Swain High School Cross Country traveled to Kernersville Friday evening to compete in Friday Night Lights. 127 schools participated, with almost 4,000 runners competing. The Swain High School girls finished 19th overall. Arizona Blankenship finished 3rd in the girls championship division and Carl Baird finished 3rd in the boys Invitational. The boys were 24th as a team.
The women's Championship Race was the highlight of the night. Lake Norman's Casey Dignman took first place by posting the 2nd fastest time recorded at Friday Night Lights. Sofi Alexander (Asheville) and Arizona Blankenship outdueled a large pack of runners to finish 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Both Alexander and Blankenship shattered their previous best times. Alexander went from 18:37 to 17:57. Blankenship's previous personal best was 19:18, she shattered that finishing with a time of 17:58.
Both runners are now in the top 10 of the top times recorded in the female division of Friday Night Lights with Alexander's time being 8th best and Blankenship's time 9th best.