Jun. 12—EUGENE, Ore. — High Point University freshman pole vaulter Sydney Horn finished sixth at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships Thursday at Hayward Field.
She is the first Panther to earn All-American honors at the outdoor meet and the first HPU woman to make All-American in the indoor and outdoor championships in the same season.
Horn edged Chinne Okoronkwo of Texas Tech for sixth place by clearing 4.30 meters (14-feet, 1 1/4 inches) on her first try. Horn then failed to clear 4.35 meters, which five vaulters went over. Lisa Gunnarsson, who won the indoor title, won as the only person to clear 4.40 meter. Sommer Knight of East Carolina took third.
“I’m really excited about Sydney’s year, another fourteen-foot make clean in competition is really tough to do,” HPU pole vaulting coach Scott Houston said. “For her to come out here and still have the composure at the end of a long freshman and successful season, to still jump 14 feet cleanly at this stage and be ready to go at those next bars is a really positive thing.”
Horn also cleared 4.05 meters and 4.20 meters on her first try.
“Going into today I was pretty excited, just to be out here in Eugene was crazy and be out in the new stadium,” Horn said. “I was excited to make it on the first attempt in the first three jumps because first attempts usually place you higher, overall just excited to be out there. I probably would not have believed if you told me in high school I would be standing here but here I am!”
CLARK QUALIFIES FOR THREE FINALS
EUGENE, Ore. — University of Alabama runner Tamara Clark, who starred at High Point Central, qualified Thursday for three women’s finals today in the NCAA outdoor track and field championships at Hayward Field.
Clark advanced in the 100 meters, the 200 meters and 4 x 100 relay. She posted the third best time of 11.16 while finishing second in her heat to fastest overall Twanisha Terry (11.03) of Southern Cal. Cambrea Sturgius of North Carolina A&T was fourth fastest at 11.20.
The top two in each of three heats plus the next three best times qualified in each event.
In the 200, Sturgis was second fastest (22.55) and Clark third (22.56) behind Anavia Battle of Ohio State (22.50).
In the 4 x 100, Alabama was fifth-fastest at 43.31 behind Southern Cal, Oregon, LSU and North Carolina A&T.
Clark will be in action at 6:02 p.m. (Eastern) in the 4 x100, 6:52 p.m. in the 100 and 7:37 in the 200.
PREPS BASEBALL SW GUILFORD, MOUNT TABOR
WINSTON-SALEM — Southwest Guilford scored seven runs in the top of the eighth and defeated host Mount Tabor 12-5 Thursday to complete an undefeated regular season. The Cowboys improved to 14-0 and 10-0 in the Piedmont Triad 3A. Mount Tabor dropped to 8-5 and into a second place tie with Western Guilford in the conference at 7-3. The score was tied 5-5 before Southwest’s game-winning outburst. Each team scored one in the second. The Cowboys pushed two across in the fourth. Both teams scored twice in the fifth and the Spartans tallied two in the seventh to force extra innings. Leading hitters for Southwest were Andrew Stephens (1 for 4, a double, two RBIs and a run scored), Luke Johnson (2 for 5, a home run, two RBIs and a run scored), Tanner Moore (1 for 3, two RBIs and a run scored), Tanner Royals (1 for 2, an RBI and two runs) Hunter Whitten (2 for 3, with an RBI and a run scored). Joe Specht (1 for 5, with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored).
Camden Saylor was the winning pitcher.
S. STOKES, GLENN
WALNUT COVE — South Stokes scored six runs in the seventh and edged visiting Glenn 9-8 in nonconference action Thursday. Glenn led 8-1 going into the sixth. Garrett Horn led the Bobcats at the plate, going 2 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Chris Shoemaker was 3 for 3 with two RBIs. Alexavier Pender went 1 for 2, drove in one run and scored two. Connor Johnson was 1 for 4 with a RBI. Glenn finishes the season 1-13-1.
CHAMPIONSHIP SITES SET
CHAPEL HILL — Burlington Athletic Park and J.P. Riddle Stadium in Fayetteville will each host two NCHSAA baseball championships, the NCHSAA announced Friday. All four series will be best-of-three, with Game 1 on Friday, June 25, and the remainder on Saturday, June 26. Brackets for the 32-teams in each classification are to be announced Sunday. Regional finals will be a single elimination game instead of a best-of-three series as in recent years. The site assignments and championship schedule will be announced following completion of the Regional Championships. J.P. Riddle is a state championship host site for the first time.
TENNIS NWC CHAMPIONSHIPS
MOUNT AIRY — Bishop McGuinness’ Lourdes Lopez captured the singles title Thursday in the Northwest 1A Conference girls tennis championships at Mount Airy.
Lindsey Bergelin took third place in the singles bracket, while Izzy Ross and Allie Dennen were third in the doubles bracket. They all qualified for the 1A West regional June 18-19 at Mount Airy.
TRIAD — Fourteen area players were selected to the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association All-District teams.
1A — High Point Christian’s Lexi Hall (1A Pitcher of the Year) and Mary Douglas Hayworth
2A — Ledford’s Averee Atkins and Juli Motsinger; Oak Grove’s Carly White, Julie Gadd, Shae Grainger, Alissa Russ, Aliyah Compton (2A Co-Player of the Year) and Allie Johnston
4A — High Point Central’s Abbie Behe and Kori Lemon; Glenn’s Erika Clinard and Sydney Parsons.