Polk County High School hosted the NCHSAA West Regional Track and Field Championships Saturday, May 5.
The top eight finishers in each event scored points on a descending scale for their team (10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1).  The top four finishers in each event will advance to the State Championships to be held May 11 at NCA&T University. Polk celebrated wins in the women’s 800 meter, 4×400 relay and men’s long jump. Seniors Rebecca Elliott and Cary Littlejohn each qualified for state in three events, while Elliot set an 800-meter run record at Saturday’s 2-A West Regional with a time of 2:22.91, besting the old record of 2:24.43 set in 2004.
Scoring for the Lady Wolverines: Shot Put – Charlie Bullock 31-08 sixth; High Jump – Rebecca Mitchell 4-08 eighth; 4×800 Relay – (Rebecca Elliott, Casey McDowell, Shelby Wells, Autumn Miller) 10:37 third; 1600 Meter – McDowell 5:59 eighth; 400 Meter – Miller 1:07 eighth; 800 Meter – Elliott 2:22 1st; 4×400 Relay (Elliott, Wells, McDowell and Miller) 4:17 first.
Scoring for the Wolverines: Shot Put – Markece Cunningham 48-8.5 second; Discus – Cunningham 136-10 fourth; Long Jump – Cary Littlejohn 21-10 1st; Pole Vault – Kevin Angier 11-0 fourth; 4×800 Relay (Kyle Whitson, Andy Conner, Jacob Collins and Eli Hall) 9:42 sixth; 100 Meter – Littlejohn 11.35 fifth; 400 Meter – Conner 50.77 third; 200 Meter – Littlejohn 22.77 second; 4×400 Relay (Conner, Littlejohn, Whitson and Mason Umlauf) 3:37 fourth.
Women’s Team Scores: Newton-Conover 67, Draugn 55, East Burke 52, S. Iredell 49, E. Lincoln 47, Bandys 46, Pisgah 44, N. Lincoln 43.5, N. Henderson 40, W. Caldwell 39, Smoky Mountain 35, Polk County 32, Bunker Hill 22, Owen 20, W. Lincoln 20, Shelby 17, Mountain Heritage 16, Maiden 14.5, Lincolnton 13, Madison 13, Chase 9, Brevard 6.
Men’s Team Scores: Shelby 88.5, E. Lincoln 85, N. Lincoln 67, Draugn 67, Polk County 57, S. Iredell 46, Newton-Conover 45, N. Henderson 38, Maiden 32, Owen 28, Bunker Hill 27, Lincolnton 17, Pisgah 14, Brevard 13, Chase 12.5, Smoky Mountain 12, W. Caldwell 12, E. Burke 11, Mountain Heritage 10, Bandys 8, E. Rutherford 7, W. Lincoln 4.
– article submitted by Jenny Wolfe