Champions x 3: Midlands teams shine on second day of SC track field championships
Spring Valley boys track and field coach Matt Oberly was pacing as the final events winded down in Saturday’s Class 5A championship.
Spring Valley was one of three Midlands teams to win track titles on Saturday. Blythewood’s girls won the Class 5A championship and Dreher’s boys won the Class 3A crown at Lower Richland.
It was part of a banner weekend for Midlands track and field programs as three teams joined Westwood and Ridge View, which tied for the Class 4A championship on Friday.
It’s Spring Valley’s second straight championship and seventh in program history. Tennessee signee Nigel Ancrum led the way for the Vikings by winning the 100 and 200 and was part of two relay championship teams including the anchor leg of the 4x100 relay. Jordan Chestnut was third in the triple jump.
Lexington’s Grant Goldsmith repeated as the 800-meter champion, and River Bluff’s Carlos Lanzagorta was third. River Bluff’s Colin Clayton won the shot put. Blythewood’s Chase Johnson was third in the discus and shot put, Blaine Boise finished second in the javelin.
Blythewood girls dominate
While Spring Valley had to sweat out its win, the Blythewood girls were dominant in winning the program’s first championship and third in a girls sport, joining golf and lacrosse.
The Bengals finished second last year and that was a motivating factor, according to coach Alish Tyler, who was drenched in a Gatorade bath by her players.
Iowa signee Arianna Williams won the 200 and 400 and was part of the winning 4x400 relay team to cap off her high school career.
Hailey Duncan was second in the 100 and third in the 200 for Blythewood. Kaitlyn McFadden was third in the 800. The Bengals were first in the 4x100, and 4x800 and second in the 4X400. Aniya Fluker was third in the shot put.
Spring Valley senior and UNC signee Aaliyah Berry won the 100 hurdles and Chapin’s Evelyn Patrick was third in the 400 hurdles
White Knoll’s Cheyenne Love was second in the 400 and Lexington’s Kendra Miles was second in the 800.
Chapin’s Abigail White was second in the 1,600. Spring Valley was second in the 4x100 and Chapin third in the 4x800. SV’s Kamille Cunningham was second in the high jump.
River Bluff’s Rileigh Hoffman was second in the pole vault and Dutch Forks’s Serenity Green third.
Dreher boys end drought
Dreher senior and Tennessee signee Sam Kolowith won the 1,600 and 3,200 to help the Blue Devils to their 11th state championship and first since 2012. The 11 championships are tied for third-most in state history.
Kolowith also helped Dreher win the cross-country championship in the fall. In addition to his individual championships, he was part of the team’s winning 4x800 relay team
The Blue Devils’ Liam Jones was second in the 800, David Epps second in the 110 hurdles and Caleb Timmons was third in the 100.
Gilbert’s Blake Cooke was second in the discus.
In the girls race, Camden’s Caroline Cassidy won the 400 hurdles and Gilbert’s Savannah Floyd won the discus. Camden’s 4x400 relay finished second.
Fairfield’s Holmes wins four championships
Fairfield junior Sharmelle Holmes turned in one of the best performances of the weekend by winning the 100, 200, 100 hurdles and long jump on Friday in the Class 2A meet at Lower Richland.
Newberry’s Yiddisha Lyles won the discus and Batesburg-Leesville’s Kelly Frye was second.
Gray Collegiate’s Tresta Miller and Cymoria Thomas were second in the 100 and 200. Miller also won the 400. Eau Claire’s Jermyra Bethel and Mid-Carolina’s Josie Shepherd were second and third in the 200. Bethel won the high jump and GC’s Ishia Samuel was second.
EC’s TyQwasia Williams was second in the 100 hurdles and won the 400 hurdles. Gray’s Tamara Steward was second in the 400 hurdles. M-C’s Haylee Gunter was second in the long jump
Gray won the 4x100 relay and Newberry was second. EC won the 4x400 relay.
Bishop England won the girls championship and Gray Collegiate was second, Eau Claire fourth and Mid-Carolina fifth.
In the boys race, FC’s Hank White won the 800 and Griffins won the 4x100 hurdles and Keenan the 4x400 relay, Newberry’s OD Robinson won the 110 hurdles, Eau Claire’s Ethan Moody won the 400 hurdles and Saluda’s Jamarcus Mobley won the long jump and triple jump. Teammate Amareyin Mathis was second
Newberry’s Romeo Brown was second in the 200 and third in the 100. Keenan’s Nino Brown and Denard White were second and third in the 400. Pelion’s Lucas New was second in the high jump and third in the pole vault.
Greer Middle College won the team championship.
