Prep indoor track preview: What makes Cuthbertson’s program run so well?
Around 200 athletes were warming up one recent afternoon on the track behind Cuthbertson High School.
It looked like a multi-team track and field meet was about to begin.
Except this wasn’t a multi-team event. The 200-plus athletes were from a single team – perennial track and field powerhouse Cuthbertson.
“And we actually had to make cuts this year,” Cavaliers head coach Dustin Allen said.
Allen added, “Success breeds success.”
Cuthbertson won the boys’ indoor track and field state championship in 2022 and ’23. The Cavaliers captured the girls’ indoor title in 2022, ’23 and ’24.
And Cuthbertson also owns multiple state championships in cross-country and in outdoor track and field.
Suffice it to say that a big chunk of the hardware in the school’s trophy case has been earned by student-athletes who run, jump and heave large objects.
It’s probably safe to say the Cavaliers will be adding to the trophy collection this season.
“If you’re going to run track here at Cuthbertson, you’re expected to be part of the indoor team too, unless you’re involved in another winter sport,” said Allen, in his 11th season as head of the track and field program.
As seems to be the case each season, the Cavaliers have some standout athletes again this season.
Tommy Pringle II, a junior, high-jumped 7 feet last year. That was No. 1 in North Carolina and third-best nationally.
Three members of the girls’ 4-by-800 relay team that finished second in the state last season return.
Also back are long-jumper Aja Jones; Mariah Joiner, who was fourth in the 300-meter state finals last season as a freshman; and a pair of standout pole vaulters in junior Ryder Sgheiza and senior Thomas LeNoble.
And that’s just scratching the surface.
“I think the culture here is a big reason why we succeed and have a big team,” said senior Sophie Hoang, team captain and a state title contender in the jumping events. “We try to have a family culture. It extends down to the middle school.”
LeNoble added,” Track is simply very popular here. Being here is the place to be.”
With his sophomore season, Pringle is gathering plenty of attention.
“I’m aiming to better that,” he said. “It’s really a matter of preparing yourself. The coaches here are a lot of help.”
While the sport is called “indoor,” and the state championships and other major meets take place indoors, a few winter meets are outdoor events. And, of course, practice is outdoors most days.
“We have warmup clothes and jackets,” Hoang said. “And we’ll bring coats and hand-warmers.”
“The thing to remember,” Hoang added with a smile, “is that everyone else is cold too.”
Indoors or outdoors, the Cavaliers say the eventual goal is the same.
“We want to be state champions,” Pringle said.
“That’s why we put in all the work,” Sgheiza added. “It takes a lot of preseason work, and we try to put it in.”
Boys’ indoor track and field
(all teams and individuals listed alphabetically)
Teams to watch
Charlotte Christian: The defending N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association champion gets a big boost with the return of senior Jamal Rule, defending state champ at 500 meters and runner-up at 300 meters. Sprinter Clete Saylor is another standout on what will be a younger Knights team than in recent seasons.
Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers were state champions in 2022 and ’23 and finished second last season. Coach Dustin Allen has plenty of standouts, including high-jumper Tommy Pringle II, who ranks No. 7 nationally
Mallard Creek: The Mavericks are defending 4A state champions and have plenty of returning talent, including hurdlers Nyan Brown (defending champ at 55 meters) and Roderick Orr. Also back are several members of relay teams that won state championships or finished near the top. And Kenniel Hall, the school’s record-holder at 1,000 meters, leads the Mavericks’ distance contingent.
Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks finished third a year ago and will have Aiden Smith, who recently topped the field in two hurdles events in a meet at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem. The Mavericks also had strong performances in several relay events in that meet.
Athletes to watch
Nyan Brown, Mallard Creek, senior: Brown is coming off a state-championship season in the 55-meter hurdles (7.28).
Hudson Lewis, Providence, senior: Lewis was among the area’s best in the triple jump last season, finishing 10th in the state.
Tommy Pringle II, Cuthbertson, junior: Pringle high-jumped 7-0 last year, and that was No. 1 in the state and No. 3 nationally.
Aiden Smith, Marvin Ridge, senior: Smith won the 55-meter and 300-meter hurdles events in the Marvin Ridge Invitational two weeks ago. He figures to be a state title contender.
Jamal Rule, Charlotte Christian, senior: A standout running back who has committed to Nebraska, Rule also has excelled in track. He is defending state champ at 500 meters, with the ninth-best time nationally a year ago (1:04.07) and was second in the 300 meters.
Clete Saylor, Charlotte Christian, junior: He’ll anchor the Knights’ efforts in the sprints, where Charlotte Christian traditionally is very strong.
Newcomers to watch
Christopher Burns, Myers Park, junior: He finished seventh in the 3,200-meter state finals last season.
Ryder Sgheiza, Cuthbertson, junior: A pole-vaulter who could challenge for the state title this season.
Joey Wynn, Charlotte Christian, sophomore: The No. 1-ranked freshman in the state last year in the 400 meters, he is also a talented hurdler.
Girls’ indoor track and field
(all teams and individuals listed alphabetically)
Teams to watch
Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers fell just short of Providence Day for the NCISAA indoor state crown last season and have some talented runners back, including junior sprinter London Cromartie-Patterson and distance specialists Anne Wyche (a senior) and Laura Kales (a junior).
Cuthbertson: The Cavaliers were state champions in 2022-2024 and finished second to Cardinal Gibbons last year. They have an outstanding team returning, led by jumper Bella-Marie Black.
Mallard Ridge: Coach Antoine Sanders’ team was third last year, behind Cardinal Gibbons and Cuthbertson, and should challenge for the state crown again.
Palisades: The Pumas finished eighth in the state a year ago and return enough talent to contend again. Two names to remember — juniors Marlee Moore and Kira Whitmore, members of the state-championship 4-by-400 team last winter.
Athletes to watch
Asia Artis, Garinger, senior: Artis won the state championship with a leap of 5-7 but had a 5-8 jump earlier in the conference finals.
Kiri Campbell, Metrolina Christian, junior: Campbell ran third in the 300-meter state finals last February.
Kasey Dingman, Lake Norman, senior: A distance specialist, Dingman had the best time in the state at 1,600 meters last season (4:48.32).
Olivia Ferraro, North Lincoln, senior: She is part of a traditionally strong North Lincoln distance corps.
Mariah Jones, Cuthbertson, sophomore: She was fourth as a freshman in the 300-meter state finals last February.
Coryn Tucker, Jay M. Robinson, senior: Tucker was fourth in the 3A 400 meters last year (55.69).
Newcomers to watch
A’rioyanna Battle, Mallard Creek, freshman: She has strong performances to her credit in the triple jump (38-4), long jump (17-5) and high jump (5-2).
Bella-Marie Black, Mallard Creek, sophomore: Black was sixth in the 55-meter dash state finals a year ago.
Aja Jones, Cuthbertson, junior: A long-jumper with the ability to win it all.
Mayah Runkle, Marvin Ridge, junior: Runkle, a pole vaulter, is part of a strong field events group for the Mavericks.
Julie Uher, Charlotte Christian, sophomore: Uher ran fourth in the state at 500 meters as a freshman.
This story was originally published December 2, 2025 at 6:00 AM.