NORTHSIDE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

 

GREENSBORO – The boys and girls Track & Field State Championships brought mixed results for area athletes.

Northside competed in the 1-A State Track and Field Championships held at North Carolina A&T University Friday morning. Advancing to the final round were Northside athletes Noel Howson, Holden Newman, Shana Taylor and Allison Waters.

Waters improved her overall performance and individual ranking in her second appearance at the championships. After recording a height of 4-feet-6 inches in the high jump as a No. 15 seed last season, Waters finished with an even mark of five feet, awarding her seventh place overall.

Looking forward to next year, Waters said, “I improved and fixed some problems that held me back last year. Next year I want a medal.”

Howson came into the high jump competition as the No. 3 seed with a height of 6-feet-2 inches.  Faced with a four-man fight for the fourth place medal, Howson ended the day in sixth place overall with a height of six feet.

When asked what he takes away from the state championships, Howson said, “Nothing is just given to you. You must work for it.” Howson plans to return again in 2015 and claim a right to stand in the winner’s circle.

Newman took on the 3200-meter race with confidence as a No. 12 seed, facing three other freshmen in the event in a field of sixteen competitors. He finished with a time of 11:15.72 and 12th place overall, thus closing out the year as the No. 1 seed in the 1-A East.

Shana Taylor’s freshman experience in the 3200-meter race came with a fight to overcome shin splints. Taylor came to the starting line determined to give it her all and push back any discomfort. After completing four laps out of eight for the two-mile event, Taylor had to withdrawal from the race, saying there would have to be another day and another time to return and conquer this race.