It has been 25 years since the Orange men’s outdoor track and field team had a runner win a state championship.
This Friday, Gabriel Schmid will look to end that drought. If this academic year is any indication, the smart money may be on him.
On Friday, Schmid continued an incredibly impressive year by winning two regional titles at the 3A Mideast Track and Field Championships at Franklinton High School.
Schmid cruised to victory in the 3,200 meters with a time of 9:11.10. He finished a full 37 seconds ahead of Corbin Weeks of Union Pines. Logan Trotten-Lancaster of Union Pines came in third at 9:56.77. Last year, Schmid finished second in the regionals behind his own teammate, Spencer Hampton of Orange.
Schmid also won the regional championship in the 1,600 meters at 4:23.96. Northwood’s Noah Nileson came in second at 4:28.71.
In addition, Orange sophomore Ja’Ki McDaniels earned a spot to the 3A State Championships this Friday at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. McDaniels came in third in the long jump at 21-feet, 6.5 inches. Kaleb Lucas of the Durham School of the Arts finished first at 22-feet, nine inches. Trenton Wiley of Eastern Alamance finished second at 21-feet, 11.5-inches.
McDaniels almost qualified for the state championships in the triple jump. His best leap of 40-feet-4,25 inches was good enough for fifth place. A.J. Allen of Southern Nash got fourth place, and the final state championship spot, at 40-feet-7.5 inches.
Isaiah Seymour, a senior who started the past two seasons for the Orange men’s basketball team, qualified for the state championships in the triple jump. Seymour finished third in the triple jump at 40-feet, ten-inches. He also came in eleventh in the long jump. Donovan Estes of Franklinton finished first at 44-feet-,6.25-inches.
Seymour’s brother, Issac, qualified for the state indoor track and field championships in February in the high jump. Issac Seymour finished 12th in the high jump in the outdoor regionals on Friday.
Schmid has had one of the greatest years for any runner in Orange High history. He won the 3A State Cross Country championship last November, finishing first at 15:44.28, a full 16 seconds ahead of runner-up Stephen Fernetti of North Lincoln. He became the first state cross country champion for Orange since Bradsher Wilkins in 1998.
Wilkins was also the last Orange runner to win a state championship in outdoor track and field. In 1998, Bradsher was named the Most Outstanding Performer at the State Championships when he won the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Jamar Davis was the last Orange competitor to win an outdoor state championship. Davis was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the 2018 NCHSAA 3A State Championships when he captured the state championships in the long jump and the triple jump. Davis also competed in the Penn Relays in his senior season. He is currently in his final season at N.C. State, where he recently won the triple jump in the Penn Relays.
Schmid started the year winning the Early Bird Challenge in cross country on August 20. After winning the 3A State Cross Country Championships, he qualified for the Indoor State Championships by finishing 14th at the New Balance Dash for Doobie 3,200 in Pfafftown. In December, Schmid ran in the Nike Cross Country Nationals in Portland, OR.
Orange had other competitors nearly reach the state championships. Aiden Viola came in eighth in the 800 meters at 2:04.84.
Myles Jermyn almost earned a ticket to Greensboro in the 1,600 meters. He finished 5th at 4:30.09. Corbin Weeks of Union Pines finished fourth to take the final spot for the state championships at 4:29.57.
Freshman Lucas Van Mater of Orange came in sixth in the 3,200 meters at 10:00.96. Peter Musser crossed the finish line in 10th at 10:28.87.
Edgar Ibarra, who was the only Cedar Ridge Red Wolf to qualify for regionals, finished 14th in the 3,200 meters at 11:09.33.
In addition to Sampey’s near-miss in the pole vault, Orange freshman Liam Van Schaick finished fifth at 9-feet.