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ELIZABETH CITY – Back-to-back champions!

The Hertford County High School men’s track and field team have repeated their effort from last year by once again winning the Northeastern Coastal Conference Championship.

The 2025 event was held April 30 in Elizabeth City.

Led by head coach Orrin Gatling, now a two-time Coach of the Year, the Bears solidified their dominance in the conference with grit, pride, and unmatched teamwork.

The men’s team delivered a commanding performance, scoring 107 points to secure first place out of eight teams in the conference.

HCHS senior Gianni Gomez was named the conference’s Male Track & Field Athlete of the Year, nearly breaking the school long jump record, missing it by less than two inches, and delivering standout performances in multiple events.

Gomez won the long jump (23’-0”) and the triple jump (42’-7.5”).

Other top performers for HCHS were as follows:

Kunari Tann – 1st place, 100m dash (10.95 seconds).

Ramello Roberson – 1st place, 300m hurdles (41.34 seconds) and third in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 15.76 seconds, six-tenths of one second from first place.

Xzaviah Lassiter-Reid – 2nd place, Discus (141 feet).

Jamel Stephenson placed third in the triple jump (40’-9”).

HCHS claimed third place in the 4×200 (1:33.51 minutes), the 4×400 (3:40.27 minutes), and the 4×800 (9:35.01 minutes) meter relays.

Coach Gatling reflected on the team’s effort, especially during the final event — the 4×400 relay. He called that event as the “defining moment” for his team.

“Jae’Marien Harrell (JPooh), my 400 meter runner, sealed the deal for us,” Gatling said. “Heading into the 4×400, we were barely holding the lead with 101 points compared to Currituck’s 95 points. Two of my runners were injured, so I made a gutsy move and told JPooh he had to anchor the 4×400. I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘It’s either we place top three or we lose it all. You’ve worked too hard for it to end like this.’

“We were sitting in 5th place in the relay when he took the baton… and then he took off,” Gatling noted. “He clocked a 52-second split, flying past two teams and locking in third place — just enough to secure us the championship. That moment defined the heart of this team. Thank you, JPooh.”

Now with more than 20 medals and three championship plaques collected, coach Gatling beamed with pride.

“This group had everything thrown at them this season – injuries, doubt, pressure – and they rose above it all. To walk away champions again says everything about their character,” he stated.

On the women’s side of the conference championship, HCHS placed eighth but celebrated some impressive individual achievements.

KiAsia Wiggins placed second in the high jump (4’8”) while Kimayiah Johnson, just a freshman, finished second in the shot put with a heave covering 30’-11”.

The HCHS women placed second in the 4×200 meter relay with a time of one minute and 49 seconds.

Coach Ben Anthony praised the team’s progress.

“These girls competed hard and showed real potential. We’re building something special,” he said.