The Chapel Hill High School men’s and women’s track teams wrapped up their seasons at the North Carolina High School Athletics Association (NCSHAA) 4A state championship meet on May 21, the men’s team placing 12th overall and the women’s team placing 17th.
Both teams took second place in the DAC-VII Outdoor Track and Field Conference Championship on April 25, and members of the teams collected many personal records (PRs) throughout the spring.
At the state championship meet, senior Amelia Maughan ran the fastest women’s 1600-meter in school history, finishing in first place with a time of 4:49.69, making her the first student to ever run the women’s 1600-meter in under five minutes and the second-fastest women’s miler in state championship history.
“It was a super fun season, and I loved running with the team. I’m excited to see how everyone does next year, and I know they’re going to kill it in upcoming years,” Maughan said.
Maughan will run next year for the University of Virginia.
Senior Abby Webber finished sixth in the mile with a new PR of 5:02, while the seniors Mara Pirone and Claire Peng helped lead the women’s the 4×800 relay to an eighth-place finish.
Senior Dylan Look captured the school record for the men’s 800-meter, finishing in 1:52.93 and earning a second-place finish at the state meet.
“This track season was tough, rewarding and full of growth. Looking back on my time on the team, I’m grateful for all the memories that my coaches, teammates, and the sport have provided me with,” Look said.
Look also ran the 4×400-meter relay at the state championship meet to cap off his season, helping the team finish fourth with a time of 3:23.76. Senior Nicholas Huger placed sixth in the 3,200-meter race, clocking the school’s sixth fastest time ever in 9:32.29, while senior Omar Owens placed seventh in the discus.
“The highlight of the season was probably achieving an all-state finish in the 4×400-meter relay alongside my teammates Cam Disser, Nigel Lawrence and Allen Tian,” he remarked, “As I toed the start line, I was determined to leave everything on the track one more time for the team.”
Look will continue running at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall.
Both Maughan and Look were named Outstanding Female Athlete and Outstanding Male Athlete respectively at the school’s annual athletic awards ceremony on May 18.
Two juniors on the men’s team entered the school’s record books: Allen Tian ran the 400-meter in 50.43, the second fastest time in school history, while Cayden Forbes ran the 100-meter dash in 11.03, the third fastest time in school history.
“This season has been a good one. There was a lot of success, lots of PRs, and overall, an amazing team environment,” Huger said.
Senior Whitby Alexander tied the school record in the women’s high jump on April 20 at Jordan High School, clearing 5 feet, 4 inches; Alexander finished 12th at the state championship meet in the event after clearing 5 feet, 2 inches.
“While I had big hopes of breaking the school record in the high jump, I am grateful for what I have been able to accomplish this season and for my coaches and teammates who made this year so memorable,” Alexander said. “I credit my successful high jump season to our new jumps coach, Dylan Wood [who] helped me personally go from a five-foot personal record to one of 5’4.”
Wood competed in the high jump across four years at Eastern Alamance High School and was the 3A state championship high jump runner-up.
“This is a quote that [my coach] made up and instilled into me and my mental approach: ‘If better is possible, then good is not enough.’ That’s kind of been the mantra for the jump squad with Whitby,” Wood said.
During a meet on April 22 at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, 11 runners earned PRs in the mile, including Huger with his time of 4:28.72.
“I am excited to see what the team does next year as they progress and continue their running journeys,” Huger said.
