3200 champion Eli Julian (South Rowan)

 

 

Staff report

GREENSBORO — South Rowan’s Macy Miller and Eli Julian won state championships as Rowan athletes competed in the 3A State Championships on Monday at North Carolina A&T.

The event had been postponed from Saturday due to weather.

Julian, a senior headed to Liberty University, won the 3200 meters in 9:26.81.

It’s the fourth individual state title for Julian who won the 3200 indoors in 2023 and took the 1600 and 3200 indoors in February of this year.

Julian is the only South athlete who ever has won a running event in a NCHSAA championship meet. South’s previous male state champs were in the shot put and pole vault outdoors and in the high jump indoors.

Julian nearly accomplished the 3200/1600 double that he pulled off in the indoor season, but he finished second in the 1600 behind Croatan’s Nathan Guerrero in 4:17.70.

East Rowan’s Jacob Butler placed third in the shot put with an effort of 49 feet, 5.5 inches.

Carson’s Bricen Burleson, a Pfeiffer recruit, was fourth in a fast 800 in 1:55.24.

Burleson ran with Connor Price, James Anderson and Jorge Clemente-Garcia on a fifth-place 4×800 relay team that was clocked in 8:18.08.

Eric Gillis took sixth place in the 3200 in 9:41 for the Cougars.

Clemente-Garcia was ninth in the 3200 (9:52).

East’s Jordan Brooks was 11th in the triple jump (41-9.25).

South’s Grayson Cromer was 14th in the 800 in 2:04.54.

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Miller won her second 3A state title in the high jump.

The NC State recruit cleared 5 feet, 4 inches. She also won the state event in 2021 when she was a freshman.

Miller’s state championships are the fourth and fifth for South’s girls program.

She’s the first female jumper from South to win a state title. South’s previous state championships by females had come in the throws, including two by basketball star Tracy Connor.

South’s Mesiyah Howell was 12th in the 400 in 1:00.95.

South’s 4×400 relay team of Hannah Dellinger, Howell, Madalynn Gulledge and Sadie Siscoe was 12th in 4:14.88.

East’s Jasmyne Brown scored in the pole vault with a seventh-place finish (8-6).

East’s Sadie Featherstone was 10th in the 300 hurdles in 48.19 seconds.

Carson’s Cadi Joyner was 15th in the high jump (4-10).

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Dudley won the boys team championship, finishing first in six events and racking up 95 points.

Sprinter/hurdler Le’Ezra Brown won three individual events and ran on a first-place relay.

 West Henderson (48), Union Pines (36) and A.C. Reynolds (25) rounded out the top five in the team standings.

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Dudley also won the girls team state championship with 86 points.

Dudley’s Jalee Brown won the 100 and 200 and ran on winning 4×100 and 4×200 teams.

Franklin finished second in the team standings with a score of 40. North Buncombe (39), Southern Guilford (38) and North Lincoln (36) rounded out the top five.