Iron Horses, Battling Bishops running their own races

The Philip Simmons boys’ and girls’ track and field teams fared well Saturday in the Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic, which used a new format this year.

 

The event was played out at seven regional qualifiers this year with the top 16 finishers at each site advancing to the Coaches Classic Elite Invitational, which will be held April 24 at a site to be determined.

 

The South Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association, which runs the event, said the new format was used to bring the best athletes in the state together regardless of classification. Over time the meet got so big that it became hard for non-elite athletes to participate. The new format will allow all athletes to participate, and create an “environment” for the elite athletes to come back together and compete.

 

Once again, Noah Ward led the Iron Horse boys. He breezed to easy victories in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs, with respective times of 1:58.86 and 4:16.43, both national elite times. His time in the 800 was almost seven seconds faster than the rest of the pack, and his time in the 1,600 was almost 14 seconds faster than the second-place runner.

 

Peyton Woolridge placed third in the pole vault and placed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

 

Henry Wood had a big day in the distance event with a second-place finish in the 3,200-meter run and third in the 1,600.

 

Regan Rosh claimed a silver medal in the pole vault while Luther Small gained a bronze medal in the triple jump while finishing sixth in the long jump.

 

Najhyrai Watson claimed gold in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective times of 12.27 and 25.37.

 

Elizabeth Braswell gained a bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdle while placing fourth in the 100 hurdles.

 

The Iron Horse 4x400-meter relay team captured first place and the 4x100 team placed third.

 

BE track and field

 

Bishop England’s Michael Owens was named the top track performer at the recent Wando Invite.

 

Owens claimed gold medals in the 200- and 400-meter dashes with respective times of 23.17 and 51.29.

 

Mark Richter won gold in the 1,600 with a time of 4:3478 while Matthew Sawyer was first in the 800 with a clocking of  2:06.01.

 

Dominic Coffman claimed silver in the 3,200.

 

Hank Linder was third in the 800m while Tommy DiLiegro won bronze in the shot put.

 

The 4x800 relay team Richter, Owens, Sawyer and Linder won in 8:30.38. the 4x400m relay of Richter, Owens, Sawyer and Brenden Womble claimed first in 3:32.16.

 

The 4x800 relay team finished third.

 

In the girls’ meet, BE’s Kimber Keene won the 1,600 and 3,200 runs with respective times of 5:40.0 and 12:10.0.

 

Hope Elaine Stowell won the javelin with an effort of 95-06 while finishing second in the discus.

 

Maggie Long placed second in both the long and triple jumps while Ava Albano was third in the 400-meter dash and Emma Hamrick claimed bronze in the triple jump. Zoe Eckrich was third in the discus and Maisie Woody was third in the shot.

 

The 4x400 relay team of Mary Wallace Rainero, Caroline Edgerton, Adaire Tarrant and Albano finished first with a time of 4:33.31.

 

The 4x800 team of Rainero, Eckrich, Annika Deveau and Pink Mangan was first in 10:47.81.