Green Hope Track & Field

The Green Hope Falcons started their 2014-2015 indoor track season with several excellent performances during the first month of the season. In December action, Danyel De Souza got the first state qualifier for the girls team, running a 9.06 in the 55m hurdles. Danyel had also set a school record (7.55) in the 55m dash in the first meet of the season. Lindsey Eastwood set the girls freshman class record in the 500m, running 1:24.91 in her first race at JDL. Lily Redick also set a girls freshman class record with a 4'8" leap in the high jump.

In Polar Bear meets, Sarah Taylor ran a girls 1600m state qualifier with her 5:28.7 effort in the Cary Polar Bear. Two weeks later at the Apex Polar Bear meet, Emily Jordan (5:27.8) also qualified for states in the girls 1600m. The Lady Falcons 4x200m relay team of Allison Williams, Brantley Belk, Mary Newby, and Danyel De Souza ran a fast 1:46.5 to win -- and beat the state qualifying standard.

The boys 4x800m relay team got a qualifying time of their own at the Apex Polar Bear with a solid 8:19. Henry Pehr's 1:59.1 leg led all runners as the GH boys ran alone.

At the JDL meets, Green Hope athletes continued the strong early showing. Several girls who ran their first race following the Nike Cross Nationals hit state qualifying marks: Elly Henes (5:04.26) in the 1600m, Katie Tomasi (3:08.00) and Kayla Hall (3:13.01) in the 1000m, and Theresa Enright (11:18.96) and Morgan Adams (11:28.61) in the 3200m. The girls 4x800m relay team of Elisa Sargent, Brantley Belk, Kayla Hall, and Katie Tomasi also qualified (9:58.40). Allison Williams (1:20.87) took 4th in a fast 500m to qualify for her first state meet. Her time set a new GH sophomore class record. Allison teamed with Danyel De Souza, Elly Henes, and Brantley Belk to post a state-qualifying time in the girls 4x400 (4:14.88).

Henry Pehr made sure that he qualified individually before the holiday break, running a fast 4:29.52 1600m for the win at the JDL Holiday Invite. That time also moved Henry into third in the GH all-time 1600m indoor list, just ahead of his brother Brad ('14).

Mary Newby jumped 15'8" at the JDL Holiday Invite to set a new GH girls sophomore class record in the long jump.

In addition to the early state qualifiers, Green Hope athletes piled up the PRs during the first month of the season, setting the tone for top performances as the new year begins.