Record-setting Asheboro girl moves at fast pace on track

Jalaya Showers of Asheboro has become a record-setting sprinter. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – Jalaya Showers has been a headliner for the Asheboro girls’ track and field team.

She’s not alone among the Blue Comets.

“This team is gunning for all the records,” coach Vincent Cable said.

Asheboro set a brisk pace in many events in capturing the Randolph County Championships on Tuesday.

Showers, a sophomore who recently became a school record-holder sprinter, won the 100 and 200 meters and participated on two winning relays.

Asheboro had an overwhelming edge in points among the seven teams, scoring 184 to runner-up Providence Grove’s 111 even though the teams tied during a tri-meet earlier this season. Randleman placed third with 92.

“We expected to do well,” Cable said. “The big meets like this, we throw the full force.”

In the 100, Showers led a 1-2-3 Asheboro sweep, winning in 12.44 seconds, sprinting ahead of Sion Murrain (12.95) and Ey’Mya Cheek (13.45). Showers won the 200 in 26.11.

Showers set the Asheboro school record in the 100 earlier in the month in the Timberwolf Invitational at Montgomery Central. She posted a time of 12.25.

“I was hoping to get it,” she said. “I’ve just been working to break it since I was a freshman.”

That shattered a 12-year-old record that had been held by Kyosha Lowery.

Showers has been growing in prominence.

“Every meet I go to, they’re like ‘that’s that girl,’ ” she said. “I’ve been running since I was 9, I’m kind of used to it.”

In the county meet, Asheboro also gained individual victories from Nyla Price in both the 100 hurdles (18.56) and 300 hurdles (53.25). Teammate Lai George won the pole vault at 6-6.

The Blue Comets won the 800 relay in 1:49.88 with Sayre Smith, Murrain, Cheek and Showers.

In the 400 relay, Annissa Goldston joined Murrain, Cheek and Showers to win in 50.67. That marked Goldston’s debut with the track team as she also plays for Asheboro’s girls’ soccer team.

Randleman’s Gracie Beane was the meet’s top scorer in individual events, winning three of those.

Beane was the top high jumper at 5 feet, 2 inches, long jumper at 16-7 and triple jumper at 36-10. She placed second in the 200 (27.46).

Auman Jensen of Providence Grove had nearly a 20-second edge in the 1,600 with a time of 6:19.66 and she won the 3,200 by more than two minutes in 13:04.33.

Providence Grove’s Laurel Bernhardt, Aaliyah Burpee, Auman and Abbey Lewis were on the winning 3,200 relay (12:02.98). The Patriots won the 1,600 relay in 4:50.01 with Kenzi Mundy, Bernhardt, Reese Davis and Lewis.

Eastern Randolph’s Mirianna Corea won the throws, tossing the discus 95-6 and the shot put 31-10.

Randleman’s Aubri Hill was first in the 800 (2:52.57) and Trinity’s Kayla Franklin captured the 400 in 1:06.00.