Kinston's Wilkins takes title at 2A track and field championship
Kinston's Niejel Wilkins, center, won the NCHSAA 2A state championship in the triple jump by 2 feet Friday. Standing next to him are Vikings’ coaches Corey and Crystal Bryant. Photo by William ‘Bud’ Hardy / Neuse News
By Junious Smith III
GREENSBORO — Local track and field stars wrapped up the season with one final competition.
The NCHSAA 2A state competition took place Friday with the 1A match following a day later. The biggest highlight came from Kinston's Niejel Wilkins, who posted a school-record mark of 48 feet, 9.25 inches to win the triple jump by 2 feet.
Wilkins also finished fifth in the long jump, one spot ahead of Greene Central's Saquan Connor and seven ahead of West Craven's Joseph Wright. Washington's Michael Reid finished second in the 110 meter hurdles and 10th in the 300 meter hurdles, Kinston's Emanuel Fisher went fifth in the 400 meter dash, South Lenoir's Harris was 12th in the 800 meter run and fellow Blue Devil Isaya Brooks finished 15th in the 200 meter dash.
Gregory Daniels from Greene Central placed eighth in the shot put and in the relay races, West Craven was fourth in the 4x100, Ayden-Grifton finished fifth in the 4x200 and South Lenoir was 10th in the 4x800.
In the girls' competition, Ayden-Grifton Zy'kierah Andrews finished second in the long jump with Washington's Kimaja Spencer finishing sixth. Andrews also placed 11th in the high jump with teammate Aaleyah Garris finishing 13th, and Kinston's Mekaylind Kilpatrick placed fifth in the triple jump as Greene Central's Aaliyah Davis went 14th. Kinston's Lesley Sutton finished fifth in the 300 meter hurdles and North Lenoir's Kanijah Taylor went 15th in the discus competition.
In relay races, Washington finished fourth and Ayden-Grifton went sixth in the 4x100, the Pam Pack were fourth and the Chargers fifth in the 4x200, Ayden-Grifton finished 11th and Kinston 14th in the 4x400 and South Lenoir went 13th in the 4x800.
In NCHSAA 1A competition, Jones Senior's Nykeia Hagins finished third in the 200 meter dash and eighth in the 100 meter dash, while her teammate Tanayja Green went 12th in the 300 meter hurdles.
