COLUMBIA — The South Carolina High School League 4A state track and field championships were held Thursday night at Richland Northeast High School in Columbia, with South Pointe and Hilton Head capturing the boys and girls team titles, respectively. York County schools had a strong showing at the meet, with York and South Pointe both finishing in the top five of their respective team standings and producing several individual champions.
South Pointe
South Pointe claimed the boys team title with 61.5 points, edging May River by half a point in one of the closest team races of the night. The Stallions were led by a deep distance squad and strong field contributions.
Senior Keller Brown was the anchor of South Pointe’s individual success, winning the boys 3200 meter run in 9:21.13 and finishing second in the 1600 in 4:16.71, just behind May River’s Jackson Wright. Brown’s double podium performance was one of the most consistent showings of any individual at the meet. Teammates Reece Adams (fifth, 4:28.31) and Luke Stralow (sixth, 4:31.20) also scored in the 1600, giving South Pointe three finishers in that event alone.
Watson won the boys long jump with a mark of 6.72 meters, while Jayden Finney placed fourth in the 800 meter run in 2:00.70. In the relays, South Pointe’s 4×800 team captured first place with a time of 8:06.59, and the 4×100 relay placed fifth in 42.35. Jayden White added a tied seventh place finish in the high jump at 1.85 meters.
On the girls side, South Pointe finished tied for 17th with 17 points. Elizabeth Faircloth placed sixth in the 1600 meter run in 5:12.06 and third in the 3200 in 11:03.91. Emma Kate Brown placed 12th in the 3200 in 11:55.41. Da’Nasha Erby placed fifth in the girls javelin with a throw of 38.19 meters.
York
York finished fourth in the boys team standings with 39 points, matching Travelers Rest. The Cougars produced a standout performance from junior Ellis Spencer, who placed sixth in the 1600 meter run in 4:36.74 and sixth in the 3200 in 9:48.41, scoring in both distance events.
In the field, York’s Levi Ward had one of the strongest performances of any local athlete at the meet, winning the boys shot put with a throw of 15.85 meters and placing second in the discus with a mark of 48.62 meters. Ward’s near double title in the throwing events closely mirrored the performance of 5A counterpart Aidan Graham of Rock Hill from earlier in the week. Teammate Isaiah Rose added a fifth place finish in the discus at 43.76 meters, and Michael Miller placed sixth in the shot put at 14.45 meters. In the high jump, Taijai Sherer placed fourth at 1.9 meters, Saadiq Worthy placed fifth at 1.9 meters, and Oliver Watson placed ninth at 1.85 meters. Watson also placed ninth in pole vault at 3.5 meters.
On the girls side, York finished tied for 17th with 17 points. Senior Ava Shook delivered the top individual performance for any York County female at either championship meet this week, winning the girls 800 meter run in 2:12.73. York’s 4×400 relay placed 10th in 4:13.06 and the 4×800 relay placed eighth in 10:23.07. MacKayla Thomasson placed 12th in the girls long jump at 4.84 meters. Arianna Idehenre placed 10th in the 400 meter hurdles in 1:11.12. Anna Sizemore placed third in the discus at 36.91 meters and tied for 11th in the shot put at 9.9 meters. Madison White placed 16th in the javelin at 26.78 meters.
Team Standings
Hilton Head won the girls team title with 65.5 points, followed by Westside at 58 and Bishop England at 48. York and South Pointe each tied for 17th in the girls standings with 17 points apiece.
South Pointe edged May River for the boys title, 61.5 to 61. Seneca was third with 42, followed by Travelers Rest and York tied at 39.
York Individual and Relay Results
Girls
• Ava Shook, 800 meters: 1st, 2:12.73
• Anna Sizemore, discus: 3rd, 36.91m
• Arianna Idehenre, 400 meter hurdles: 10th, 1:11.12
• Anna Sizemore, shot put: tied 11th, 9.9m
• MacKayla Thomasson, long jump: 12th, 4.84m
• Madison White, javelin: 16th, 26.78m
• Girls 4×100 relay: 15th, 50.92
• Girls 4×400 relay: 10th, 4:13.06
• Girls 4×800 relay: 8th, 10:23.07
Boys
• Levi Ward, shot put: 1st, 15.85m
• Levi Ward, discus: 2nd, 48.62m
• Taijai Sherer, high jump: 4th, 1.9m
• Saadiq Worthy, high jump: 5th, 1.9m
• Ellis Spencer, 1600 meters: 6th, 4:36.74
• Ellis Spencer, 3200 meters: 6th, 9:48.41
• Isaiah Rose, discus: 5th, 43.76m
• Michael Miller, shot put: 6th, 14.45m
• Oliver Watson, high jump: 9th, 1.85m
• Oliver Watson, pole vault: 9th, 3.5m
South Pointe Individual and Relay Results
Girls
• Elizabeth Faircloth, 1600 meters: 6th, 5:12.06
• Elizabeth Faircloth, 3200 meters: 3rd, 11:03.91
• Da’Nasha Erby, javelin: 5th, 38.19m
• Emma Kate Brown, 3200 meters: 12th, 11:55.41
• Girls 4×100 relay: 5th, 48.86
Boys
• Keller Brown, 3200 meters: 1st, 9:21.13
• De’onta Watson, long jump: 1st, 6.72m
• Boys 4×800 relay: 1st, 8:06.59
• Keller Brown, 1600 meters: 2nd, 4:16.71
• Jayden Finney, 800 meters: 4th, 2:00.70
• Reece Adams, 1600 meters: 5th, 4:28.31
• Luke Stralow, 1600 meters: 6th, 4:31.20
• Jayden White, high jump: tied 7th, 1.85m
• Jalen Davis, long jump: 7th, 6.3m
• Cain Cousar, long jump: 8th, 6.22m
• Boys 4×100 relay: 5th, 42.35
Full Team Standings
Girls
1. Hilton Head, 65.5
2. Westside, 58
3. Bishop England, 48
4. Richland Northeast, 41
5. Seneca, 35.5
6. Lower Richland, 35
7. Lakewood, 32
8. AC Flora, 31
9. Greer, 28
10. Daniel, 27
11. Travelers Rest, 27
12. Gray Collegiate, 24
13. Wren, 22
14. Wilson, 21.5
15. Dreher, 20.5
16. Gilbert, 19
17. York, 17
18. South Pointe, 17
19. Hartsville, 17
20. Bluffton, 14
21. South Florence, 12.5
22. Camden, 11
23. North Augusta, 10
24. May River, 9.5
25. Southside, 9
26. Airport, 8
27. Fountain Inn High School, 8
28. Brookland Cayce, 6
29. Aiken, 6
30. Pickens, 6
31. Laurens, 6
32. Colleton County, 4
33. Beaufort, 4
34. Crestwood, 2
Boys
1. South Pointe, 61.5
2. May River, 61
3. Seneca, 42
4. Travelers Rest, 39
5. York, 39
6. Daniel, 38
7. Hilton Head, 34
8. Dreher, 31
9. Bishop England, 27
10. Blue Ridge, 26
11. Wren, 25
12. Bluffton, 22
13. Emerald, 21
14. Midland Valley, 20
15. Hartsville, 18
16. Wilson, 17
17. Fountain Inn High School, 17
18. Camden, 16
19. Laurens, 16
20. Greer, 14
21. Gray Collegiate, 14
22. Aiken, 13
23. North Augusta, 13
24. Crestwood, 12
25. South Florence, 11
26. Richland Northeast, 7
27. Lakewood, 7
28. Lower Richland, 7
29. Southside, 6
30. Airport, 6
31. Westside, 5
32. Brookland Cayce, 5
33. South Aiken, 5
34. Beaufort, 5
35. Darlington, 1.5
Source: SCHSL via MileSplit
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