CULLMAN, Ala. – Winterboro High School captured both the boys and girls AHSAA Class 1A track and field state championships in dominant fashion following two days of competition on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, at Cullman High School.
Winterboro’s boys totaled 117 points across 30 events to secure the team title, well ahead of runner-up Faith Christian, which finished with 78 points. On the girls’ side, Winterboro posted 121 points through 18 events, nearly doubling second-place Athens Bible School’s 64.
“It was a substantial victory,” said Winterboro Coach and Athletic Director Skylar Mansfield, “but we knew going into the meet that we had a lot of depth on our roster. We were able to put kids in the right spots.”
The boys’ team was paced by standout performances, including tenth grader Carter Castleberry, who claimed victories in both the 200- and 400-meter dashes. Castleberry’s mark of 49.06 seconds in the 400 set a new Class 1A state record. The team also secured a win in the 4×400-meter relay, and ninth grader William Shephard added a title in the triple jump.
The girls’ squad excelled in relays, winning both the 4×100 and 4×400 meter events. Ninth grader Zakhia Buchanan earned an individual state championship in the high jump.
Beyond the event-winning performances, WInterboro finished with point-earning placements in the majority of events which helped clutch the overall titles.
In all, Bulldog athletes captured seven individual event titles en route to sweeping the overall team championships.
The boys’ team victory gives them back-to-back state titles, the first school in Class 1A to achieve such a feat since Westminster-Oak Mountain did so in 2017 and 2018.
“We’re still looking to grow the program,” Mansfield noted. “We’re excited about the future. We’ve yet to reach our pinnacle of what we can be.”
While the rivalry between Winterboro and Faith Christian remains competitive, it was marked by sportsmanship with a great gesture earlier this year. In March, after an EF2 tornado struck Alpine, members of the Faith Christian community—including players, coaches, and staff—volunteered to provide free drinks and snacks to Winterboro students.
