Shuler looking to repeat; 7 qualify for 1A meet
* State indoor track preview
Cherokee – No matter what, state championships seemed to elude Zoie Shuler’s freshman season.
It did not take long for the redheaded super-athlete to grow tired of the trend. Though she was the recipient of the outdoor track and field’s Most Outstanding Female Athlete award in June 2021, her goals were much loftier.
Shuler quickly steered the ship back on course. Her first state championship came last season, after she leapt 17 feet, 2 ½ inches to capture the 1A/2A long-jump indoor title Feb. 11, 2022. Just over three months later, she found herself atop the podium at the state outdoor meet for her efforts in not only the long jump (18 feet, 7 inches), but the triple (39 feet, 9 ¼ inches, a 1A state record) as well.
Yes, she has committed to carry her softball expertise across U.S. 129 to the University of Tennessee. But now that she is another year older, faster and stronger, Shuler is a legitimate threat to repeat as the jumping queen at the state indoor meet Saturday in Winston-Salem. She enters as the No. 1 seed in the long (17 feet, 10 inches) and triple (38 feet, 10 ½ inches) jumps, and turned a lot of heads Jan. 11 when she leapt 5 feet, 5 inches in the high jump at an indoor meet in Bryson City.
Shuler will also join 4x200 relay teammates Claire Barlow (seeded eighth in the long jump, 10th in the triple), Kensley Phillips and Delaney Brooms (who has a No. 5 seed in pole vault). Phillips, Brooms, Katie-Lyn Gross and Anna Williams are also seventh in the rankings for the 4x400 relay.
Also making the trek to the JDL Fast Track will be Robbinsville’s sole boys qualifier, sophomore Caden Lail (No. 8 seed, pole vault).
The 1A/2A indoor track state championship meet begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11.
All-Conference
The Knights left Friday’s Smoky Mountain Conference Championship Meet at Cherokee with several divisional accolades.
Shuler was named All-Conference in both the long and triple jumps, while also receiving an Honorable Mention in the high jump. Barlow collected honorable mentions in both the long and triple jumps, and joined Williams, Phillips and Shuler in the 4x200 All-Conference effort.
Cooper Adams was Robbinsville’s only All-Conference boys athlete, thanks to his showing in the long jump. Adams received honorable mentions for his showing in the 300-meter dash, as well as his part of the 4x200 tandem (also comprised of Lail, Logan Hooper and Bruce Helms). Lail also was named an Honorable Mention in the pole vault.