by Chris Hunt

Hack wins Knights’ first state track championship



Lake Norman Charter can boast a state champion after its first season of outdoor track. Junior Chris Hack claimed the Knights’ first state title with a blistering time of 1 minute, 59.83 seconds in the boys 800-meter race at the 2011 N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A Track and Field championships on May 20.

“His performance put us on a different level,” Lake Norman Charter coach Craig Zamiara said. “It shows we have legitimate athletes at this school.

“Chris came into the race seeded as the top runner and, after one lap, found his way clinging to one of the top two positions. Within the last 40 meters of the final straightaway, Chris took over first place and claimed his title.”

Hack was almost an afterthought for the 800 before the season. Zamiara thought Hack would hold his own in the 1,600 and, on a “fluke,” asked Hack to try the 800 to see what he could do. It soon became clear that Hack was built for the shorter event.

“After Chris’ first try at the 800, I thought, ‘That’s not half-bad,’” said Zamiara. “His times kept dropping, and then he broke the two-minute barrier, beating Woodlawn School’s top runner, Sawyer Bowman, back in April. At that point, I knew we had one of the top athletes in the 800 race at the 1A level.”

The Knights made the podium in two more events at the 1A state meet.

On the girls’ side, sophomore Sarah Hardin finished second in the 3,200 with a personal-best 11:57.40. The Knights boys 4x800 relay team of Jordan Phillips, Michael Westbay, Bryant Hooker and Hack came in third (8:22.10).

The Lake Norman Charter boys were 11th in team competition, while the girls were 22nd.

LN Charter track holds ‘The 24’

In an effort to raise funds for the Lake Norman Charter athletics department, Lake Norman Charter track coach Craig Zamiara will hold a fundraiser called “The 24” on Saturday, June 11, and Sunday, June 12.

Zamiara said he expects nearly 35 Lake Norman Charter track athletes and students to participate in a 24-hour run on the Knights’ track behind the middle school.

The runners will be divided into teams of eight to 10 competitors. Four to five runners from each team will alternate laps around the track for an hour before giving way to the second unit. It’s an idea Zamaira took from his high school when his track team participated in a 24-hour team run across the state of Michigan.

Zamaira hopes to raise funds through flat donations or sponsorships based on laps run by an individual participant. For more information or to make a contribution, email Zamaira at czamaira@­lncharter.org.

Hopewell to host basketball camps

Hopewell High girls basketball coach Gary Richmond will hold his annual girls basketball camp June 20-22 at the school. The camp begins at 8 a.m. and ends at noon each day. The cost is $60. The Titans boys basketball team will hold its summer basketball camp Wednesday, June 15, to Friday, June 17.

Applications for both camps can be found on the Hopewell Athletics website.

Davidson Day hosts football combine

Davidson Day School is the site for the fourth annual Lake Norman Youth Football Combine. The event will be held July 18-21 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Details and registration are online at www.­lknyouthfootballcombine.com.