Northwestern Unified Track Team Makes History as Westwood and Nation Ford Sprint to Victory

ROCK HILL, SC — It was a historic Wednesday at Northwestern High School as track and field programs from across the region converged for a high-stakes meet on March 4, 2026. While the Westwood boys and Nation Ford girls claimed the top team titles, the day was defined by a major milestone in local athletics: the inaugural meet for the Northwestern Unified track team. As the first high school in York County to field a unified team, Northwestern joined area powerhouses to showcase that the spirit of competition is strongest when it is inclusive.

History in Motion: Northwestern Unified Debuts

A highlight of the evening was the debut of the Northwestern Unified track team. Seven members of the unified squad successfully completed the 100m dash, marking a significant step forward for inclusive sports in the region.

In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. This approach, pioneered by the Special Olympics, makes practices more engaging and competitions more exciting for every athlete involved. By having sports in common, traditional preconceptions and false ideas are swept away, fostering a culture of acceptance on and off the track.

Northwestern stands as the first high school in York County to field a unified team, but if the coaching staff has their way, they won’t be the last. Northwestern Track and Field Head Coach Connor Tanferno stated that his ultimate goal is to see a unified team established at every York County High School, expanding the reach of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools® programming which is already active in over 10,800 schools across the U.S.

Unified 100m Dash Results:

1. Diego Galan (12) — 13.94

2. Dakai Brown — 20.35

3. Tyler Delise (12) — 22.24

4. Landon Rhinehart (10) — 27.39

5. Christopher Rodriguez (12) — 29.93

6. Scott Riggin (12) — 33.82

7. Ronan Wells (12) — 35.37

Boys Division: Westwood Dominates the Sprints

The Westwood boys put on a clinic in speed, finishing with a commanding 133 points. The charge was led by Jayden Boyd, who proved to be the fastest man on the track, winning the 100-meter dash in a blistering 10.48 seconds. Boyd wasn’t finished there; he also soared to victory in the Long Jump with a mark of 7.22 meters.

Nation Ford’s Alex Royall was equally dominant in the distance events. Royall pulled off a difficult “distance double,” taking first place in both the 1,600-meter run (4:36.60) and the 3,200-meter run (10:24.08).

Host school Northwestern showed their strength in the hurdles and field. Andrew Morton took the gold in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.08, while Zion Brown secured the top spot in the 110-meter hurdles (16.15). In the High Jump, Northwestern’s Bryston Martin cleared 1.9 meters to take first place.

The Yellow Jackets saw a standout performance from Smith Stapleton, who dominated the Discus with a throw of 47.65 meters—nearly seven meters ahead of the second-place finisher. Stapleton also took second in the Shot Put. Padyn Gossett-McDowell added to the Fort Mill trophy haul by winning the Pole Vault with a height of 3.05 meters.

Girls Division: Nation Ford Edges Out Competition

The girls’ team race was a much tighter affair, with Nation Ford (111.5 points) narrowly holding off Westwood (99.5) and Fort Mill (96).

Nation Ford’s victory was anchored by Haley Garcia, who swept the mid-distance events. Garcia won the 800-meter run in 2:25.43 and the 1,600-meter run in 5:23.27. Teammate Brianna Watkins also contributed heavily with a win in the 400-meter dash (1:01.60).

Westwood’s Alysa Jones was the MVP of the sprints and hurdles, winning both the 200-meter dash (26.43) and the 400-meter hurdles (1:08.97).

The Yellow Jackets’ Mia Williams showcased her explosiveness in the pits, winning the Triple Jump with a distance of 11.37 meters and taking second in the Long Jump. On the throwing side, Kate Marker won the Shot Put (10.38m), while Addison Feinour took home the gold in the Discus (30.31m).

In a deep field of 55 sprinters in the 100-meter dash, Fort Mill’s Lauren Pak posted a solid early-season time of 13.00 seconds, finishing 4th.

Northwestern also saw a big win in the Javelin, as Irie Morton launched a throw of 34.39 meters to secure first place.

Team Standings

Boys Teams

1. Westwood: 133

2. Northwestern: 84

3. Nation Ford: 72

4. Fort Mill: 60

5. Chester: 19

Girls Teams

1. Nation Ford: 111.5

2. Westwood: 99.5

3. Fort Mill: 96

4. Northwestern: 50

5. Chester: 2

Girls Results