Staff Reports

Elkin High boys track won its final tune-up before next week’s Northwest 1A championships, beating two other conference teams at North Stokes on Thursday afternoon.

The Buckin’ Elks compiled 75 points to beat the host Vikings (62) and rival East Wilkes (48).

Justin Strickland of Elkin won three of the four events he entered: the high jump, long jump and triple jump. He was third in the 400 meters. Aaron Rabin swept the 110 and 300 hurdles.

Russell Stewart finished first in the 800 meters, while Pat Kennedy took first in the 400 meters.

The 100 and 200 meters were nip-and-tuck sprints between Elkin’s Michael Jordan and East Wilkes’ Jesse White. Jordan won the 200 by 0.14 seconds, while White edged out Jordan in the 100 by 0.05 seconds.

Eric Blackburn, the reigning state champion in 1A cross country, placed first for East Wilkes in both the open 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

The Elkin and East boys each won two relays.

On the girls side, North Stokes placed first on its own track with 90.5 points. East Wilkes took second with 72, while Elkin scored 15.

Carol Blankenship and DeAnna Calloway were both double-winners for the Cardinals. Blankenship aced the 800 and 1,600 meters. Calloway was first in the 300 hurdles and triple jump. She also was second in the 100 hurdles behind East teammate Jaclyn Grit.

Anna Hayes gave East Wilkes a gold medal run in the 3,200 meters.

The East girls won the 4x400 and 4x800 relays.

BOYS RESULTS

Team Scores: Elkin 75, North Stokes 62, East Wilkes 48

Top Four Individual Finishers:

Eric Blackburn (East Wilkes): 1st in 1,600 meters (4:48.23), 1st in 3,200 meters (10:37.22)

Aaron Rabin (Elkin): 1st in 110 hurdles (18.53), 1st in 300 hurdles (44.59)

Justin Strickland (Elkin): 1st in high jump (6-0), 1st in long jump (19-6), 1st in triple jump (42-5), 3rd in 400 meters (1:01.72)

Jesse White (East Wilkes): 1st in 100 meters (12.08), 2nd in 200 meters (24.39)

Michael Jordan (Elkin): 1st in 200 meters (24.25), 2nd in 100 meters (12.13)

Pat Kennedy (Elkin): 1st in 400 meters (56.65)

Russell Stewart (Elkin): 1st in 800 meters (2:01.89), 4th in high jump (5-4)

Marcus Wilborn (East Wilkes): 2nd in 400 meters (57.71), 4th in triple jump (33-1)

Andrew Steiner (Elkin): 2nd in 1,600 meters, 4th in 3,200 meters (11:49.48)

Tyler Billings (Elkin): 2nd in discus (112-3), 4th in shot put (40-2.5)

Cualthi Lozado (Elkin): 2nd in 3,200 meters

Trendon Harris (East Wilkes): 3rd in 100 meters (12.15), 4th in 200 meters (25.49)

Zach Milsaps (Elkin): 3rd in 800 meters (2:19.23), 4th in 1,600 meters (5:10.44)

Chance Cleary (East Wilkes): 3rd in 300 hurdles (48.05), 4th in 110 hurdles (20.56)

Allen Harris (East Wilkes): 3rd in 3,200 meters (11:26.39)

Jesse Hall (East Wilkes): 3rd in discus (110-2)

Brennon Hampton (East Wilkes): 3rd in shot put (40-04)

Jordan Coe (Elkin): 4th in 400 meters (1:01.84)

Luke Rintenemi (East Wilkes): 4th in long jump (15-10)

Nathan Gilliam (Elkin): 4th in discus (104-0.5)

East Wilkes 4x100 Relay: 1st place (46.93)

Elkin 4x100 Relay: 2nd place (50.75)

East Wilkes 4x200 Relay: 1st place (1:38.27)

Elkin 4x400 Relay: 1st place (3:45.47)

East Wilkes 4x400 Relay: 2nd place (3:49.56)

Elkin 4x800 Relay: 1st place (8:38.06)

GIRLS RESULTS

Team Scores: North Stokes 90.5, East Wilkes 72, Elkin 15.5

Top Four Individual Finishers:

Carol Blankenship (East Wilkes): 1st in 800 meters (2:23.22), 1st in 1,600 meters (5:35.43)

DeAnna Calloway (East Wilkes): 1st in 300 hurdles (54.25), 1st in triple jump (32-1.5), 2nd in 100 hurdles (18.46)

Anna Hayes (East Wilkes): 1st in 3,200 meters (13:12.04)

Jaclyn Grit (East Wilkes): 1st in 100 hurdles (18.23)

Carrie Blankenship (East Wilkes): 2nd in 800 meters (2:37.42)

Jessie Elmore (East Wilkes): 2nd in 400 meters (1:10.92)

Samantha Dimmette (Elkin): 2nd in high jump (4-4)

Makayla Sales (East Wilkes): 2nd in shot put (32-5.75), 4th in discus (71-1.5)

Cheroe Ferguson (East Wilkes): 2nd in discus (79-11), 3rd in shot put (28-4.75)

Bailey Carter (Elkin): 3rd in 800 meters (2:44.52)

Jaymie Sexton (East Wilkes): 3rd in long jump (11-3), 4th in triple jump (22-3)

Sarah Snow (Elkin): 3rd in 100 hurdles (18.68), 3rd in high jump (4-2), 3rd in triple jump (27-8.75), 4th in 300 hurdles (1:00.00)

Carly Pippin (Elkin): 3rd in 1,600 meters (6:31.11), 3rd in 3,200 meters (15:26.36)

Kelsey Campbell (East Wilkes): 3rd in 100 meters (14.88), 4th in 200 meters (31.15)

Candace Blankenship (East Wilkes): 4th in 800 meters 2:57.22), 4th in 1,600 meters (6:38.21)

East Wilkes 4x100 Relay: 2nd place (1:01.07)

East Wilkes 4x200 Relay: 2nd place (2:15.00)

East Wilkes 4x400 Relay: 1st place (4:46.34)

Elkin 4x400 Relay: 3rd place (5:24.64)

East Wilkes 4x800 Relay: 1st place (11:19.63)


Softball NORTH WILKES 5, CARDINALS 3: The Vikings earned a season sweep in its non-conference softball series with the Cardinals on Wednesday afternoon, winning at home.

North Wilkes scored two runs in the first inning and three in the third. East Wilkes struck first with a run in the first inning, followed by a two-run homer from Anna Litschke in the fifth inning.

But the Cards couldn’t push another run across against winning pitcher Autumn Elledge and the Vikings the rest of the way.

Kayla Church homered for North Wilkes. Litschke also had a triple in the game. Ashlea Myers doubled for the Vikings.

Kendra Green was 2-for-3 for East, while Danielle Woodle was 1-for-2. Myers, who led off for the Vikings, finished 2-for-4. Samantha Miller was 2-for-3 and drove home two runs. Amber Owens was 1-for-3 with an RBI and scored on an East Wilkes error. Heather Shumate was 1-for-2.


Golf NORTHWEST 1A: East Wilkes parlayed its familiarity with Cedarbrook Country Club into a second-place finish during a nine-hole conference match there Tuesday afternoon.

The Cardinals carded a team score of 163 on the front nine at Cedarbrook, beating seven other Northwest 1A teams and finishing behind only Bishop McGuinness (160).

Joe Wood led the way for East, shooting a 38, which tied him for sixth place individually. Teammate Dakota Goad shot a 40, Mitchell Layell 41 and Austin Stone 44 to complete the scoring. Josh Blackburn and Devin Cass both came home with 46s.

The team scores proved tight nearly top to bottom. West Wilkes finished two strokes behind East at 165, followed by East Surry, North Stokes and South Stokes (all 166), Elkin (169), Mount Airy (174) and Alleghany (200).

Ross Burgess had the best round of the match for Elkin, tying for fourth place with a 37. The rest of the Buckin’ Elks’ scorecard included Taylor West 41, Matthew Billings 45, Tyler Soots 46, Jonathan Stroud 50 and Daniel McNeil 53.

Elkin was the host school for the nine-hole match, then East Wilkes served as the host for another nine-hole match on Cedarbrook’s back nine later Tuesday.

Another tight battle ensued behind Bishop McGuinness, which won the second nine with a 149 score.

West Wilkes was seven strokes back at 156, followed by North Stokes (161), South Stokes (163), East Surry (165), East Wilkes (166), Mount Airy (168), Elkin (174) and Alleghany (211).

Goad was the low scorer for East Wilkes on the back nine, posting a 39. Wood shot a 41, Blackburn 43, Layell 43, Stone 49 and Cass 52.

Taylor West tied for seventh for Elkin, carding a 38. Burgess shot a 43 for the Elks, followed by Billings 45, Soots 48, McNeil 51 and Stroud 54.


Boys Tennis WILKES CENTRAL 6, STARMOUNT 3: The Rams won the top two singles flights and the top doubles match on Tuesday afternoon.

Corey Campbell beat Collin Greer at No. 1 singles by a 6-1, 6-3 tally. Zac McCullogh followed with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph at No. 2 singles over Greg Herring.

The Starmount duo then teamed up for an 8-6 win over Greer and John Johnson.

The match result left the Rams at 5-6 on the season.

ALLEGHANY 8, ELKIN 1: The Buckin’ Elks were missing their No. 3 singles player, Charlie Neaves, which forced every one else to move up a spot on the singles ladder. “That proved difficult for us to overcome,” Elkin coach Brandon Blackburn said. “I was still impressed with our team’s ability to compete and never give up.”

The match played a lot closer than the final score indicates.

Schon Reece picked up the Elks’ lone win, rallying after losing his first set to Ben Calhoun to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

“After he lost the first set, Schon started utilizing a different strategy, which proved to be the difference in his match,” Blackburn said. “Schon now has the best record on the team in singles and has proven to be the backbone of this team.”

Jerel Duncan, Richard Gwyn and Thomas Eidson each won sets in their respective singles matches for the Elks after losing their opening sets. But each time, their Alleghany opponents prevailed in the third set.

This was Eidson’s first varsity singles match.

“He calmed things down into the second set and was really starting to play well,” Blackburn said. “When he reached the end of the third set, he was looking rather tired and I think the inexperience of playing tired hurt his chances.”

Blackburn said he was impressed with Duncan’s competitiveness in his second-flight singles match.

Doubles proved just as competitive up and down the ladder. Schon and Andrew Reece lost a 10-8 heartbreaker in the top flight. John Caudle and Duncan fell 8-5 at No. 2, while Eidson and Jeremiah Morrison lost 8-6 at No. 3.

“Thomas and Jeremiah played inspired doubles yesterday after they knew the match was over and went down early in the match,” Blackburn said. “They battled back and never gave up.”

WEST STOKES 5, SURRY CENTRAL 4: The Golden Eagles were edged against a school that will be a conference partner next season.

Kyle Eiswald and Jonathan Cook picked up singles wins for Central. Cook also paired with Jake Delinger for a doubles win, while Eiswald and Nick Gillespie got the other doubles win for the Golden Eagles (4-10).

Wilkes Central 6, Starmount 3

Tuesday • at Moravian Falls

SINGLES — 1. Corey Campbell (S) d. Collin Greer 6-1, 6-3; 2. Zac McCullogh (S) d. Greg Herring 6-4, 6-3; 3. John Johnson (WC) d. David Morrison 6-4, 6-2; 4. Will Cauthen (WC) d. Julio Jimenez 6-0, 6-0; 5. Miles Hubbard (WC) d. Cody Younger 6-0, 6-1; 6. Jordan Berry (WC) d. Nathan Hall 6-1, 6-0

DOUBLES — 1. Campbell/McCullogh (S) d. Greer/Johnson 8-6; 2. Berry/? (WC) d. Morrison/Hall 8-4; 3. Hubbard/? (WC) d. Jimenez/Younger

Alleghany 8, Elkin 1

Tuesday • at Sparta

SINGLES — 1. Cody Miller (A) def John Caudle (E) 6-0, 6-1; 2. Zach Gauldin (A) def Jerel Duncan (E) 6-4, 0-6, 6-3; 3. Bobby Calhoun (A) def Andrew Reece (E) 6-2, 6-3; 4. Schon Reece (E) def Ben Calhoun (A) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; 5. Forest Van House (A) def Richard Gwyn (E) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4; 6. Juan Sierra (A) def Thomas Eidson (E) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

DOUBLES —1. Miller/Gauldin (A) def Reece/Reece (E) 10-8; 2. Calhoun/Calhoun (A) def Caudle/Duncan (E) 8-5; 3. House/ Harper (A) def Eidson/ Jeremiah Morrison (E) 8-6.