At the beginning of track season, few, in any, outside of Hertford had heard of Leroya Banks. Now that the season is over, Banks made sure her name will be a fixture in the area for years to come.

Just a freshman, Banks won 1A Eastern Regional championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchored the 4x100 relay team to a fourth-place run. At states, nerves may have gotten the better of her. Banks won every non-relay race she entered before state, but still finished second in the 100, seventh in the 200 and helped the relay team to a sixth-place finish.

Photo Courtesy Perquimans County Schools (ENLARGE)

LeRoya Banks runs a heat at the NCHSAA 1A State Track and Field Championships at North Carolina A&T University.

"I think that was a big learning experience for her," Perquimans coach Carolyn Rogers said.

Rogers compares Banks favorably to another great Perquimans runner, two-time state champion Shaqwita Copeland.

"Shaqwita did the 100, 200 and 400 and I still want to see what (Banks) can do in the 400," Rogers said. "I think she might be a little hesitant about that right now, because of some of them run so close together."

It did not take long for Banks' talent to be known to Rogers, who had her in a P.E. class.

"I saw right away what potential she had," Rogers said. "I told her, 'You will be on the track team.' Of course, she had already planned on coming out, but you could tell she is a runner. I was real excited when I saw her run for the first time. I said, 'That is a potential winner. Her picture is going to be on the wall.'"

Although Banks has natural talent, she does not rely on that solely, according to Rogers.

"She's just a hard worker," she said. "She would be the first one (at practice), stretching and warming up and ready to go. Even though she's a freshman, you could see the leadership qualities in her, you could see that her goal was to help the team, but also she doesn't really want to run a race that she doesn't win."

That competitive nature is what could equate to state championships and college scholarship offers.

"I'm just amazed at her ability," Rogers said. "If she works hard, and she does have good grades, if she keeps that up, I see here getting a scholarship. She definitely has the ability to do it all."

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