Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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24 UCW MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2017 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Jade Jordan of Pine For- est High School recently wrapped up her outstanding track career for the Trojans in style. At this year's N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A championship meet at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, Jordan won her second consecutive state title in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 6.5 inches. Counting her previous indoor long jump cham- pionship, that's three state titles. She was also a fresh- man national champion in the long jump. Add to that the fact Jordan was a dual performer in the spring for Pine Forest, running track while being a star player on the Trojan soccer team, and her feat becomes even more impressive. Terry Wickham, track coach at Pine Forest, said Jordan ranks among the top three track athletes he's ever coached at the school. "Lincoln Carr won six state titles in the long jump and triple jump,'' he said. "Ryan Davis won three titles in the shot put.'' Wickham said if Jordan had competed in track alone she possibly could have added state titles in events like the 300 hurdles and the triple jump, but her demanding athletic schedule wouldn't allow her time to do the sport-specific training in those other events. "She works extremely hard and has the passion to compete,'' Wickham said. Jordan wasn't the only Fayetteville and Cumberland County athlete to fare well in this year's track championships. In the N.C. Inde- pendent Schools Athletic Association 1-A/2-A meet, athletes from Fayetteville Christian and Fayetteville Academy had big performances. • Fayetteville Chris- tian's Nashya Pagan was a double winner for the Warriors. She took the 100 and 200-meter dashes with times of 12.47 and 25.93. • Fayetteville Chris- tian also had a trio of winning relay teams. The girls triumphed in the 4x100 and 4x200 while the boys' won the 4x400. • The 4x400 boys' team of Eli Sutton, Bren- nan Gantt and twins Jay- len and Jamarii Green broke the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state record with a time of 3:30.87. • Pagan, Chiara Waddy-Arce, Aeryon Davis and O'Mauri Robinson won both the 4x200 and the 4x100. Their times were 1:48.16 and 51.79, respectively. • Also participating in the 1-A/2-A meet was Fayetteville Academy's Morgan Dorsey. Dorsey triumphed in the 800 meter run for the Eagles with a time of 2:20.72. EARL VAUGHAN JR., Sports Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-987-5311 HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS Terry Sanford boys' tennis coach Gene Autry is still getting over the sting of a 5-4 loss to Mat- thews Weddington High School in this year's state 3-A dual team tennis finals. But one thing that's making it easier is checking the Bulldog tennis roster as he plans for next season. "We have only one senior that starts,'' he said. "That's Richie King in the six hole.'' King worked with brothers Henry and Nathan Lieberman to provide Terry Sanford the four wins the Bulldogs scored in the championship match with Weddington. Even with his exit, Terry Sanford will return all the starters at the first five singles positions. "The Liebermans will only get better with their extensive schedule of summer tournaments,'' Autry said. Another dedicated player is Alex Kasari at third court. Autry said Kasari also is committed to off- season work. He's also got confidence in the players at the remaining two spots, Andrew Zahran and Dev Sashidar. The only question left is who will play No. 6 next year. Right now a pair of players who will be seniors next season, Josh Blackman and Michael Hicks, are the leading candidates. Hicks is part of one of the richest bloodlines in Terry Sanford tennis history. His mother, Margit Monaco Hicks, teamed with her sister Lisa Monaco Wheless to win the N.C. High School Athletic Association girls' doubles championship four years in a row back in the 1970s. When Denzel Wallace took over as softball coach at Fayetteville Christian this season, he thought chances for a state title were solid even though the defending 2-A N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association champ Freedom Christian was in the same town. "I thought with some hard work, we'd be able to be there at the end,'' he said. Wallace proved right as Fayetteville Christian met Freedom in the double elimination finals of this year's state tournament and came away with the victory and a 16-3 record. Fayetteville was led by sophomore pitcher Mor- gan Hatchell, who was named the NCISAA 2-A soft- ball player of the year. "Throughout the season she was steady,'' Wallace said. "She pitched every game for us and always kept low numbers.'' Wallace said Hatchell averaged about two earned runs per game. "We knew what we were getting out of her and we knew she would compete to the very end. "Everybody believed in her ability the whole year to get us there.'' Looking ahead to the 2018 season, Wallace is optimistic about chances for a repeat. "Our whole group was young,'' he said of this year's team. "We had a couple of seventh graders and an eighth grader starting. I think having the same coach and same group of players, we'll be able to get a head start on the things we need to.'' Joining Hatchell on the NCISAA 2-A All-State team from Fayetteville Christian were Destiny Smith and Olivia Nieto. Chosen from Freedom Christian were Makenzie Mason, Haley Nelson, Miranda McKoy, Kendal McCauley and Molly Montgomery. Also selected was Aubrey Griffin of Village Christian. Terry Sanford, Fayetteville Christian Optimistic About 2018 by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Attention Students: Do you have a story or idea to share with High School Highlights? Email us at highschoolhighlights@upandcomingweekly.com Jordan Finishes Pine Forest Career Strong by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Nashya Pagan Richie King Morgan Hatchell Jade Jordan Morgan Dorsey