Staff Reports

DANBURY — Carol Blankenship won gold in two distance events, while Carrie Blankenship, Anna Hayes and Makayla Sales each earned silver medals, helping East Wilkes’ girls track team place third overall in Saturday’s 1A Midwest Regional track and field championships at North Stokes.

The Lady Cardinals compiled nine top-four finishes on the day, including a gold medal in the 4x800 relay. They finished behind only Winston-Salem Prep and Bishop McGuinness in the team standings.

Carol Blankenship and Carrie Blankenship went 1-2 in the 800 meters, with Carol crossing the line in 2:29.24 and Carrie in 2:35.45. Candace Blankenship was eighth in that event.

The three sophomore triplets then teamed with senior Hayes to ace the 4x800 by nearly nine seconds over their nearest competitors from Bishop McGuinness. The East girls are the defending 1A state champions in the 4x800.

East Wilkes had a well-balanced line-up. Carol Blankenship edged South Stokes rival Jodie Lemons by 1.01 seconds to win the 1,600. Hayes was second in the 3,200 meters. Sales was second in the shot put. Cherae Ferguson took third in the discus, Jaclyn Grit was fourth in the 100 hurdles an DeAnna Calloway was fourth in the triple jump.

Top four finishers in each event advance on to Friday’s 1A state championship meet at N.C. A&T University in Greensboro.

The East girls contingent will be joined by Eric Blackburn, who was third in the 1,600 meters. Blackburn just missed qualifying in the 3,200 meters, taking fifth place. The senior was part of the East boys 4x800 state champion relay last spring and won the individual gold medal in 1A cross country in the fall.

Elkin is a school on the rise in distance running events. The Buckin’ Elks 4x800 relay team of Russell Stewart, Aaron Rabin, Andrew Steiner and Zach Milsaps continued their unbeaten streak at regionals. They won with a time of 8:19.89. The runners-up from North Stokes crossed in 8:31.00.

Steiner placed fourth in the open 1,600 meters to earn a spot in the state field. Stewart just missed qualifying in the open 800, placing fifth. Rabin was fifth in the 300 hurdles. Milsaps was sixth in the 1,600.

Justin Strickland of Elkin will return to the state meet for a second year. He was third in the high jump and fourth in the triple jump Saturday.

Elkin’s Tyler Billings earned a state spot in the shot put, placing fourth in the region. The Elkin boys finished seventh overall in the team standings.

Samantha Dimmette, a freshman on the Lady Elks team, placed fifth in the discus, barely missing state cuts. The Elkin girls did not have any state qualifiers but a three competitors — Kali Brooks, Carly Pippin and Sarah Snow — were top eight in their events.

1A Midwest Region Track and Field Championships

Saturday • at North Stokes High School

Boys • Local Results

Justin Strickland (Elkin): 3rd in high jump (6-2), 4th in triple jump (42-2.5), 9th in long jump (18-4.25)

Eric Blackburn (East Wilkes): 3rd in 1,600 meters (4:40.09), 5th in 3,200 meters (10:43.33)

Andrew Steiner (Elkin): 4th in 1,600 meters (4:49.76)

Tyler Billings (Elkin): 4th in shot put (42-9.75), 10th in discus (101-10)

Aaron Rabin (Elkin): 5th in 300 hurdles (43.61)

Russell Stewart (Elkin): 5th in 800 meters (2:00.71)

Zach Millsaps (Elkin): 6th in 1,600 meters (5:20.30)

Nathan Gilliam (Elkin): 7th in discus (120-5)

Cualthi Lozada (Elkin): 8th in 3,200 meters (11:09.25)

Jesse Hall (East Wilkes): 9th in discus (110-4)

Allen Harris (East Wilkes): 10th in 3,200 meters (11:29.97)

East Wilkes 4x100 Relay: 6th place (45.47)

East Wilkes 4x200 Relay: 6th place (1:34.71)

Elkin 4x200 Relay: 9th place (1:36.83)

Elkin 4x400 Relay: 5th place (3:40.25)

Elkin 4x800 Relay: 1st place (8:19.89)

Boys • Team Scores

Winston-Salem Prep 82, North Stokes 73, Jordan-Matthews 67, Mount Airy 58, Bishop McGuinness 44, South Stanly 43, Elkin 34, Thomasville 29, South Stokes 28, West Montgomery 24, Albemarle 18, West Wilkes 16, Gray Stone Day 13, East Wilkes 10, East Surry 8, South Davidson 5 and East Montgomery 4.

Girls • Local Results

Carol Blankenship (East Wilkes): 1st in 800 meters (2:29.24), 1st in 1,600 meters (5:35.75)

Carrie Blankenship (East Wilkes): 2nd in 800 meters (2:35.45)

Anna Hayes (East Wilkes): 2nd in 3,200 meters (12:34.60)

Makayla Sales (East Wilkes): 2nd in shot put (33-1.5)

Cherae Ferguson (East Wilkes): 3rd in discus (82-8), 10th in shot put (25-7.25)

Jaclyn Grit (East Wilkes): 4th in 100 hurdles (17.71)

DeAnna Calloway (East Wilkes): 4th in triple jump (32-9.75), 7th in 300 hurdle prelims (52.34)

Samantha Dimmette (Elkin): 5th in discus (76-11), 11th in 400 meter prelims (1:10.18)

Kali Brooks (Elkin): 7th in 200 meter prelims (27.69)

Sarah Snow (Elkin): 7th in 100 hurdle prelims (18:06)

Carly Pippin (Elkin): 8th in 3,200 meters (14:14.20)

Candace Blankenship (East Wilkes): 8th in 800 meters (2:43.79)

Samantha Adams (East Wilkes): 8th in triple jump (31-2)

Bailey Carter (Elkin): 9th in 800 meter prelims (2:46.10)

Elkin 4x100 Relay: 5th place (53.49)

East Wilkes 4x400 Relay: 8th place (4:38.62)

East Wilkes 4x800 Relay: 1st place (10:02.74)

Elkin 4x800 Relay: 8th place (11:36.28)

Girls • Team Scores

Winston-Salem Prep 106, Bishop McGuinness 81, East Wilkes 68, West Wilkes 63.5, South Stanly 37, Jordan-Matthews 30, North Stokes 28.5, South Stokes 25, Gray Stone Day 19, Mount Airy 16, Albemarle 15, East Montgomery 15, West Montgomery 14, Thomasville 10, Central Academy 10, Chatham Central 6, East Surry 4, North Moore 4, Elkin 4.