SALEMBURG — North Duplin has just started to build an indoor track and field program.
The Rebels took giant strides Thursday afternoon.
Marcus Hill, Luis Avilez Gonzalez and Saniah McNeill combined for five individual titles during the season-ending, Carolina 1A championship meet contested Thursday afternoon at Lakewood High School.
Hill and Gonzalez led North Duplin to its first-ever boys’ team crown with a tight 86-68 decision over perennial conference contender Hobbton. Rosewood scored 58 points, followed by Neuse Charter (36) and Lakewood (6).
“I’m super proud of my team,” Rebels head coach Kody Kennedy said. “They overcame a lot of adversity today and were able to walk away as conference champions. We came in second place last season in a close points race. This year, we were able to elevate ourselves and take home first.
“I’m excited how quickly the program is growing.”
Hill emerged as the conference champion in the 55-meter hurdles (8.23 seconds) and shared the long jump (17 feet, 1 inch) gold medal with Rosewood’s Micah Williamson. According to Kennedy, Hill qualified for the NC High School Athletic Association 1A/2A state championship meet in Winston-Salem.
Hill emerged as the runner-up in the triple jump with a mark of 36-2 and crossed the line fourth in the 300 dash in 40.72.
Gonzalez claimed the 500 meters (1:16) and grueling 3,200-meter run in 12:28.
The Rebels won the 4×4 and 4×8 relays.
Jerrson Lopez (1,000m), Jaden Clemens (500m) and Victor Lara-Mata (300m) each placed second. Genaro Pacheco wound up third in both the 1,000 and 3,200 events, and fifth overall in the 1,600.
“We have a lot of young guys on this team which is a positive indicator for the future of this program,” Kennedy said.
McNeill collected the girls’ lone gold medal with a first-place effort of 10.01 seconds in the 55 hurdles. Roselin Orozco secured silver medals (second place) in both the 1,600 and 3,200 runs.
The Rebels took second in the 4×2 and 4×4 relays.
Baker Sumner wound up fourth in both the 1,600 and 3,200 runs. Other fourth-place finishers were Kyree Hill (55m), Jazmine Manzanares (500m) and Tristen Stemmler (300m).
Luke Holland was fifth in the 1,600 and sixth in the 3,200.
Hobbton cruised to the girls’ team championship with 118 points. Rosewood was second with 46 points, followed by North Duplin (40), Neuse Charter (24) and Lakewood (19).
