Large number of Lowco standouts punch tickets to state meet
LowcoSports.com
Beaufort High’s girls and May River’s boys will send the largest local contingents to the SCHSL Class 4A Track & Field State Championships after the Eagles qualified five individuals and a relay team and the Sharks had seven individuals and all three relays at the Lower State qualifier meet Saturday at Beaufort High.
Layla Warren led the way for Beaufort’s girls, winning the 100-meter hurdles (15.67) and the 400 hurdles (1:08.33), and she helped the Eagles finish third in the 4×400 (4:19.56). Anaiya Houseal finished second in the high jump (5-2) and Reyonce Black was runner-up in the long jump (17-7), and Jayla Daise (shot put, 36-1) and Acionna Lowe (discus, 88-3) qualified with third-place finishes.
Bluffton and May River each had three individual qualifiers and a top-four relay showing on the girls side. Madison Washington led the Bobcats, wining the shot put (36-3.25) and finishing second in the discus (92.8), while Tacoya Heyward was second in the 200 (12.46) and third in the long jump (17-5.75). Kayleigh Washington finished fourth in the long jump (16-11.25), and the Bobcats placed fourth in the 4×100 (51.29) with Heyward running the anchor.
May River’s Anya Arroyo finished second in both the 1600 (5:11.41) and 3200 (11:10.07) and helped the Sharks finish second in the 4×800 (10:02.51), while McKenna Swinton was second in the shot put (36-3) and Grace Kline finished fourth in the discus (83-1.5).
Hilton Head High’s Sarah Neville qualified third in the 800 (2:23.13) and helped the Seahawks finish third in the 4×800 (10:10.80), and fellow relay-mate Cynthia Gudaitis placed fourth in the 3200 (11:48.75).
The May River boys had an impressive showing on the track, qualifying all three relays with a win in the 4×800 (8:20.34), third in the 4×400 (3:31.99) and fourth in the 4×100 (43.93). Sean Hamby added a win in the 400 hurdles (57.40) to his gold in the 4×800 and bronze in the 4×400, and Fareed Abdullah finished second in the 200 (22.31) and third in the 100 (11.24) in addition to his 4×400 performance. Colin Keck was second in the 1600 (4:29.17) and ran with the winning 4×800 relay, and Mills Campbell finished third in the 3200 (10:17.72). May River also had three qualifiers on the field with Kyle Rivers (high jump, 6-2) and Jashawn Bacon (long jump, 21-4) notching runner-up finishes and Jason Epke-Bueso placing fourth in the high jump (5-10).
Beaufort High had four individual qualifiers and won the 4×400 relay (3:30.11) with stars Nash Mills and Charlie Bennett leading the charge. Mills also qualified second in the 800 (2:01.33), third in the 1600 (4:29.36), and fourth in the 3200 (10:32.65), and Bennett was second in the 800 (2:02.48). Alvin Wilson also captured gold for the Eagles, winning the discus with a throw of 135 feet, 1.5 inches, and Gabriel Jenkins (130-5.5) was close behind in the third.
Camauri Simmons led Bluffton’s three individual qualifiers, winning the 100 (11.10) and placing third in the 200 (22.66) while helping the Bobcats place third in the 4×100 (43.75). Relay-mate Phillip McCants was fourth in the long jump (20-3) and Adarion Ransburg won gold in the triple jump (41-10).
Hilton Head High’s Jaylen Sneed won the shot put with a heave of 49-7.75 inches, while Nathaniel Rohr was second in the javelin (146-2) and the Seahawks finished second in the 4×800 relay. Franklin Holland snagged the Seahawks’ final qualifying spot with third place in the pole vault (11-0).
Colleton County’s Ian Shark will represent the Cougars in the state meet, finishing fourth in the shot put (44-8.25).
The Class 4A State Championships are set for Friday at Spring Valley High School.
