Erin Pope, who rewrote the Fike High girls cross-country and track and field record book as a senior last year, returned to her alma mater Tuesday, Jan. 7, for one final piece of business.
Pope, now a freshman distance running sensation at East Carolina University, was on hand for the presentation of her two state championship rings between quarters of the Golden Demons varsity boys basketball team’s home game against Smithfield-Selma.
Pope won the NCHSAA 3-A title in the 3,200-meter run at both the state 3-A indoor and outdoor championship meets while placing second in the 3-A cross-country championship. She was the 3-A Quad County Conference Girls Runner of the Year in cross-country, indoor and outdoor track while also earning her third all-state honor from the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association. Pope originally signed with Belmont Abbey College to play soccer but decided to change her focus to running in college and ended up at ECU, where she led the women’s cross-country team in every meet last fall…