Pioneers eye success at state meet
By Steve Behr

sports@wataugademocrat.com

Watauga’s track and field team is no stranger to the state 4-A championships.

Usually, the Pioneers go to the state meet with a slew of distance runners. This year, the distance team is represented, but the field events are where Watauga is represented the most.

No less than four pole vaulters will be participating in the state meet, which is Saturday at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. Macey Ruble is the only pole vaulter from the boys’ team, while three girls — Brooke Miller, Taylor Cook and Candace Corbin — will participate in the event.

Miller won the Western Regional with a vault of 11-feet. Cook was second with a 10-7 and Corbin third with a 9-0. They have plenty of tradition to follow as former teammate Sallie Gurganus is a three-time state champion.

Miller also will participate in the high jump. She finished third in the regional last Saturday, which was at Jack Groce Stadium.

“I know the vaulters will get points,” Pioneers coach Randy McDonough said. “They’re seeded pretty well and Taylor and Brooke have been pretty consistent. If Candace can have a good day, she could also sneak into the points.”

Miller is not the only Pioneers who will participate in two events. Paris Brown will throw the discus and the shot put for the Pioneers. Brown was second in the shot put with an effort of 40-3. She was third in the discus, having thrown it 134-3 feet.

Ruble finished in the top three last year and McDonough feels he can do it again this year.

“Macey’s hurting a bit, but he always seems to be hurt and in the last two years, he’s placed in the top three in the state,” McDonough said. “He saves his beat for last.”

Olivia Ellington will run the 400-meter dash after turning in a time of 1:00.75 in the regional. That time was good enough for third place.

“Olivia has not touched what she can do in the 400,” McDonough said. “If she does, she’ll place in the 400.”

On the boys’ side, Luke Nelson and Brooks Forsyth will represent Watauga’s distance runners. Nelson qualified for the state meet in the 3,200-meter run by finishing fourth in the regional with a time of 10:05.

Forsyth was third in the regional in the 1,600-meter run with a 4:30.2. Forsyth and Nelson will be joined by Adam Toney and Jordan Trivette in the 3,200-meter relay.

Will Beasley will participate in the triple jump and Chris Symonovicz will do the high jump.

“Chris is not seeded well, but there is a log jam at 6-feet,” McDonough said. “He’s another who hasn’t touched what he could do.”

Nelson and Forsyth are facing an unusual situation. Both are in the Watauga High production of the play “The Music Man.” and will be performing on stage Friday night. They’ll join the team in Greensboro Friday, run their races Saturday and then return to Boone for another performance on stage.