Blythewood, Ridge View sweep Class 5A Division I track and field titles

By Thomas Grant Jr.

The Northeast is Class 5A track and field championship “country” once again.

Both the Blythewood girls and Ridge View boys beat out Spartanburg to sweep the Class 5A Division I titles this past weekend at Spring Valley High School. It was the third consecutive state title for the Lady Bengals, while the Blazers followed last year’s championship in Class 4A with their first in Class 5A.

“It’s very exciting,” Blythewood track and field coach Aleshia Hawkins said. “We knew when we came in we had to perform a lot better than we did last season because we had a lot of people after us. So we came out and performed the way we normally do.”

“It means the world,” Ridge View track and field coach Charles Proctor said. “I’m just proud of the growth of this program. In four years, we’ve won three region championships, two state titles. But I think the number that I’m most proud of within these four years, we’ve helped 20 young men gain an athletic scholarship to continue their athletic and academic career at the next level.

“I think we can be a perennial powerhouse in the country.”

In Class 4A, Ethan Moody of Richland Northeast earned three gold medals. He placed first in the 100 meters and the 110 and 400 meter hurdles.

BOYS RESULTS

100 meters – Jordyn Best (Ridge View – 1^st)

200 meters – Marion Glover (Blythewood – 2^nd) and Jordyn Best (Ridge View – 3^rd)

400 meters – Mounir Spann (Ridge View – 2^nd)

1600 meters – Spencer Shealy (Blythewood – 2^nd)

3200 meters – Jacob Powell (Blythewood – 2^nd)

400 meter hurdles – Quency Grant (Ridge View – 2^nd)

4×100 meter relay – Ridge View (1^st)

4×400 meter relay – Blythewood (3^rd)

Triple Jump – Amari Stevenson (Ridge View – 2^nd)

Discus Throw – Santana Wright (Blythewood – 1^st)

GIRLS RESULTS

100 meters – Destiny Horn (Ridge View – 3^rd)

400 meters – Peyton Hightower (Blythewood – 1^st)

800 meters – Hayley Hightower (Blythewood – 2^nd) and Kaitlyn McFadden (Ridge View – 3^rd)

3200 meters – Mallorie Hogue (Blythewood – 3^rd)

100 meter hurdles – Brooke Bramlett (Blythewood – 1^st) & Aminah Rhone (Blythewood – 3^rd)

400 meter hurdles – Aminah Rhone (Blythewood – 1^st) and Katelyn McNeil (Spring Valley – 3^rd)

4×100 meter relay – Blythewood (2^nd)

4×400 meter relay – Blythewood (1^st) and Ridge View (2^nd)

4×800 meter relay – Blythewood (2^nd) and Ridge View (3^rd)

(All photos by S.C. High School League)