by Jenny Wolfe

With the perimeter of the new Polk County High School track decked with Christmas lights, coaches, runners and spectators adorned in holiday attire filled the fifth annual Reindeer Games with Christmas spirit Wednesday, Dec. 18.

There would be race times and distances to collect, but the number closest to everyone’s heart is the amount of cans collected from each registered competitor and spectators alike. Polk County High School’s track team, with help from a school wide can drive, won their fifth consecutive Reindeer Games “Most Cans Donated” trophy.

Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry Executive Director Carol Newton was on hand helping with the collections. The event brought in almost 1,700 cans total, with 944 of those from Polk County.

The meet features both traditional and unique to the Reindeer Games events, including a “Throwers 4x100M Relay.”  There were plenty of elves at work, Rudolph look-a-likes and Santa hats bouncing around the track with 14 schools participating.  TC Roberson High won the Metal Reindeer Trophy for top-performing women’s team, while the top men’s award went to West Henderson. The Polk squads were plagued with a flu outbreak, with most athletes scratching out of their events, yet the boys secured a third place overall finish and the girls took fifth.

Boys team standings:
West Henderson 73.5, East Henderson 71.5, Polk County 62.5, TC Roberson 50.5, Mitchell 47, Franklin 44, Christ School 44, North Buncombe 41, Kings Mountain 29, Tuscola, 16, Hendersonville 11, Pisgah 10, Brevard 3.

Boys individual events Polk County competitors:
Shot Put Relay: 4. J.C. Suddeth, 38-10; 6. Stephen Stimac, 37-1; 7. Ryan Mollette, 36-8; 20. Cody Halford, 27-8; 24. Andrew Suber-Brown, 25-9.
Long Jump Relay: 6. Jacob Collins, 17-0; 9. Larry Dyer, 16-0; 13. Suber-Brown, 12-0.
Triple Jump: 2. Donte Poston, 37-7.
High Jump: 4. Larry Dyer, 5-0.
4×800 Meter Relay: 4. Polk County A, 9:20.42.
55 Meter Dash: 16. Jackson Price, 7.66; 18. Dyer, 7.79.
4×200 Meter Relay: 5. Polk County A, 1:44.53
1,600 Meter Run: 4. Jacob Collins, 4:51.04; 5. Sean Doyle, 4:53.84; 10. Mitchell Brown, 5:16.24.
4×100 Throwers Relay: 2. Polk County A, 53.83
500 Meter Dash: 17. Isaias Akers, 1:35.78.
1,000 Meter Run: 7. Jacob Wolfe, 2:59.22; 10. Jake Russell, 3:13.17.
300 Meter Dash: 14. Tyler Jackson, 42.71; 18. Price, 44.54
4×400 Meter Relay: 4. Polk County A, 3:44.5

Girls team standings
TC Roberson 97, East Henderson 95, West Henderson 60, Kings Mountain 49, Polk County 41, Pisgah 28, North Buncombe 27, Tuscola 25, Hendersonville 19, Burns 14, Mitchell 11, Brevard 9, Franklin 6.

Girls individual events Polk County competitors:
Shot Put Relay: 2. Charlie Bullock, 29-8; 4. Jamie Greene, 28-3; 7. Tameeia Brown, 24-11; 14. Alicia Twitty, 21-3; 22. Maggie Silvers, 17-2.
4×800 Relay: 4. Polk County A, 11:48.49
55 Meter Hurdles: 9. Katelyn Allison, 12.74; 10. Erica Metcalf, 12.77; 11. Allesandre Ponzini, 12.80
55 Meter Dash: 7. Ellese Cash, 8.36; 9. Autumn Miller, 8.45
4×200 Meter Relay: 3. Polk County A, 2:05.66
1,600 Meter Run: 10. Leah Hardin, 6:32.54; 13. Selena Chavez, 6:36.74; 24. Jessica Bailey, 8:26.54
4×100 Throwers Relay: 2. Polk County A, 1:01.75
1,000 Meter Run: 6. Emily Kocher, 3:47.46; 7. Shelby Wells, 3:49.63; 21. Danielle Holtz, 4:32.87
300 Meter Dash: 10. Scarlett Mosseller, 50.42
4×400 Meter Relay: 4. Polk County A, 5:17.17