Burke County athletes, coaches claim six WPC 3A/4A superlatives

The Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference recently announced its all-conference teams for the spring sports of softball and boys and girls track and field, while Burke County squads also announced their all-conference selections in three other sports.

Altogether, six Burke student-athletes or coaches claimed top individual awards from their leagues, and 36 total county athletes appeared on the latest all-conference lists.

After sweeping both team titles, East Burke cleaned up in the WPC track awards, with senior Kendale Cook and junior Kendall McFalls both being named sprinter of the year and overall MVP and coaches Joshua Martin (boys) and Bob Ogle (girls) winning coach of the year honors.

Cook won the boys 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, and 200 meters at the WPC championship meet last month, while McFalls claimed titles in the girls 100, 200, and 400 meters.

The remainder of EB’s All-WPC track performers included (boys) Jesiah Rees, Elijah Baker, Josh Hicks, RJ Williams, Cash Oyola, Alex Hernandez, and Bryson Church as well as (girls) Emmonie Haith, Juleighanah Parker, Winter Hicks, Gracie Smith, Airah Burkhalter, Sarabeth Bradley, and Jordan Auldredge

Patton was represented by Nora Wykle, Hannah Huggins, and Julia Niehoff, and Draughn’s Anna Cape and Adelei Morrow were also named All-WPC, while neither school had any All-WPC boys track selections.

In softball, Draughn senior cleanup hitter and right fielder Ava Aldridge was named WPC player of the year and was joined on the all-conference team by senior teammates Avie Helton and Cydnee Deal plus juniors Braylen Clontz and Lindsey Hensley.

Aldridge this spring hit for a .391 average with 20 extra-base hits (13 doubles, five triples, two home runs), 34 RBIs, and 28 runs scored as the Lady Wildcats enjoyed their best ever season on the diamond.

East Burke’s Amanda McLean and Patton’s Jolann Buff were also named All-WPC in softball.

The All-WPC baseball team — with local selections announced by local coaches and the complete list still unavailable with league member East Rutherford playing for a second straight state title this weekend — was headlined by pitcher of the year Cohen Christian, a Patton senior right-handed starter.

Christian was 10-0 on the mound with a miniscule 1.43 ERA this past season (including 3-0 in the playoffs) as he set the PHS records for strikeouts both in a single season (108) and for his career (278). He also shined at the plate, batting .398 with 12 extra-base hits (six doubles, four triples, two home runs), 25 RBIs, and 12 runs.

Also earning All-WPC baseball accolades were Patton seniors Trevor Throneburg, Brady Davis, and Laine Barrier, East Burke senior Jonas Weidner and juniors Maddox Mosteller and Colt Butcher, and Draughn junior Nolan Ballard.

And in the Northwestern 6A/7A Conference, Freedom announced that junior Alex Wall was named to the all-conference baseball team, with senior Kaden Michaels, junior Luke Miller, and sophomore Puckett Hudson being named honorable mention.

Meanwhile, Freedom seniors Rhiley Buchanan and Abigayle Gibson were named All-NWC in softball. The complete All-NWC diamond lists were unavailable with both South Caldwell teams vying for state titles this weekend.

NCSSM-M earns six state academic awards

A whopping total of six NCSSM-Morganton teams in 2025-26 claimed NCHSAA Team Scholar-Athlete state awards, courtesy of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s “Click It or Ticket” initiative, the NCHSAA recently announced.

Awards are presented to teams earning each sport’s three highest composite, unweighted grade point averages statewide. A first-place award secures $250, along with $150 and $100, for second and third places, respectively.

The Dragons boys basketball team was first statewide with a 3.82 GPA, while girls outdoor track (3.92), boys outdoor track (3.87), and girls swimming (3.85) were each second and boys tennis (3.87) and boys indoor track (3.72) both placed third.

All first-place teams will be recognized at the NCHSAA Annual Celebration on June 10 in Greensboro.

Youth track camp runs the next three weeks

Freedom girls track and cross country coach Samantha Martin is offering a local track training camp to prepare local kids for this summer’s annual Hickory Track Series.

The camp will be held at the FHS track and will run the next three weeks on Mondays and Tuesdays, concluding June 16. It is open to all Burke County children from ages 6 to 18.

Sessions will be offered each day in two time slots, both from 3:30-5 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m., and registration cost is $100 (with a discount available for multiple siblings), which includes a track bag and shirt.

For more information, contact Martin at 828-448-2479 or at samanthaburns1206@gmail.com.

Morganton’s Adams, Stout win Pathways 5K

Morganton residents Taylor Adams and Jessi Stout won the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, at the fifth annual Positive Pathways Mental Health Awareness 5K on May 23 in downtown Morganton.

The 31-year-old Adams, who earlier this spring had also won the Burke Sunrise Rotary Club’s Strides for STRIVE 5K in Morganton, completed the course in a time of 18 minutes, 17 seconds.

Stout, 42, cruised in the women’s division, as her 21:24 clocking beat the next-fastest female to the finish line by over a minute.

Other local division winners at the race were Ashyln Davis (female 14 and under), Frank Harrelson (male 15-19), Lilah Johnson (female 15-19), Alex Tzic (male 20-29), Michael Stout (male 40-49), Amy Vaughn (female 50-59), Charles Martin (male 50-59), and Amy Brooks (female 60 and up).