Owen athletes shine at Blue Ridge Classic

Hurt and Jones shine in WNC track and field meet

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
April 24, 2022

Owen junior Elijah Jones celebrates a victory in the 3200 meter race, April 23, in the Blue Ridge Classic, held at A.C. Reynolds High School. Photo by Fred McCormick

Hundreds of athletes representing high schools throughout Western North Carolina descended upon R.L. Dalton Stadium, April 23, to compete in the 18th Annual Blue Ridge Classic.

When the dust settled around AC Reynolds High School, Owen junior Elijah Jones and senior Charlie Hurt each brought a gold medal back to the Swannanoa Valley.

Owen senior Charlie Hurt, who was struck by an errant throw discus in the competition, recovered to take first place in the Blue Ridge Classic with a conference-best 157-foot-2-inch throw. Photo by Fred McCormick

The Warhorses and Warlassies were among the 53 teams from 32 schools to compete in the meet, which included programs from N.C., Tennessee, S.C. and Georgia. Owen athletes quickly made their presence known when the morning session opened on the track with distance running events.

Sophomore Kyle Tilstra represented the Warhorses in the unseeded 3200 meter race, placing 26th among 33 runners. His teammate, Jones, posted a personal record of 9:59.49 to take first place in the nearly two-mile race.

Jones, a two-time Western Highlands Conference Cross Country Runner of the Year who placed fifth in the NCHSAA 1A/2A Indoor State Championship in February, qualified for the event as the No. 2 seed, with a previous personal record of 10:02.39. He faced strong competition early from No. 1 seed Seth Caudill of Asheville and runners from T.C. Roberson and North Iredell, but maintained a steady pace before a strong finish in the final lap.

Jones celebrated with his teammates in front of the Owen tent, just a few yards from the field where Hurt would grab another gold medal with a 157-foot-2-inch discus throw. The senior, who began competing in the event last year when he finished sixth in the state, continued to establish himself as a contender for the NCHSAA 1A/2A Track and Field State Championship meet in May.

Owen senior Charlie Hurt, right, prepares to compete in the discus throw, April 23, at the Blue Ridge Classic. Photo by Fred McCormick

Hurt, who entered the event ranked behind Mountain Heritage junior Jesse Shelton, was struck in the leg by an errant throw early in the competition. He recovered to hurl a conference-best throw, outdistancing Shelton by nearly 3-and-a-half feet.

The Warhorses would go on to finish the meet in eighth place, as freshman Keron Clayton posted a personal record of 23.25 to finish second in the 200 meter dash.

Owen junior Elijah Jones sets the pace on his way to a first-place finish in the 3200 meter run at the 18th Annual Blue Ridge Classic. Jones finished the race with a personal record of 9:59.49. Photo by Fred McCormick

The Warlassies finished 23rd among the competing teams, led by the 4x800 meter relay team of Piper Berry, Lilly Cody, Peyton Draper and Maddie Swanson. The runners notched 3 of their team’s 4 points on the day. Freshman Ashley Currie added to the tally with a personal record of 28.15, finishing eighth in the 200 meter dash.