Polk track and field athletes, wrestlers set for state competition
The 2020-21 school year may have ended, but Polk County athletes have remained hard at work preparing for upcoming state championship competition.
The final two events of the year are set for this weekend as the 1A division of the 2021 NCHSAA State Track & Field Championships are set for Friday morning at North Carolina A&T State University and the 2021 NCHSAA Individual Wrestling State Championship is set for Saturday at Glenn High School in Kernersville.
Friday’s track and field meet begins at 9 a.m. and will be streamed live via the NFHS Network. Hot weather is usually a hallmark of the meet, but Friday’s high in Greensboro is expected to be in the low 80s, and that combined with the morning schedule should make for ideal conditions for Polk County’s competitors.
Field events will open the slate at 9, with track events not scheduled to begin until 10:30 a.m. save for the 4×800-meter relay, which will also be run at 9. Polk County does not have entrants in that race.
The Wolverines do, though, have several athletes who could bring home state championships. Competitors scheduled to be in action Friday, along with their seeding based on their regional meet performance, include:
GIRLS
Shot put: 7. Alana Jergenson
Pole vault: 7. Tori Thompson
1600 Meter Run: 4. Olivia Overholt
800 Meter Run: 2. Olivia Overholt
BOYS
Shot put: 1. Harrison Waddell
Discus: 6. Harrison Waddell
Pole vault: 3. Braxton Edwards
4×100-Meter Relay: 9. Polk County (Elijah Barnes, Gage McSwain, Shaq Wingo, Vincent Twitty)
800-Meter Run: 7. Braxton Edwards
200-Meter Run: 4. Gage McSwain
Polk County’s wrestling program will have three individuals – Satchel McCoy, Bryson McCraw and Jacob Knighton – in action when that competition begins Saturday at 11 a.m.
All three wrestlers finished fourth in last week’s 1A West Regional, which means they’ll face the 1A East Regional champion in their opening matches.
At 126 pounds, McCoy (17-4) will begin his second straight state meet appearance against Timmy Freeze (19-0) of South Davidson.
At 152 pounds, McCraw (17-6) will make his state meet debut against Grayson Roberts (22-0) of Uwharrie Charter Academy.
At 170 pounds, Knighton (17-5) will also make his state meet debut against Jathan Parker (21-1) of East Carteret.
Unlike past state tournaments, there is no consolation bracket for this year’s state meet due to COVID-19 protocols except a third-place match.