Kernersville – The NCHSAA State 1A Womens Championship was supposed to have been a two runner race. A rematch of last years one two finish between Lauren Tolbert of Highland Tech and Briley Bickerstaff of Riverside. In the 2020 Championships Tolbert edged Bickerstaff to take the 1A Individual Championship. With both Tolbert and Bickerstaff juniors in 2020, most everyone was looking forward to the 2021 edition.
The problem was a freshman from Swain High School wrecked their plans. Arizona Blankenship despite being left off of the race preview for the Western Regional runners, a race she won by the way by beating Tolbert, shocked many by taking the 1A Championship.
For most of the race Blankenship, Tolbert and Bickerstaff were neck and neck. But Blankenship pulled away over the final 800 meters to finish in a time of 19:06.19. Bickerstaff took second in 19:14.81 with Tolbert third at 19:50.63.
While AZ’s time was not her best of the season, it was good enough to set a new course record for a newly laid out championship course at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex.
It also concluded her freshman campaign in which she ran six races and won all six. That included the Smoky Mountain Conference Championship, the Western Regional Championship and the NCHSAA 1A State Championship.
The State Championship is the first ever for a women’s cross country runner at Swain High School. Blankenship’s finish also anchored her team leading them to the first women’s team cross country State Championship.
To say the least it was an exciting history making season for the freshman.