Adrenaline and nerves filled the environment while Davie Track and Field loaded the bus to head to JDL Fast Track for the NPC Conference Championships on January 22. For some athletes, it marked the start of the championship series; for others, it was the last race of their season—or career—with PRs on the line.
Davie Distance
Throughout the season, Davie’s distance team put in hard work, challenging themselves to do their best in their events. Although not all raced at the conference meet, those who did had notable performances. Beginning at 4:30, the 4x800m relay teams set the tone for the boys’ and girls’ distance teams. Freshmen Kristen Starkey and Addalyn Steelman then took on the 1600m, scoring a total of 8 points. Senior Ethan Lakey and junior Jacob Steelman scored a total of 3 points in the 1600m. Additionally, Lakey left with a season-best time of 4:38.80.
Following the 1600m, senior Lexi Marion ran a personal best of 3:16.51, scoring 8 points for the team in the 1000m. Sophomore Avery Van Lente and freshman Jaxon Gay both had exceptional races, scoring a total of 6 points in the boys’ 1000m. Afterwards came the 3200m. Freshman Kristen Starkey scored 6 points for the girls, with a time of 11:45, along with senior Ethan Lakey and junior Jacob Steelman, scoring a total of 5 points.
”I’m not entirely satisfied with how the meet went, as I was hoping for a different outcome,” Starkey said. “However, it was a learning experience that will help me perform better in future races.”
Davie Sprints
The sprint team came in with speedy times and notable performances. To begin the sprinting events, freshman Aracelli Rosier and senior Alyssa Marion each had PR’s in the 55m hurdles —scoring three points—as well as multiple boys, including sophomore Dierks Rye and junior John Coley, obtaining PR’s and scoring a total of 14 points. Concluding the 55m hurdles, the 55m sprint began, and Davie took a few more PR’s—and four points—for the girls. Additionally, the 4×200 and 500m saw strong performances from both the girls and boys teams.
Arguably, the most impressive performance for the girls was in the 300m, where three out of four runners had a PR or a season best. While the scoring in this event was low, each runner gave a clear example of how hard they’d worked. The boys racked up 5 points, further improving the team’s overall score. To conclude the meet, both the girls and boys raced the 4x400m relay. To further close the slight gap in points, the girls scored eight points, and the boys took four.
“I’ve put in more effort this season than I have in past years, and I’m already seeing results,” Marion said. “I can’t wait to see what outdoor has in store for me.”
Davie Field
Although field events might often be overlooked due to their location in JDL’s facility, Davie’s field team had impressive results and scored a large portion of points. High jump held 16 points for the girls and 10 for the boys, with notable heights of 4-9.00 for senior Alyssa Marion and 5-3.00 for senior Austin Sweet, finishing first and third, respectively. Heading over to long jump and triple jump, Davie saw numerous PR’s, with sophomore Carrington Pitcher jumping 14-4.50 in long jump and 29-11.50 in triple jump, finishing 2nd in both. Senior Bryson Lantz took a PR and fourth in long jump, and senior Austin Sweet and junior Landan Faison each had exceptional performances in triple jump. Davie’s pole vault team has seen significant performances throughout multiple seasons, and this meet was no different. Senior Clara Phelps launched over the bar at a height of 10-0.00, finishing 1st with 10 points, and Sweet took a height of 12-0.00, also taking 1st with 10 points.
Launching a heavy ball is not an easy task, but the Davie throws team makes it look easy. Freshman Layla Hazlip threw 28-11.50, and freshman Amelia Elledge threw a new PR of 20-02.00. Senior AJ Imes had a notable performance as well, throwing 44-01.00, exemplifying his hard work and dedication throughout the season.
“Getting a new PR kind of feels like winning any other game,” Pitcher shares. “You’re finally seeing the results that you’ve been working towards, and since you can’t always expect a PR, it feels more surprising than anything.”
The Next Step
Overall, Davie’s performances paid off, with numerous PR’s, podiums, and points. The Davie girls finished second with 103 points, falling short of the championship title by only a single point, and the Davie boys finished third with 96 points. This meet concludes the season for many; however, a few will advance to the 7A State meet on February 12.
