TRACK AND FIELD: Rosewood boys take first

By Ben Coley
Published in Sports on May 4, 2017 9:59 AM

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bcoley@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- The Rosewood boys' track and field team watched intently as the final results were called for the Carolina 1-A Conference track and field championship on Wednesday evening.

As soon as Princeton head coach Mark McLamb read, "In first place, Rosewood...", the Eagles jumped for joy. The team ran toward the shiny gold trophy as if none of them had just competed in events for the past four hours.

The Rosewood boys earned top honors with 197 points.

In 2016, the Eagles fell two points shy of first place -- losing to Hobbton, 153 to 151.

They refused to be denied a year later.

"There was a lot of seniors left," said Rosewood senior Alex Godwin. "They filled up big parts of the team, so we know we had to step it up and win some of the races and the events. And that's what we did."

The Rosewood boys finished first in five individual events. Senior Montonio Wheeler won the 400-meter (50.99), Alex Godwin won the 110-meter hurdles (16.87) and 300-meter hurdles (44.55), Bryton Lambeth won the shot put (41 feet) and Tanner Smith won the pole vault (11 feet, three inches).

The Eagles' 4x2-meter relay team of Godwin, Jaikel Coley, Johnny Hallenbeck and Jayden Thomas also took first with a time of 1:36.41.

"It's just a commitment to wanting to get better and wanting to win," said Eagles' head coach Robert Britt. "I will says this -- right now, our track program has a winning mentality."

Finishing behind Rosewood was Princeton (116), Hobbton (99), Lakewood (85), North Duplin (73), Spring Creek (58), James Kenan (34) and Neuse Charter (14).

Leading the charge for the Princeton boys -- per usual -- was senior distance runner Austin Sullivan.

The University of Mount Olive signee took home first-place individual honors in the 800-meter (2:10.60), 1600-meter (4:53.31) and 3200-meter (11:17.65). He, along with Kyle Balageo, Brent Hurst and Gage Holmes, won the 4x8-meter relay in 9:07.35.

"The thing about (Sullivan) is, he doesn't quit," McLamb said. "You don't see very many athletes that our able to fight through pain, and they don't give up. Like today, he raced four miles. There aren't too many kids who can race four miles in the time frame he did."

The other top finisher for the Bulldogs was Chris Kornegay, who won the triple jump (36 feet, eight inches).

The girls' competition proved to be much closer. The Hobbton girls edged out Rosewood by a margin of 143 to 140.5.

Rosewood girls to finish first included Miyah McCall in the 400-meter (1:02.83), Kimberlin Jones in the 1600-meter (7:11.23), and the 4x2-meter relay team of Aquia Davis, Summer Fulghum, Payton Lane and Hannah Rhodes (2:01.53).

"Well I knew that the girls' team, we worked really good together," Lane said. "Even though half of us play soccer and the other half do track. But I knew it'd be a close meet between us, Hobbton and Princeton."

In 2016, the Rosewood girls only mustered 35 points and a fifth-place finish.

After Hobbton and Rosewood, there was Princeton (118), Lakewood (76.5), Neuse Charter (34), James Kenan (32), North Duplin (29) and Spring Creek (23).

Up next is NCHSAA 1-A regional competition. After a first place finish for boys and second place finish for girls, Britt feels particularly confident about both of his squads heading into regionals.

"Our top three teams in our conference are strong," Britt said. "Each team is strong in certain events. I think we're prepared to go in and be one of the stronger teams."