Eagles Fly at Regionals: East Bladen Track Qualifies Several for State Meet

Rocky Point, NC - East Bladen's track and field team rose to the occasion at the 1A East Regional Track Meet on Saturday. Competing against some of the best athletes in the classification, the Eagles delivered a strong performance across multiple events — earning a wave of personal records, podium finishes, and most importantly, state qualifications.

One of the standout athletes of the day was Laila Smith, who secured her ticket to the NCHSAA 1A State Championships in two hurdle events. Smith powered her way to second place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.37 seconds, then returned to dominate the 300-meter hurdles, claiming first place with a 50.26 finish.

In the field events, Cabria Baldwin stepped up in a big way. With a clutch throw of 29 feet, 8.5 inches — a new personal record — she finished third in the shot put, punching her ticket to state.

East Bladen's sprint relays were electric all afternoon. The girls' 4x200-meter relay team of Nyasia Banks, Arien Fields, Trinity Kemp, and Montierra Richardson earned second place with a time of 1:54.21. That same core group, with Smith stepping in, also captured third in the 4x100-meter relay at 53.64 seconds, securing another state-qualifying spot.

On the boys' side, Chace Butler continued to turn heads in the sprints. He clocked an 11.16 in the 100-meter dash, good for third place, then followed it up by teaming with Tevin McLean in the 200 meters, where McLean grabbed second place in 22.98 and Butler placed third at 23.34.

Hurdles weren’t just for Laila Smith — Jayden Hawkins also had a breakout day. He achieved personal records in both of his events, finishing second in the 110-meter hurdles at 18.27 and fourth in the 300-meter hurdles with a 44.16.

In the discus circle, Dashon Campbell made his presence known, throwing 115 feet to finish third overall and advance to the state meet.

East Bladen’s boys’ relay teams brought energy and speed to the track. The 4x100-meter relay team of Butler, Dominick Collins, Kewone Maynor, and McLean clocked in at 44.10, grabbing first place and regional gold.

The 4x200-meter team of Collins, Maynor, McLean, and Hawkins also earned first place with an impressive 1:30.03, further showing East Bladen’s sprint depth.

The 4x400-meter relay team — Juanito Alvarado, Xavier Potts, Macurey Sheppard, and Dominick Collins — capped the day with a strong third-place finish in 3:44.19, securing yet another trip to the state finals.

With strong showings across sprinting, hurdling, relays, and field events, East Bladen's track and field squad now sets its sights on the NCHSAA 1A State Championship Meet on Friday, May 16th.

From seasoned sprinters to first-time qualifiers, this group is ready to represent their school and community on the biggest stage.

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Eagles Fly at Regionals: East Bladen Track Qualifies Several for State Meet