Ponder leads Mount Tabor boys in 3A, Green Hope takes 4A

By Mary Albl and Ka'Deem Wynn of DyeStat

Mount Tabor's Cameron Ponder continued his strong season Saturday at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville as he won his first North Carolina State Cross Country title. 

The senior, No. 30 in the latest DyeStat rankings, clocked 15 minutes, 19.7 seconds to win the 3A crown and lead Mount Tabor to a team championship. Ponder ran up front with David Melville of Northern Guilford and Laderique McNeil of Harnett Central, but used a late move to pull away from them.

In 3A girls, T.C. Roberson's Elise Wright won in 18:03.5, while Chapel Hill had five girls in the top 25 to win the team title. Runner-up Katherine Dokholyan led Chapel Hill. 

In 4A boys, John Tatter of R.J. Reynolds turned in a strong performance, clocking 15:20.1 to win by more than 25 seconds.

Green Hope, No. 20 in the DyeStat national team rankings, put all five runners in the top 19 (2-6-7-11-19) to easily win the team crown with 43 points.

Junior Natalie Tyner of Laney claimed the 4A title in 17:41, the fastest time of the day for any girl, while Cardinal Gibbons won with 62 points. Tyner won by 27 seconds. She broke away from Apex's Calli Parlier and Pinecrest freshman Carmen Alder late in the race.  

The 2A boys senior Nathan Richards of Franklin ran 16:05.7 to win. North Lincoln claimed the team championship. 

Senior Mariah Howlett of Lake Norman Charter ran 18:03.4 to guide her team to a 2A state title. Lake Norman placed four runners in the top 25.

In 1A, Conrad Phillips of Pine Lake ran 16:09.7 to win, while Bishop McGuinness claimed the team title.

For the girls, Franklin Academy's Caitlyn Burkett guided her team to a championship as she won in 19:16.9. Three girls placed in the top 10 for Franklin Academy. 

RESULTS - Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A  | Class 1A

Team Champions

Boys 4A - Green Hope 43 points

Girls 4A - Cardinal Gibbons 62 points

Boys 3A - Mount Tabor 72 points

Girls 3A - Chapel Hill 62 points

Boys 2A - North Lincoln 58 points

Girls 2A - Lake Norman Charter 66 points

Boys 1A - Bishop McGuinness 51 points

Girls 1A - Franklin Academy 36 points