West girls, North boys favored in upcoming track meet

West Rowan’s boys did it last year. Now it might be the West girls’ turn.

It’s the 33rd annual Rowan County track and field meet, set Tuesday at the East Rowan stadium, and the teams to beat appear to be the West girls and perennially strong North boys.

West’s girls have never won the county meet, which first included girls teams in 1979. The Falcons have finished second only once, in 1990.

Coach Mike Young’s girls, led by sophomore sensation Sherina Steele, lead the county in only two events, but the Falcons have excellent depth.

Steele broke West school records in one meet last week when she long jumped 17 feet, 11 inches, triple jumped 36 feet and ran the 100-meter hurdles in 15.69 seconds.

Steele is the county long jump leader ahead of North All-American LaTasha Pharr, who has been battling a hamstring injury and may not compete in the county meet.

West’s other county leader is Ashley Haithcock with a time of 2:45.91 in the 800.

Falcons rank second in the shot put, triple jump, 100, 400, 1600, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles and third in the discus, high jump, 200 and 3200.

A key to victory for West could be in the relays, where the Falcons aren’t highly ranked. Young feels his team can make a stronger showing in the 400, 800 and 1600 relays this week.

North could challenge the Falcons if Pharr were to be in top form. She leads the county in the triple jump and 100 hurdles and is the county record-holder in the triple jump and both hurdles.

Without her, the Cavaliers would probably battle Salisbury and South Rowan for second place.

Host East is the defending champion.

The only county record-breaker in the meet will be South pole vaulter Amanda Shirley, who cleared 9-91/2 last week for a county and school mark. Shirley has cleared 10-6 in practice and is hoping to top 10 feet in a meet this season.

On the boys side, West snapped North’s 12-year streak of championships in 2000, but coach Robert Steele’s Cavaliers appear ready to reclaim the title.

North athletes lead the county in seven events — Malachi Brown in the 100, Thomas Mashore in the 200, Jason McDowell in the 800, freshman Terry Wood in the triple jump, Graham Hosch (tied) in the high jump, the 400 relay and 800 relay.

However, Mashore came up with an injury during practice last week and did not compete in Saturday’s North Rowan Track Classic, and Brown sustained an injury during Saturday’s meet. Without the two sprinters, North could be challenged by the Falcons.

The meet starts at 4 p.m. with field events. Running events will get under way at 5.