Cuthbertson’s Dustin Allen earns more state track titles, is boys coach of the year

Dustin Allen has coached more than a dozen state championship teams in boys and girls cross country and track and field the past five years at Cuthbertson High, but he still is surprised from time to time.

“The boys’ team winning the state indoor championship was a pleasant surprise,” Allen said. “We weren’t sure how the team would do, but they really stepped up.”

Allen is the Observer’s boys high school coach of the year, as his Cuthbertson teams have ruled the state in recent years in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field.

The Cavaliers started the 2022-23 athletic season in November with a girls’ 4A state title in cross country — the fifth in a row for the Union County school. Cuthbertson compiled the lowest (best) team score in the state finals in 12 years.

Then came a sweep of the boys’ and girls’ state titles at the indoor championships in February at Winston-Salem. It was the first for the boys and the fifth in a row for the girls.

And last month in the outdoor track and field championships in Greensboro, Cuthbertson’s girls won, while the boys finished fourth.

Allen said senior Reece Morgan was a key for the boys’ teams.

“He had a huge season,” Allen said. “In the outdoor season, he ran the 100, 200 and 400 meters and the relays.”

Another standout, Allen said, was junior Killian Fahy. He finished second at the indoor state finals in the 300-meter dash and, like Morgan, was a member of the victorious 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams.

“Killian is a member of the Irish National Team and is running in Europe this summer,” Allen said.

The indoor track and field boys’ championship race turned into an all-Union County event, with Cuthbertson (45) points edging out local rivals Porter Ridge (44) and Weddington (42).

“The competition is fierce in Union County, and that helps all of us do better,” Allen said.

He said the Cuthbertson cross country and track programs seem to be self-sustaining.

“I think we’ve got a good program set up, and it just keeps going,” he said. “We get good participation, and people work hard.”

Many of the Cuthbertson standouts competed last weekend in a national-level meet in Philadelphia.

“After that, it’s back to the weight room and then preparing for next season,” Allen said.

Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle