Franklin junior LesLeigh Tabor.
REYNOLDS – Franklin junior LesLeigh Tabor gets the respect afforded a state champion since February.
“It’s weird,” Tabor said.
“People know who I am. The girls I’m competing against ask about it before we start throwing.”
Tabor brought home gold in the girls shot put from the Feb. 13 NCHSAA 1-A/2-A indoor track meet and won that same event at Saturday’s Blue Ridge Classic.
Western North Carolina’s largest annual track meet once again attracted more than 1,000 athletes to Reynolds. For her part, Tabor (39 feet, 1.50 inches) scored a team-high 10 points for the Panthers.
“It’s a good feeling because the competition here was so great,” Tabor said.
“I’m glad I got first.”
The Mallard Creek boys (97 points) and girls (121) were the top teams. Given its sheer size, local winners are sometimes hard to come by at the 14-year-old Blue Ridge Classic, but there were a number of them Saturday in breezy, but pleasant conditions.
Roberson’s Michelle Cobb was named the most valuable performer of the girls meet. She set a Blue Ridge Classic record in the triple jump (38-5) and was the runner-up in the long jump (17-03.25) to fellow Rams junior Elyse King (17-8).
Navy recruit Chesley Krug cleared 11-4 in the pole vault, which is just two inches under her school record at Roberson. The Rams raced to a first-place showing in the 3,200-meter relay (10:11.91).
Reynolds’ Anna Vess, who has signed with N.C. State, sped around her home track twice to take the 800-meter run (2:20.83). Finally, Tuscola senior Brooke Turner won the 1,600-meter run (5:13.19) by less than a second.
“I wasn’t really going for time today, but place,” Turner said.
“I’m happy with my race. The season is going pretty good and it’s really starting to sink in that I’m a senior.”
Turner has not yet decided where she will compete at the next level, but Liberty is one the schools getting a lot of consideration. She owns the area’s fastest time in the 800 (2:16.49) this spring.
College is also on the mind of Asheville High senior Noah Shore. He’s trying to lower his times in the distance events to win a spot on an ACC roster.
Shore helped his cause Saturday with a personal record in the 800-meter run (1:55.85). Shore also won the 1,600-meter run (4:24.28).
“I won at this meet last year, so I was really looking to run more for time today,” Shore said.
“(College recruiting) is scary, but it’s exciting that I keep running faster.”
The Cougars’ 3,200-meter relay (8:23.71) had a 17-second cushion over the rest of the field and Robbinsville senior Jacob Lewis won the high jump (6-2).
Track season is winding down in North Carolina. State meets for NCHSAA and NCISAA schools are the weekend of May 20-21.
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