Rock Hill, Northwestern, Catawba Ridge track teams perform well at Elite Invitational

The Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic ELITE Invitational Track Meet unfolded at Byrnes High School in Duncan over the weekend, and the area teams and individuals performed exceptionally well.

Individual competitors and relay teams from 74 girls teams and 70 boys teams participated in the prestigious event.

The Northwestern Trojans and the Catawba Ridge Copperheads paced the area boys teams with 10 teams and individuals competing, while the Nation Ford Falcons had an equal number in the girls division to participate.

The Trojans had nine top-10 finishes in the boys’ events, while the Falcons earned eight in the girls’ competition.

Three area teams and individuals earned first place finishes in the meet.

In the boys’ division, Northwestern’s Channing Ferguson won the High Jump clearing the bar at 6-10.0, while Fort Mill’s 4x800 relay team was the best in a time of 7:57.03. In the girls’ division Nation Ford’s Tessa Kramer was tops in the 400 Hurdles with a time of 1:06.17.

Three more local individuals and teams were runners-up in their events.

In the boys’ division Northwestern’s Ferguson finished second in the Long Jump with a leap of 23-00.50, and the Trojans’ 4x100 relay team turned in a time of 42.51. Camryn Lorrick of Nation Ford was second best in the High Jump as she cleared the bar at 5-02.00.

Quite a few area teams and individuals were in the top five finishers.

In the girls’ group Tierra Frasier of Rock Hill was third in both the 100M (11.95) and the 200M (24.64). The Falcons’ Lorrick was fifth in the 100M (12.15).

In the boys division Northwestern’s Gavin McFaddin was third in the 200M (22.17) and Michael Stinson was fourth in the 110 Hurdles (15.28).

The Northwestern boys had five more individual finishes. Mason Thomas led the way with a seventh place in the 3200M (9:41.51). Jonathan Behr was ninth in the Pole Vault (11.00), and McFadden added a 10th place in the 100M (11.10). Donavon Medley completed the Trojans’ competitors with a 10th place in the High Jump (6.00) and a 14th place in the 110 Hurdles (17.22).

The Trojans girls had Lily Gangadeen finish ninth in the Pole Vault (10.00), and the 4x800 Relay team was 12th (10:18.14).

Nation Ford had two more girls individuals and all three relay teams in the competition. Ansley Archuletta was sixth in the 800M (2:24.49) and seventh in the Pole Vault (10.00). Katie Pou came home eighth in the 1600M (5:14.54) and 13th in the 3200M (11:42.66). The Falcons were sixth in the 4x800 Relay (9:57.16), while the 4x400 Relay team finished seventh (4:16.21) and the 4x100 Relay team was 12th (50.85).

Connor O’Flynn was in two events for the Falcons. He was 13th in the 1600M (4:34.07) and 14th in the 3200M (10:01.05).

The Catawba Ridge boys had nine individuals and one relay team in the competition. Thomas Maxwell led the way with a sixth place in the Shot Put (47-01.00) and a seventh place spot in the Discus (I142.00). Forrest Rozell was eighth in the Pole Vault (11-06), and Caden Westover finished ninth in the 800M (2:01.91). Alex Conetta was 11th in the 400M (52.26), while Jonathan Hairston was 12th in the 400M (52.33). The team’s individual finishes were completed by Joshua Silverman, who was 12th in the 3200M (9:48.96), and Evan Hamilton, who had a 15th place in the Javelin (127-02.00).

The Copperheads 4x400 Relay was 14th (3:38.59).

The girls from Catawba Ridge added three more finishes. Maddie Mack was 10th in the 1600M (5:16.28), Maggie Klein was 11th in the Discus (94.05.00), and Olivia Dubrow turned in a 12th place in the Discus (93-06.00).

Fort Mill’s boys got a sixth place finish from Jackson Dawson in the 800M (2:01.01). The Yellow Jackets’ girls 4x800 Relay was 11th (10:17.65).

The Rock Hill girls added Haley Duggan’s eighth place finish in the 100M (16.16), and Rachel Arwood’s 11th place performance in the 800M (2:26.22).