought we'd win with just 10 girls?"

North Duplin's Haley Thurston claimed gold in three events -- the 800 and 1,600 runs, and the 3,200 relay. She ran the anchor leg on the 1,600 relay, which finished second behind Rosewood.

"It's been (a) tough (day)," said Thurston after she completed her final individual event of the day. "I've just tried to push it as hard as I could. I've got some good competition out here, so it's fun ... just (wanted) to try as hard as I can (each meet)."

Rosewood's Lexi Mercer repeated as the high jump champ. Teammate Krystal Yelverton won her second consecutive 110-meter hurdles crown and seized the 300 hurdles title. The Eagles won the 800 and 1,600 relays.