Hundreds of track and field athletes from around the state kick-started the indoor track season at UNC-Chapel Hill's Eddie Smith Field House on Saturday. Many athletes represented our area, and a select few proved to be above and beyond the rest.

Like Apex's Alexis Murphy, who ran a 7.07 in the 55m dash, giving her the 8th-best time in the country so far this winter, and 14th in state history.

Fuquay-Varina's Brian Davis finished second in 500m run with 1:05.58 and 300m dash with a 35.95.

Green Hope's Maura McDonnell won the girls 500m run by posting a time of 1:18.93, which is 18th-best nationally this winter.

Tommy Schotzinger of Cardinal Gibbons narrowly won the boys 1,000m run with a 2:38.47.

Fuquay's boys and Green Hope's girls each won a relay, with the Bengals winning the 4x800 in 8:28 while Green Hope won the 4x400 with a 4:10.48.

Fuquay tied for fifth in the event, while Green Hope's girls were ninth.

Olympic bowling: Hilary Aycock and Michelle Hunzaker, both of Cary, were in Las Vegas last week participating in the U.S. Olympic bowling team trials.

Neither made the team, as Aycock finished the four-day trial 52nd out of 80 bowlers while Hunzaker was 48th. Both saved their best efforts for the final day, when Hunzaker was 10th among the 80, and Aycock was 8th.

Wrestling rankings: While no area wrestling teams are ranked in the statewide poll - which only lists a top five - there are a few local teams that made the News & Observer's first area top 12 wrestling rankings on Friday.

Cary, which moved to 18-0 this weekend, is No. 2 behind Orange High.

Holly Springs - which is 21-2 after going unbeaten while hosting Saturday's Hawk Duals - is fourth, while Panther Creek is 10th.

Panther Creek hosts Cary tonight at 6 p.m. in what is likely the last challenge for Cary to win the conference title.

Girls rankings: The year's first N&O girls basketball rankings were released Thursday, and four Tri-Nine teams made the top 12.

Green Hope, now 13-2, is ranked No. 2, only behind defending 4A runner-up Millbrook.

Holly Springs, Panther Creek and Middle Creek were 10th, 11th and 12th respectively.

Boys rankings: There are sure to be some changes before this Thursday's N&O boys rankings, as Middle Creek was fifth before its Friday night loss to No. 7 Apex.

No. 8 Green Hope could also be on the move up as the Falcons have won their last six games.

Recruiting notes: Green Hope swimmer Claire Nobles has committed to compete for Duquesne University next year, while Fuquay-Varina baseball player Chris Williams has done the same for Louisburg College.

Shaffer an All-American: Green Hope junior soccer player Alexis Shaffer was named a youth all-American for 2011 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

The NSCAA chose 40 players and Shaffer was one of two from North Carolina.

Shaffer, who has already committed to the University of Virginia, is currently in California as a part of U.S. Soccer's U-18 Women's National Team camp.