By Bret Strelow
bstrelow@salisburypost.com
GREENSBORO ó North Rowan freshman Teaunna Cuthbertson turned in a few personal-best performances, but they still translated into second-place finishes at the 2A state track championships Friday.
Cuthbertson was the runner-up to Burlington Cummings senior Sherice Walker in the long jump, triple jump and 100 hurdles. Cuthbertson ran the anchor leg on a second-place 4×200 team with Yasarian Bush, Akevia Charleston and Tatiana Banks, but the Cavaliers were disqualified from the event for throwing the baton afterward.
Cuthbertson set personal records in both of her field events. She went 19 feet in the long jump, and Walker prevailed with an effort of 19-3. Walker had a triple jump of 39-9, and Cuthbertson was next in line with a 38-8.
During the indoor season, Cuthbertson took second in the 55 hurdles and third in the long jump at the state meet. Walker claimed first in both events.
“I knew I had it coming due to indoor,” Cuthbertson said. “I was ready for her for outdoor, but I knew it was going to be good competition with her.
“I’m a competitor. If I see her jump something farther, I’m going to go out and go for it.”
Cuthbertson wasn’t happy with her performance in the 100 hurdles. Walker won with a time of 14.50 seconds, and Cuthbertson crossed next in 15.54.
Walker, the clear favorite in the 300 hurdles, missed out on a fourth individual title. She fell while attempting to clear the first hurdle but still managed to storm back and finish fifth. Cummings cruised to the team title with 80 points, and Cedar Ridge was second with 49.
Third-place Cardinal Gibbons had 45, and Salisbury finished fourth with 41. North Rowan took seventh with 32.
Salisbury’s Alisha Bradshaw finished second in the discus (115-0) and third in the shot put (36-1/4). Southern Vance’s Tremonisha Taylor set a 2A meet record while repeating as the champion in the discus (141-0).
Bradshaw placed fifth in the shot put and seventh in the discus at the 2008 state meet.
“I did better than I did last year,” Bradshaw said. “It’s been practice and making sure my form was right. I had to change a few things with my spin in the discus, and I had to switch up the way I hold it for it to come out flat.”
Salisbury’s 4×800 team of Katherine Shields, Emily Shields, Brooke Johnson and Katelyn Horning placed fifth in 10:11. The group ran a 10:40 at the CCC meet, went 18 seconds faster at the Midwest Regional and cut 11 more seconds off Friday.
Melaney Ramos finished fourth in the 200 (25.36), fifth in the 100 (12.65) and fifth in the long jump (17-61/2). Katherine Shields took fourth in the 1,600 (5:30.72) and seventh in the 3,200. Emily Shields was sixth in the 800.
Bush had a sixth-place finish in the long jump and a seventh-place finish in the 200 for North Rowan. The 4×400 team of Charleston, Banks, Shaquille Bagley and Tenesha Dickerson placed sixth.