Kedrick Davis' speed and Brett Squibbs' pole vaulting ability were unmatched by nearly everyone in the Carolinas, and is the reason both are the All-Observer Boys' Runner and Field Event Athlete of the Year, respectively.

Davis blazed through competition, winning the N.C. 2A championship, the N.C. 2A Midwest Regional, the Rocky River 1A/2A title and the Dick Williams Invitational this season.

The state meet, though, is where Davis stood out. His winning time of 10.47 seconds set the N.C. 2A meet record and he ran on two winning relay teams (400 and 800) that also set meet records.

His 100-meter performance was second-best in North Carolina this season regardless of classification and third-best in the Carolinas.

In the relays, he teamed with fellow juniors Terrance Winchester, Germone Hopper, and N.C. 2A 200-meter champion Camron Hudson to win the 400 relay in a record 41.78, and Davis ran with Winchester, Hopper, and N.C. 2A 400-meter champion Larry Gibson to win the 800 relay in a record 1:26.14.

Squibbs was just as dominant in the pole vault, winning the event at the S.C. 3A championship, York County championship, the S.C. 3A qualifying meet, the Region 4 3A title, the Trojan Relays at rival Rock Hill Northwestern and the prestigious Taco Bell Invitational that attracts schools throughout the Southeast and some from the Northeast.

The height of his vault, though, is what set him apart from other field event athletes. Rarely does anyone in the Carolinas top 16 feet. In fact, only eight vaulters had topped the barrier before this season. His vault of 16 feet was second-best in the Carolinas this season and ranked only behind Summerville's Taylor Abernathy, who vaulted 16-1 at the S.C. 4A championships.

The All-Observer boys' coaches of the year are Berry's Jonathan Simmons and longtime North Rowan coach Robert Steele.

Before this season, Berry had only won two events at the state meet (one last year in the boys' 3,200 relay and a 4A title when Charles Johnson won the boys' shot put in 2006), but Simmons directed the Cardinals to a stunning eight event titles at this year's meet, including becoming the first 2A school to ever sweep all four relays and only the second team in all classifications.

Steele, who returned to North Rowan last year after retiring from coaching at the school in 2004, guided the boys' team to the N.C. 1A championship, the first title for the school since 2007 and first for Steele since leading the Cavaliers to seven state outdoor titles and three state indoor titles between 1994 and 2004. Steele, in his 30th year of coaching, was the All-Observer girls' coach of the year in 2010 when he guided North Rowan to the 1A title.