Northside boys win Class 1A East Regional; state finals to also feature Northside girls, Southside, Washington

Published 7:43 pm Tuesday, May 13, 2025

By Jason O. Boyd

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As soon as Northside’s Colten Smith crossed the finish line to win the 400-meter dash at Saturday’s Class 1A East Regional, he was met with a big hug and a bottled water from his coach, Casey Schulte.

It was one of several times the Panthers got to celebrate success at the meet. Northside’s boys won the regional title a little more than a week after winning the Coastal Plains Conference title. Northside’s girls will also head to states after placing fourth at the regional.

But they were not the only ones who got to celebrate.

Southside will send athletes who will compete in boys’ and girls’ events, too. Both schools will be heading to North Carolina A&T in Greensboro on Friday to compete in the state championships. It will be a day of competition that will be held at the Marcus T. Johnson Track.

Meanwhile, in Kinston, Washington High School’s Janiyah Little qualified in the 100-meter hurdles during the Class 2A East Regional. She will compete in the state championship at the same track on Saturday.

CLASS 1A EAST REGIONAL

YEATESVILLE, N.C. — Northside’s boys go into the state titles with a mix of success in field and short-distance running events, in addition to the Panthers’ bread and butter: distance events. It’s those short-distance and field events that helped power the Panthers to the regional title.

“That was just a great feeling,” said Smith, who won his race in 48.89 seconds. “Honestly, I didn’t think that was going to happen going into the race, my original plan was just to run a 49, high 49, but as soon as I crossed that line, I kind of knew that 48 was how it was going on. So it was a great feeling.”

Smith’s win was one of five non-distance events where Northside placed for states. The 4×200 relay team of Diante Moore, Nicholas Moore, Smith and Zanek McCloud won in 1:31.97 while the 4×400 relay team of Blake Wainwright, Avery Roberson, Harding and Smith was third (3:41.04). Zanek McCloud was fourth in the high jump (5 foot, 8 inches) while Zy’Marian O’Neal was second in the triple jump (41 feet, 7 inches) and Zi’Mier Alexander was second in the shot put (44 feet).

In the distance events, Northside’s Andrew Harding led the way with easy wins in the 1,600-meter (4:26.54) and 3,200-meter runs (9:43.61). He is in good shape to possibly win state championships in both events.

“I was definitely excited to win the 4×8,” Harding said. “We knew we had Lejeune’s competition, so being able to win that was great.

“The miles, same thing I said last week, just try to qualify as much as I can to get to states. The two-mile, that was pretty much the same. Just run what I could, make sure I secure the win, get the points for the team.

“And then I had to go straight from the two-mile to the 4×4. So I had to walk straight over there after that and get ready. But yeah, it was great.”

Roberson also qualified in the 1,600 (4th, 4:48.06) and 800-meter run (3rd, 2:07.18). The 4×800 relay team of Blake Wainwright, Jack DeHoog, Roberson and Harding also won (8:41.46)

On the girls’ side, Chloe Blake won the discus title with a throw of 105 feet, 8 inches. She also placed fourth in the shot put (30 feet, 2 inches) after winning both at the CPC tournament.

Piper Johnson (2nd, 1,600-meter run, 6:13.08), Emrie Scott (2nd, 3,200 run, 4:58.69), OJ Cahoon (2nd, 100 hurdles, 17:54; 2nd, high jump, 4 feet, 8 inches)

“Our coaches do the math,” Schulte said of both teams’ performances. “We push them. We motivate them. I’m so proud of them. They could not have done any better. Everything I asked them to do, they did it.

“And they’re just amazing, and I’m just so proud of them. We’re not just taking distance anymore. You know, we’re bringing in our sprinters. We’re bringing in our field.  And, you know, here’s the key.  A lot of them are very young. So, I’m just so excited.”

SOUTHSIDE’S MINOR AMONG WINNERS

Senior multi-sport star I’Kiriyah Minor was among the track and field athletes who will make up the Southside group attending the Class 1A state championships.

She won the triple jump, one of her top events, with a distance of 33 feet, 6.5 inches. She is also on the 4×200 relay team that placed third. The team finished in 1:51.35. The 4×200 team consists of Sonia Moore, Indiah Moore, Jayden Johnson and Minor. 

“Today, my favorite event, I would say, honestly, the 4×2,” Minor said. “We were really nervous. And we thought it was going to be a good time, but we came in third, which is really surprising to me.

“For the triple jump, I don’t know. I wasn’t really scared for that, because that’s like my best. Right now, I’m going to the states for the triple jump, and I’m top five in the state, so I feel like with more practice, I could get up to the top three and probably win a big medal for it.”

The 4×400 team is also going to states after placing third in 4:39.61. The team consists of Michelle Brown, Indiah Moore, Jayden Johnson and Sonia Moore. Brown was also fourth in the 400-meter dash (1:05.88) and second in the triple jump (32 feet, 8 inches).

Tamia Mcneal was third in the 100-meter hurdles (18.29).

On the boys’ side, Devonelle Brimmage and Pedro Chavez-Pullman led the individual results. Brimmage won the triple jump (41 feet, 8 inches) while Chavez-Pullman was second in the 800-meter run in 2:05.04.

The 4×200 relay team of Frankie Furlough, MyQuan Clark, Jeremiah Moore and Brimmage was fourth in 1:34.59.

CLASS 2A EAST REGIONAL

KINSTON, N.C. — Janiyah Little, a junior, qualified for the state finals in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.74 seconds to finish first overall.

She also won her qualifying heat in 15.59 seconds. In both cases, she bested her time at last week’s Eastern Plains Conference meet, where she had a time of 16.50 seconds to also finish first.

Little didn’t qualify for the states in the 300-meter hurdles, where she finished fifth in 50.72 seconds. Washington’s Destini Spencer was fifth in the long jump (16 feet, 0 inches).

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