BLACK MOUNTAIN – Dawson Reeves ’24 got the baton Wednesday night with no realistic chance of catching Rabun Gap’s anchor leg in the 1,600-meter relay.
Here’s the thing though. Several people near the exchange zone saw the 50-yard gap between the two runners and made a variation of the same remark – if anyone could do it, it would be Dawson.
That’s the kind of belief that Dawson instills in himself and others on the Christ School track team and why the Greenies are a contender for this year’s NCISAA Division I state championship.
The meet-ending 1,600 relay was Dawson’s fourth and final event, he won individual conference championships in the 800 (1:56.31), 1,600 (4:24.09), and 3,200 (9:46.50). Big points in the distance events and winning all three jumps allowed the Greenies (159 points) to win their seventh consecutive Carolinas Athletic Association championship over second-place Rabun Gap (113) and the rest of the field at Montreat College.
Wednesday was in all likelihood the last meet in the North Carolina mountains for Dawson, whose hometown is Canton, which is just west of Asheville.
“It’s honestly been so surreal. I couldn’t have asked for a better coach (Randy Ashley), better teammates, a better support system than Christ School,” Dawson said.
“I’m definitely going to miss it. It’s certainly setting in now. Honestly, I am just going to take everything I’ve learned here and apply it to the next level and I think I’ll continue to progress and do great things (at Duke) as well.”
Every other winner in the CAA meet for the Greenies was a first-time conference champion. They were: Noah Henthorn ’24 (discus, 136-6), Bryson Cokley ’24 (long jump, 20-4.75), Tony Murphy ’24 (triple jump, 41-6), and Thomas Vickery ’27 (high jump, 6-2). The Greenies also won the 800-meter relay (1:30.70) and 3,200-meter relay (8:55.13).
Next week’s state meet will be spread out over May 17 and 18 at Cary Academy.
Wednesday at Montreat College
Team scores
1. Christ School 169; 2. Rabun Gap 116; 3. Asheville School 44; 4. Asheville Christian Academy 38; 5. Carolina Day 5.
Individual results (Christ School athletes)
100-meter dash: 4. Jaxon Grieves 11.40; 9. Myles Murphy 11.81; 10. Jaylen Daniels 11.84; 11. Calvin Williams 11.96; 20. Jayden White 12.43; 200-meter dash: 3. Lleyton Thomas-Johnson 22.54; 5. Jaxon Grieves 23.48; 8. Myles Murphy 24.25; 19. Blue Simmons 25.17; 400-meter dash: 3. Tyler Thompson 52.39; 7. Jozohn Price 54.25; 800-meter run: 1. Dawson Reeves 1:56.31; 2. Luke Parrish 2:00.49; 4. Dallas Reeves 2:03.47; 5. Patrick Wang 2:06.30; 1,600-meter run: 1. Dawson Reeves 4:24.09; 2. Luke Parrish 4:27.70; 4. Dallas Reeves 4:34.59; 6. Eyob Gill 4:35.43; 8. Patrick Wang 4:49.21; 12. William Hughes 5:00.10; 3,200-meter run: 1. Dawson Reeves 9:46.50; 3. Eyob Gill 9:59.45; 5. Dallas Reeves 10:29.64; 8. William Hughes 11:17.30; 110-meter high hurdles: 2. Brendan Regan 15.92; 300-meter hurdles: 4. Brendan Regan 42.74; 7. Spencer Thompson 47.48; 12. Tyler Thompson 51.57; 400-meter relay: 2. Christ School 43.86; 800-meter relay: 1. Christ School 1:30.70; 1,600-meter relay: 2. Christ School 3:37.46; 3,200-meter relay: 1. Christ School 8:55.12; High jump: 1. Thomas Vickery 6-2; 2. Cooper Perone 6-0; 3. Lleyton Thomas-Johnson 5-10; 4. Jozohn Price 5-10; 6. Mason Collins 5-6; 8. Jo Ahart 5-6; 9. Carter Compton 5-6; Long jump: 1. Bryson Cokley 20-4.75; 2. Carter Compton 20-2.25; 7. Thomas Vickery 19-2; 11. Lleyton Thomas-Johnson 17-6.25; Triple jump: 1. Tony Murphy 41-6; 3. Myles Murphy 38-8; Pole vault: 2. Jake Landis 10-0; 3. Jakob Jourdan 9-6; 4. Noah Henthorn 9-6; 5. Spencer Thompson 9-0; 6. Heinrich von Wasielewski 8-6; Discus: 1. Noah Henthorn 136-6; 4. Finley Sullivan 124-4; 5. Dawson Thompson 124-4; 9. Luc Madesclaire 112-2; 14. Calvin Williams 93-6; Shot put: 2. Calvin Williams 46-8; 4. Dawson Thompson 44-1; 5. Noah Henthorn 43-8.75; 7. Sam Browder 40-5; 8. Luc Madesclaire 39-8.25.