Southern Wayne senior Ta’Niyah Glaspie, middle, claimed the gold medal in the 200-meter dash during the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3A East Regional finals Saturday. At left is regional runner-up Grace Guilford from West Carteret. At right is third-place finisher Tynasia Emory from Wilson Fike. (Submitted photo)
Southern Wayne sophomore Jy’Asha Cousins emerged as the 100-meter hurdles champion during the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3A East Regional held on the Crystal Coast. (Submitted photo)
Tateyawna Faison, Levi George, James Cabrera, Ta’Niyah Glaspie and Jy’Asha Cousins combined to claim five gold medals during their respective N.C. High School Athletic Association outdoor track and field regional championship meets Saturday.
Faison, a sophomore at North Duplin, seized Mideast 1A titles in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. One year ago, the multi-sport athlete was regional runner-up in both events.
George, a senior, returned home with three medals — first in the long jump, second in the high jump and third in the triple jump. He shared the long jump gold with Lakewood’s James Murphy. Both recorded marks of 20 feet, 4 inches.
Before Faison and George, North Duplin had just three regional champs — Devin Oliver (2011 Mideast 100 dash), Haley Thurston (2014 Mideast 800 run) and Terrion Addison (2017 Mideast high jump), according to ncmilesplit.com.
Emerging as one of Spring Creek’s most-decorated track performers, Cabrera captured East 2A crowns in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. He became the Gators’ first regional champ since 2015 when Rachel McCullom won the shot put at the Mideast 1A regional.
Cabrera secured the 1,600 and 3,200 races in both the Wayne County Track & Field Championships in late March and the season-ending Neuse Six 2A meet.
Glaspie took the 200-meter dash and finished runner-up in the 100 during the 3A East meet held at Croatan High School on the Crystal Coast. She boosted her regional gold-medal count to five and has committed to UNC Pembroke.
A sophomore, Cousins grabbed the 100-meter hurdles gold.
In all, more than 20 athletes from all three schools in the mountolivetribune.com coverage area will travel to Greensboro next weekend the season-ending NCHSAA state finals.
The 1A and 3A meets are scheduled Friday at the Marcus T. Johnson Track on the N.C. A&T State University campus. The 2A finals are Saturday.
Here is a full list of state qualifiers:
North Duplin: Baker Sumner (3,200 run), Saniah McNeill (100 and 300 hurdles), Marcus Hill (300 hurdles), Trashawn Ruffin (shot put), girls’ 4×2 relay, boys 4×1 and 4×4 relays. The 4×4 quartet just missed the medal podium by .03 seconds.
Southern Wayne: Elaina Lane (long jump), girls 4×2 relay that includes Lane, Glaspie, Angel Harmon and Mia Glaspie-Leach.
