Wolverines chase titles, history at state 2A track and field meet
Olivia Overholt could play a different role in a familiar scene Friday afternoon.
As a Polk County freshman, Overholt teamed with her older sister and Wolverine senior, Mariah, to win the 4×400-meter relay at the 1A state track and field championships. It was the final race of Mariah Overholt’s career, and the two sisters shared a long embrace near the finish line after the race.
Olivia Overholt is scheduled to again run the 4×400 as the final race of a state meet, that being Friday’s 2A state championships at North Carolina A&T State University. But now she is the Wolverine senior, with her freshman sister, Sophia, expected to run one of the relay legs. Polk enters as the top seed in the event, meaning there’s a definite shot at a repeat sister scene in what would be Olivia Overholt’s final race.
It could be a day full of notable achievements for the older Overholt, who enters as the top seed in the 800-meter run and as part of a Polk County 4×800-meter relay squad that also owns the fastest regional qualifying time in the event.
If two of those three top seeds produce a state title for Overholt, she would become just the sixth female in school history to accomplish multiple titles at a state outdoor meet, joining Karen Godlock, Jennifer Dimsdale, Rachel McEntyre, Ebony Cunningham and Elisabeth Elliott, the last to accomplish the feat in 2005.
Overholt will also be chasing the first individual title for a Polk County female since Maggie Conner’s 300-meter hurdle victory in 2008.
Polk County’s Bryce Jergenson and Braxton Edwards also enter with seeds in the top three in various events, with Edwards seeded third in the 800 meters and Jergenson the third seed in the 400. The two are also part of Polk County’s 4×400-meter relay team that enters as the second seed.
The state meet begins Friday at 10 a.m. and can be watched live on NFHS Network.
GIRLS
High Jump
13. Mia Bradley, 4-8
Pole Vault
6. Lauren Dotson, 8-0.
Long Jump
10. Sophia Overholt, 17-0; 12. Olivia Overholt, 16-5.
4×800-Meter Relay
1. Polk County, 10:14.60
100-Meter Hurdles
11. Amya Cunningham, 17.15.
400-Meter Dash
6. Sophia Overholt, 1:01.25
300-Meter Hurdles
16. Amya Cunningham, 52.64.
800-Meter Run
1. Olivia Overholt, 2:22.14; 5. Lindsey Jenkins, 2:26.32.
4×400-Meter Relay
1. Polk County, 4:11.13
BOYS
Pole Vault
5. Braxton Edwards, 11-6.
4×800-Meter Relay
4. Polk County, 8:38.29.
400-Meter Dash
3. Bryce Jergenson, 50.30.
300-Meter Hurdles
9. Nathaniel Rhein, 42.55
800-Meter Run
3. Braxton Edwards, 1:55.60.
200-Meter Dash
10. Bryce Jergenson, 23.00.
4×400-Meter Relay
2. Polk County, 3:30.92.
