Berry boys keep Ardrey Kell from SoMeck 8 4A track title sweep

Winning is nothing new to Ardrey Kell’s girls’ track team, but it is for Berry Academy’s boys’ track team.

Both came away with team titles at the SoMeck 8 4A championship meet Thursday at West Mecklenburg High.

Berry’s boys beat out defending champion Ardrey Kell, Providence and Olympic to give first-year coach LaSonya Collins her first team championship.

Berry, which won a meet-best seven events, finished with 159 points to 139.5 for Ardrey Kell, 137.5 for Providence and 109.5 for Olympic.

“I just gave them the tools to get it done,” Collins said. “We did the work, and today it happened. Everybody put it on the track. This is the first time we came together as a team. They ran, they jumped and they threw for each other today.”

Berry sprinter William Perkins was named the meet’s most outstanding boys’ athlete after he won the 200 and 400 meters.

Ardrey Kell had an even closer finish in winning its fourth girls’ conference title in six years, beating defending champion Olympic by 17.5 points (179-161.5). Providence was third at 114.5.

Ardrey Kell and Olympic each won five events, but the Knights’ advantage came from their depth, according to coach Brian Zelk.

“We’ve always wanted to be a complete team – not just getting those first places, but we want those lower places, too,” Zelk said. “If we can package three or more scores, that’s as good as a first place.”

Ardrey Kell sprinter Lindsay Wheeler earned the meet’s most outstanding girls’ athlete after she swept the 100, 200 and 400.

Worth mentioning

Olympic’s Amaka Awuruonye also won three events – the girls’ triple jump and the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. … Two other girls won two events each: Providence’s Grace Sullivan (800 and 1,600) and Olympic’s Khayla Dawson (shot put and discus). … Four other boys won two events each: Ardrey Kell’s Jared Hunt (shot put and discus), Berry’s Brent Carroll (110- and 300-meter hurdles), South Mecklenburg’s Haywood Ferguson (1,600 and 3,200), and Olympic’s Jeremiah Dorsey (100 and long jump).

What’s next?

The NCHSAA 4A West Regional will be May 2 at Watauga High in Boone. The top four finishers in each event will advance to the state championships May 9 at N.C. A&T’s Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro.

This story was originally published April 23, 2015 at 10:27 PM with the headline "Berry boys keep Ardrey Kell from SoMeck 8 4A track title sweep."