Cavaliers quartet of Bell, Kermes and Preisano sisters ready to challenge fellow North Carolina standouts Dalton and Shaffer, as well as Virginia competitors Lamanna and Zealand in deep field at JDL Fast Track; Adams, Branker, Fahy, Garrett, Hatcher and Laney also looking to produce strong efforts

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

An impressive girls elite mile field Saturday highlights the two-day Mondo Elite High School Invitational at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Cuthbertson High quartet of Charlotte Bell, Stella Kermes, Alyssa Preisano and Justine Preisano looks to continue momentum after already showcasing impressive depth in the 1,000 and 1,600 meters at events in North Carolina and Virginia.

Bell has produced indoor state records of 2:49.32 in the 1,000 and 4:47.84 in the 1,600 this season, along with contributing to the No. 8 all-time U.S. prep indoor 4x800 mark of 8:57.98. All four competitors have run sub-2:56 in the 1,000 and sub-4:56 in the 1,600, ranking in the top eight in North Carolina prep history in the former and top 12 all-time among state indoor performers in the latter.

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The Cuthbertson athletes are scheduled to square off against fellow North Carolina standouts Hannah Rae Shaffer of Cardinal Gibbons and Mary Bonner Dalton of Myers Park, as well as Virginia competitors Allie Zealand of Pacers Homeschool and Zoie Lamanna of Jefferson Forest.

The meet record is 4 minutes, 49.78 seconds established in 2020 by Science Hill of Tennessee graduate Jenna Hutchins.

The North Carolina all-time indoor mile mark is 4:41.56 by Ryen Frazier of Ravenscroft High in 2015. The Virginia state indoor mile record is 4:39.47 produced in 2016 by Kate Murphy from Lake Braddock.

The boys elite mile Saturday also boasts a strong field, led by North Carolina prep standouts Jacob Laney of Porter Ridge, Caden Townshend from Weddington and Dawson Reeves of Christ School.

They are scheduled to race against Knox Young from Greenville High in South Carolina, chasing the meet record of 4:13.67 by Drew Hunter of Loudoun Valley High in Virginia, as well as the all-time JDL prep performance of 4:11.57 achieved in 2018 by Cameron Ponder from Mount Tabor.

Laney is also expected to headline the boys 3,200 field Friday, with the boys 1,000 field including Keegan Smith of Knoxville Catholic and RJ Gajan of Marvin Ridge.

Kermes and the Preisano sisters are also entered Friday in the girls 1,000, with Elizabeth Ritter of Weddington and Page’s Allie Kinlaw scheduled to compete in the girls 3,200.

Akala Garrett of Albemarle High in North Carolina is headlining the elite girls 60-meter hurdles Saturday and Xavier Branker of Ardrey Kell highlights the boys 60 hurdles competition.

Brendan Henby of West Henderson High in North Carolina is entered in the boys 55-meter dash and Sharmelle Holmes of Fairfield Central from South Carolina is the leading competitor in the girls 55-meter field.

Megan Hatcher of Parkland High in North Carolina is scheduled to compete in the 400, 4x200 and 4x400, with Killian Fahy leading an impressive lineup in the boys 400.

Parkland’s Justin Powell is the top entry in the boys 500, with the boys long jump featuring Tyson Adams of West Forsyth, the boys high jump highlighted by Jonathan Koger of Reagan and the boys pole vault including Matthew Gray of Swain County.

The girls elite 800 is led by Caroline Echols of R.J. Reynolds and Hannah Riley of Mount Tabor, followed by the boys elite 800, including Emanuel Williams from Central Academy of Technology and Mount Tabor’s Andrew Burrell.

Competition begins Friday with the 4x800 relays, as the girls race will showcase Webb School of Knoxville in Tennessee racing against North Carolina programs Cardinal Gibbons and Charlotte Country Day.

Charlotte Catholic will compete against Charlotte Country Day and Green Hope in the boys 4x800.