Farlow, Corea earn state track titles

GREENSBORO — The pinnacle for any student-athlete participating in an individual sport in high school is winning a state championship. Randolph County had two state champions in the recently completed NCHSAA State Track Meets.

Randleman High School junior Chase Farlow captured the high jump in the 2-A classification and Eastern Randolph sophomore Mirianna Corea earned the state 1-A discus title.

Farlow’s title came after he cleared 6 feet, 8 inches.

“It’s important just to keep focus because a lot of times the event will stop for people to go to other events,” said Farlow, who also placed 11th in the long jump. “You have to stay focused with what you are trying to accomplish.”

Farlow, who competed in the high jump, long jump, triple jump, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, the 4 x 100-meter relay and the 4 x 200-meter relay during the regular season for the Tigers, said he spends the majority of time in practice on his jumping. 

He qualified for the state tournament last year and finished fifth as a sophomore and deducted he had a good shot this year considering three of those who finished higher than him last year had graduated.

When he won the title this year, Farlow said he didn’t show a lot of emotion.

“It took awhile for it to set in to be honest,” Farlow said. “I didn’t get that excited. I wasn’t ecstatic or anything. Honestly, I’m more excited now than when I won it.”

Farlow now sets his sights on national competition as he continues to work out with the Mid-City Track and Field Team out of Asheboro. That meet will also be held at the NC A&T Track.

Corea finished third at the Midwest Regional title and said she was actually stunned when her discus toss at the state meet was measured at 118-08 feet, more than 10 feet past her personal best.

“It felt really smooth coming off the hand and I thought I did 110 (feet), ” Corea said. “Once he said 118, I was like, ‘Me?’ My jaw was on the floor.”

That toss came in the opening round of 16 competitors, which advanced the top nine to the finals. Corea had to wait to see if her throw in the first round would stand.

The weather may have played a key role in Corea’s title. The meet was scheduled for Saturday, but postponed until Monday because of rainy conditions. This allowed Corea, who was suffering from a sore neck, a couple of more days of rehab.

When Monday came, she said she knew what she had to do.

“My mindset was to just stay focused and if I made a mistake, not to get down on myself,” Corea said. “My focus was to keep God first and He would make a way for me.”

Shrugging off a negative throw came into play as she scratched on her second of three opening-round throws. It was her third that she set the highest mark in the state.

Then she watched as eight others tried to best her mark in the finals.

“One of the girls was a two-time champion in the discus and it had me nervous,” Corea said. “I knew she could throw it further than 118. I knew I had my 118 set, but I was still a little bit nervous.”

The second place thrower managed a toss of 115-05.

“I couldn’t believe it, it didn’t feel real,” Corea said. “My goal was to be in the top four. This is crazy. I thank God so much. I’m very blessed.”