The 15th annual Taco Bell Track and Field Classic led for a great weekend of racing with over 100 schools competing at Spring Valley HS in Columbia.
As the first night of competition got under way, clear skies and slight wind promised for a great night of racing.
The girl's 4x800-meter relay started out the night. The fast heat was an incredible race with Spring Valley, Fairfax, Kecoughton, and Southwest Dekalb all in the running for first. On the second leg, Spring Valley and Fairfax begin to fade as Kecoughton and Southwest Dekalb pulled away.
In the third leg, Fairfax seems to slow as Spring Valley increased the gap, but on the second lap Fairfax took over third. As the last leg started, Southwest Dekalb pulled away with Spring Valley's anchor Kate Niehaus surging in an attempt to gain ground. Southwest Dekalb sealed the win in 9:28.17, a qualifying the team for Nike Outdoor Nationals, followed by Kecoughtan in 9:36.12, and Spring Valley in 9:42.65.
The boy's 4x800 also provided exciting racing under the lights. The teams held a tight pack for the first two laps until the handoff. Top seed Collins High School dropped out of the lead pack. The last leg was a fight with Ridge View trying to hold on to John McEachern as the came into the last lap. McEachern wins in a Nike qualifying time of 7:55.91, with Ridge View not far behind in 8:00.96, and then Fort Mill in 8:05.56.
High jump was the only field event Friday night. In the boy's pit, two jumpers qualified for Nike Outdoors. Dan Averso (Providence Christian) was first with a jump of six feet, seven inches. Fort Dorchester\'s Darrel Roddick was second, also with a jump of six feet, seven inches. Rounding out the top three was West Ashley\'s Keith Graham with a six feet, six inch clearance. The girl\'s high jump event had four national qualifiers including Summerville\'s Kayla Blake (5\'8\"), Pope\'s Tiffany Chavis (5\'6\"), Northwestern\'s Emily Smith (5\'6\") and Oconee County\'s Shaquita Young (5\'6\").
The forecast for Saturday seemed gloomy, but the day started out sunny and windy as the girls 3200-meter run began. The race was very exciting with Niehaus and Northside\'s Catherine White pulled away from the early on. The race was led by White for the first 800 meters when Niehaus surged in what looked like an attempt to break White. Holding on as they finished the first mile, Niehaus and White were side by side. In the last 800 meters Niehaus started to pull away from White. As they hit the bell lap, White made a final surge but it was too late. Niehaus won in 10:31.45, missing the meet record by two-hundredths of a second, with White in 10:43.12, both qualifying for Nike Outdoors. J.L. Mann\'s Kate Borowicz finished third with a time of 11:07.10.
Thunderstorms postponed the meet for a couple hours, but once competition resumed a great 4x100 meter relay was underway. The girls did not let the rain slow their fast times. The following teams qualified for Nike Outdoor Nationals: Bethel (47.23), Therrell (47.45), Harding University High (48.07), Seneca (48.7), Collins Hill (49.16), and Spring Valley (49.26). During the boy\'s relay two teams qualified for Nike Outdoors. West Charlotte (42.98) and Spring Valley (43.02) achieved the time. Rounding out the top three was Ridge View in 43.3.
Pendleton High\'s Jasmine Stowers (Eighth grade) sealed a victory in the 100-meter hurdles with a new meet record of 14.25. The top three all qualified for Nike Outdoors with Quaneshia Cleckley (Therrel-2nd), and Kali Watkin (Menchville-3rd).
The two 110 high hurdlers who qualified for Nike were Westside\'s Mauricus Brown (14.2) and Westlake\'s Timothy Grier (14.33). Rounding out the top three was John McEachern\'s William Wynne (14.35).
In the girl's 100-meter dash, Bethel\'s (Va.) Francena McCorory set a new meet record (10.62) in the preliminaries, but was unable to better the record in the finals, winning with a time of 10.65. Second was Kya Brookings of Seneca in 11.82 and third was Therrell\'s Brittany Long (11.86). The top three qualified for Nike Outdoors. The top three in the boy's 100-meter dash were: Charles Clark (Bayside, 10.65), Antonio Sales (East Chapel Hill, 10.89), and Oliver Alexander (Bayside, 10.92). Clark qualified for Nike Outdoors.
In the girl's mile run, three athletes had the credentials to run under the five minute mark. Northside\'s White set a new meet record of 4:54.22, winning over Collin\'s Hill (Ga.) Jackie Drouin, who ran a Nike qualifying time of 4:54.33.
The 400-meter hurdles had one female qualify for Nike Outdoors. The top three were: Jasmine Dacus (Westlake, 1:02.10), Jasmine Stowers (Pendleton, 1:04.97), and Lauren Holland (Heathwood Hall, 1:05.01). The two boy qualifiers were: Timothy Grier (Westlake, 54.29) and Gordon Ritchie-Haughton (Stephenson, 54.30). Dorman\'s Christian Nash was third in 55.25.
McCorory ran a Nike Outdoor 200-meter qualifying time of 26.66, missing the meet record by three-hundredths of a second. Second was Westlake\'s Jasmine Dacus in 24.85 and Seneca\'s Kya Brookins was third in 24.98.
Wrapping up the running events was the 4x400-meter relay. Seneca placed first for the girls in time of 3:54.93, qualifying the team for Nike Outdoor. For the boy\'s relay Ridge View qualified for Nike Outdoor with a final time of 3:18.37.
The weather hindered many great performances in the field events on Saturday. The only girls Nike qualifier at the meet was Episcopal\'s Daisy Glasser. Glasser vaulted a best of 12 feet.
In the boy's field events, the marks were more elite. The vault performances include: Michael Morrison (Great Bridge, new meet record of 17 feet). The top three vaulters all qualified for nationals with Oconee\'s (Ga.) Jordan Scott clearing the bar at 16 feet and Nease\'s Mike Buchholz going over the bar at 15 feet six inches.
West Ashley\'s Keith Graham earned two gold medals, and qualified for Nike Outdoors with a best long jump mark of 23 feet 10 inches and a best triple jump mark of 48 feet 4.5 inches. Three other jumpers qualified for nationals in the triple: Alphonso Jordon (Hopewell, 47 feet, eight inches), Josh Fowler (Dorman, 46-11), and Scott Pierce (Irmo, 46 feet 10.5 inches).
The girl's team title was taken by Bethel with 42.5 points, then Southwest Dekalb with 36 points, and Spring Valley with 35 points. Ridge View won the meet for the boys with 50 points, followed by John McEachren with 44 points, and West Ashley with 37 points.
As the first night of competition got under way, clear skies and slight wind promised for a great night of racing.
The girl's 4x800-meter relay started out the night. The fast heat was an incredible race with Spring Valley, Fairfax, Kecoughton, and Southwest Dekalb all in the running for first. On the second leg, Spring Valley and Fairfax begin to fade as Kecoughton and Southwest Dekalb pulled away.
In the third leg, Fairfax seems to slow as Spring Valley increased the gap, but on the second lap Fairfax took over third. As the last leg started, Southwest Dekalb pulled away with Spring Valley's anchor Kate Niehaus surging in an attempt to gain ground. Southwest Dekalb sealed the win in 9:28.17, a qualifying the team for Nike Outdoor Nationals, followed by Kecoughtan in 9:36.12, and Spring Valley in 9:42.65.
The boy's 4x800 also provided exciting racing under the lights. The teams held a tight pack for the first two laps until the handoff. Top seed Collins High School dropped out of the lead pack. The last leg was a fight with Ridge View trying to hold on to John McEachern as the came into the last lap. McEachern wins in a Nike qualifying time of 7:55.91, with Ridge View not far behind in 8:00.96, and then Fort Mill in 8:05.56.
High jump was the only field event Friday night. In the boy's pit, two jumpers qualified for Nike Outdoors. Dan Averso (Providence Christian) was first with a jump of six feet, seven inches. Fort Dorchester\'s Darrel Roddick was second, also with a jump of six feet, seven inches. Rounding out the top three was West Ashley\'s Keith Graham with a six feet, six inch clearance. The girl\'s high jump event had four national qualifiers including Summerville\'s Kayla Blake (5\'8\"), Pope\'s Tiffany Chavis (5\'6\"), Northwestern\'s Emily Smith (5\'6\") and Oconee County\'s Shaquita Young (5\'6\").
The forecast for Saturday seemed gloomy, but the day started out sunny and windy as the girls 3200-meter run began. The race was very exciting with Niehaus and Northside\'s Catherine White pulled away from the early on. The race was led by White for the first 800 meters when Niehaus surged in what looked like an attempt to break White. Holding on as they finished the first mile, Niehaus and White were side by side. In the last 800 meters Niehaus started to pull away from White. As they hit the bell lap, White made a final surge but it was too late. Niehaus won in 10:31.45, missing the meet record by two-hundredths of a second, with White in 10:43.12, both qualifying for Nike Outdoors. J.L. Mann\'s Kate Borowicz finished third with a time of 11:07.10.
Thunderstorms postponed the meet for a couple hours, but once competition resumed a great 4x100 meter relay was underway. The girls did not let the rain slow their fast times. The following teams qualified for Nike Outdoor Nationals: Bethel (47.23), Therrell (47.45), Harding University High (48.07), Seneca (48.7), Collins Hill (49.16), and Spring Valley (49.26). During the boy\'s relay two teams qualified for Nike Outdoors. West Charlotte (42.98) and Spring Valley (43.02) achieved the time. Rounding out the top three was Ridge View in 43.3.
Pendleton High\'s Jasmine Stowers (Eighth grade) sealed a victory in the 100-meter hurdles with a new meet record of 14.25. The top three all qualified for Nike Outdoors with Quaneshia Cleckley (Therrel-2nd), and Kali Watkin (Menchville-3rd).
The two 110 high hurdlers who qualified for Nike were Westside\'s Mauricus Brown (14.2) and Westlake\'s Timothy Grier (14.33). Rounding out the top three was John McEachern\'s William Wynne (14.35).
In the girl's 100-meter dash, Bethel\'s (Va.) Francena McCorory set a new meet record (10.62) in the preliminaries, but was unable to better the record in the finals, winning with a time of 10.65. Second was Kya Brookings of Seneca in 11.82 and third was Therrell\'s Brittany Long (11.86). The top three qualified for Nike Outdoors. The top three in the boy's 100-meter dash were: Charles Clark (Bayside, 10.65), Antonio Sales (East Chapel Hill, 10.89), and Oliver Alexander (Bayside, 10.92). Clark qualified for Nike Outdoors.
In the girl's mile run, three athletes had the credentials to run under the five minute mark. Northside\'s White set a new meet record of 4:54.22, winning over Collin\'s Hill (Ga.) Jackie Drouin, who ran a Nike qualifying time of 4:54.33.
The 400-meter hurdles had one female qualify for Nike Outdoors. The top three were: Jasmine Dacus (Westlake, 1:02.10), Jasmine Stowers (Pendleton, 1:04.97), and Lauren Holland (Heathwood Hall, 1:05.01). The two boy qualifiers were: Timothy Grier (Westlake, 54.29) and Gordon Ritchie-Haughton (Stephenson, 54.30). Dorman\'s Christian Nash was third in 55.25.
McCorory ran a Nike Outdoor 200-meter qualifying time of 26.66, missing the meet record by three-hundredths of a second. Second was Westlake\'s Jasmine Dacus in 24.85 and Seneca\'s Kya Brookins was third in 24.98.
Wrapping up the running events was the 4x400-meter relay. Seneca placed first for the girls in time of 3:54.93, qualifying the team for Nike Outdoor. For the boy\'s relay Ridge View qualified for Nike Outdoor with a final time of 3:18.37.
The weather hindered many great performances in the field events on Saturday. The only girls Nike qualifier at the meet was Episcopal\'s Daisy Glasser. Glasser vaulted a best of 12 feet.
In the boy's field events, the marks were more elite. The vault performances include: Michael Morrison (Great Bridge, new meet record of 17 feet). The top three vaulters all qualified for nationals with Oconee\'s (Ga.) Jordan Scott clearing the bar at 16 feet and Nease\'s Mike Buchholz going over the bar at 15 feet six inches.
West Ashley\'s Keith Graham earned two gold medals, and qualified for Nike Outdoors with a best long jump mark of 23 feet 10 inches and a best triple jump mark of 48 feet 4.5 inches. Three other jumpers qualified for nationals in the triple: Alphonso Jordon (Hopewell, 47 feet, eight inches), Josh Fowler (Dorman, 46-11), and Scott Pierce (Irmo, 46 feet 10.5 inches).
The girl's team title was taken by Bethel with 42.5 points, then Southwest Dekalb with 36 points, and Spring Valley with 35 points. Ridge View won the meet for the boys with 50 points, followed by John McEachren with 44 points, and West Ashley with 37 points.