The N.C. High School Athletic Association indoor track & field championships are Friday and Saturday at Winston-Salem’s JDL Fast Track facility.

Your defending state champions on the boys’ side are Mount Tabor (4A), Croatan (3A), and T.W. Andrews (1A/2A).

On the girls’ side, your defending state champs are: Cuthbertson (4A), Dudley (3A), and Swain County (1A/2A).

Below, we list our thoughts of which school might be the favorite at winning the team competitions this year, as well as MVP honors. The dark horses listed are those who can contend with the favorites.

The 1A/2A title is Friday evening, followed by 3A on Saturday in the morning and 4A in the afternoon/evening.

4A preview

Boys’ favorite(s): Mallard Creek, Cuthbertson
Boys’ dark horses: Garner, Marvin Ridge, Clayton
Boys’ MVP favorite: Brenden Robbins, Cuthbertson
Boys’ MVP dark horses: Dominic Harper, Garner; Micah Walker, Parkland; Rance Springs, Mount Tabor; Phillip Blum, Riverside; Michael Haskin, Asheville

Girls’ favorite: Cardinal Gibbons
Girls’ dark horses: Cuthbertson, Asheville, Independence
Girls’ MVP favorite: Hannah Rae Shaffer, Cardinal Gibbons
Girls’ MVP dark horses: Sofi Alexander, Asheville; Maya Love, Independence; Ataja Sephane-Vazquez, Southeast Guilford; Kasey Dingman, Lake Norman

3A preview

Boys’ favorite: Dudley
Boys’ dark horses: Union Pines, Croatan
Boys’ MVP favorite: Le’Ezra Brown, Dudley; Tayman Howell, Dudley
Boys’ MVP dark horses: Adeniyi Adegorioye, Dudley; Jaydon Sterling, Union Pines; Ashton Thomas, Dudley

Girls’ favorite: Dudley
Girls’ dark horses: North Lincoln, Southern Guilford
Girls’ MVP favorite: Tianna Spinks, Southern Guilford
Girls’ MVP dark horses: Brianna St. Louis, Union Pines; Zoe Dorsey, Terry Sanford; Elizabeth Deen, Southern Guilford

1A/2A preview

Boys’ favorite: Seaforth
Boys’ dark horses: Farmville Central, T.W. Andrews
Boys’ MVP favorite: Ja’Neil Harris, T.W. Andrews
Boys’ MVP dark horses: Jack Anstrom, Seaforth; Jalice Payton, Farmville Central; Will Cuicchi, Seaforth; Derrick Reed Jr., Carver; Gianni Gomez, Hertford County

Girls’ favorite: Swain County
Girls’ dark horses: Cummings
Girls’ MVP favorite: D’Anna Cotton, Cummings
Girls’ MVP dark horses: Arizona Blankenship, Swain County; Annie Lewis, Swain County; Aniya Edwards, Elkin