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| Niehaus is entered in the NIC two mile. (footlockercc.com photo) |
Joyce holds the state mile record. As the tradition continues more South Carolina nationally ranked athletes are making their way up to Prince George's County Sportsplex in Landover, MD for this year's event.
Sprints
Charles Proctor (Columbia) is entered in the 60 meter event and 200 meters. The 60 and 200 field is made of up 58 athletes each. Brandon Ellis (Anderson/Westside) is also entered in the 200. Brandon Brown (Anderson/Westside HS) and teammate Dennis Martin are the two South Carolinians in the 60 meter hurdles. The 60 hurdles field consists of 36. Brown is a senior at Westside. Martin is a junior at Westside. Amberly Nesbitt, a senior at JL Mann is entered in the 60 meter dash. Nesbitt brought home four gold medals from the 2003 State Championships. Teammate Arionne Allen is entered in the 400-meter event. Westside's Polly Hardy is the lone South Carolinian entered in the 60 meter hurdle field of 46.
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| Ryan Jank is a senior at Dorman High School. (Mike Jank photo) |
Dorman senior Ryan Jank is entered in the two mile run. The two-mile field consists of 22 runners. Jank ran a 4:27 split in the four by one mile on March 6 at the GSP Relays. John Koziel, known as J.C. at Northwestern High School is competing in the one mile race walk. Koziel is a sophomore at Northwestern. Erica Adams, a senior at Spartanburg is entered in the girls one-mile race walk event. The girls field is made up of 19.
A distance duo of 4A female runners are representing South Carolina in the girls two mile. Stephanie Buffo, a freshman at Dorman is entered in the event. Spring Valley sensation Kate Niehaus is also entered in the two mile event. Niehaus set a state cross-country meet best of 17:52 during her first year of the sport (2002). Niehaus, broke her own record in 2003 with a 17:36. Along with breaking the state record twice Niehaus has competed at both Footlocker (2002, 2003) Championships. The 2002 state meet was held at Sandhills Research Facility and the 2003 meet returned back to Fort Jackson.
Relays
Spring Valley "Vikings" has entered a 3200-meter relay boys team. The team consists of Brian Raymond, Robert Thompson, Reid Wilson, Darrian Hodges and Mike Doucette. Spring Valley's relay team sealed a win at the Eastern Challenge in January. In a event that is not run during the regular outdoor season Westside's Brandon Brown, Dennis Martin, Martez Brown and Mauricus Brown make up the 4x55 shuttle hurdle relay boys team. Westside girls also have a shuttle hurdle team. Polly Hardy, Holly Hardy, Nyoka Norman, and Brandi Meyers are the Westside squad entered in the hurdle relay.
Field events
Northwestern senior Mitch Greeley is entered in the pole vault. Greeley is enrolling at Clemson University next fall. Dominick Bailey (Columbia), Brandon Brown (Anderson) and George Fields (Columbia) are entered in the long jump. Dominick Bailey and John Saffold, both from Columbia are entered in the triple jump event. Westside's Tempest Vance is entered in the triple jump and pentathlon.
Next up in South Carolina is the Diamond Hornet Invitational in Lower Richland and the Wildcat Relays in Charleston. Both meets take place on March 13. Ashley Hall (girls only), Beaufort, Fort Dorchester, Hilton Head, Stall, Wando, West Ashley and St. John's make up the Wildcat Relays competitors. Twenty schools are competing in the Diamond Hornet Invitational.