AHS boys surprise, narrowly miss state track title behind Tyson’s MVP performance

ASHEBORO — Asheboro High School indoor track and field boys coach DeNeal McNair told his student-athletes prior to the NCHSAA state 6-A championship meet that no one knows who are they are now, but they’re going to know all about the Blue Comets track program after the meet.

Was he ever right.

Led by Aaron Tyson, who was named the NCHSAA 6-A most valuable player after registering 29 points, the Blue Comets finished second as a team at the NCHSAA state 6-A Indoor Track & Field Meet held last week at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem.

Tyson, who injured a hamstring in his first event, placed first in the pole vault by setting a North Carolina 6-A state record by clearing 13-0, second in the long jump at 21-8, third in the high jump at 6-2 and fourth in the triple jump at 43-01.5.

He led a group of six Blue Comet boys at the meet as AHS finished with 51 points, just 2.5 points behind Mount Tabor, which had more than double the participants AHS brought to the meet.

“I told the guys you are sleepers, they know nothing about you, but they will today,” said McNair, the veteran leader of the boys team. “I am so proud of them. They were all excited and ready for the outdoor season. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”

It is the best showing at a state meet for an AHS boys team since the 1991 team — featuring Chuckie Simmons and Elliott Armstrong — placed second during the outdoor season.

Tyson was injured during his first event, the long jump. He tweaked a hamstring, which certainly bothered him the rest of the day.

McNair said he was impressed with the grit Tyson showed after the injury.

“He’s tough,” McNair said. “We rested all week. That is any coach’s biggest fear, getting hurt during championship week. The trainer looked at it. He dried the tears, sucked it up and showed a lot of heart in those last three events.

“He’s one of those generational talents,” McNair continued. “We talked about this before Christmas break that there was a possibility of us winning the state because I knew he would score big in his events.”

Caden Kutschenko also had a big meet with a third in the long jump (21-6.5) and 10th in the triple jump (39-04.5). He was also the recipient of the NCHSAA 6-A Sportsmanship Award.

Also placing for the Blue Comets were Jamarion Balfour, who was third in the shot put (47-06.5); Boone Hinesley, who was sixth in the shot put (46-01.5); Michael Mark, who was fourth in the 55-meter hurdles (7.88); and JuanPablo Munoz, who was seventh in the shot put (46-01).

In the girls 6-A meet, AHS’ Jalaya Showers finished third in the 55-meter dash and fourth in the long jump (16-07.25).

“It was funny because when they were reading off the scores prior to the last relay, we were in first at that time and he said Asheboro like he was stunned we were in first,” McNair said.