‘Winning state means a lot to me.’ Meet your track champions from the Rock Hill-area
Injuries kept Andre Hodge from running track the last two years, but the Catawba Ridge senior made up for it on Saturday.
Hodge, a defensive back and Wake Forest football signee, won the 100 and 200 in the Class 4A Track and Field state championships at Spring Valley High School in Columbia.
“It feels great,” Hodge said. “The past two years, I had knee surgery and couldn’t run. So being out here and winning state means a lot to me.”
Hodge’s win in the 100 came a week after finishing second behind Dreher’s Caleb Timmons in the 4A Upper State meet.
In the 200, it was Hodge and Timmons again battling out. Hodge rallied in the final few meters just edging Timmons for the win with a time of 21.20.
“Last week, I messed up out of the blocks, had a bad start and went into panic mode,” Hodge said. “This week, I made sure I had block starts right and it all worked out for me.”
On the football field this year, Hodge had 19 tackles and two interceptions for the Copperheads. He was picked to play in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl.
Meet the rest of the athletes from York, Chester and Lancaster counties who had good showings at the track and field state championships this weekend.
5A
GIRLS
JL Mann won the championship with 84 points. The Nation Falcons were fourth (42 points) while the Rock Hill Bearcats came home eighth (34 points). The Fort Mill Yellow Jackets were 13th (26 points) , the Northwestern Trojans finished 21st (7 points), and the C.lover Blue Eagles were 32nd (2.5 points).
Three area performers earned state titles. Jada Jones of Rock Hill won the 400M (53.81), Alivia Cleveland of Fort Mill was the best in the 3200M (11:03.65), and Sierra Smith of Nation Ford had the top time in the 100M (11.90).
All three added another top eight finish. Jones was second in the 200M (24.41), Cleveland was the runner-up in the 1600M (5:04.59), while Smith finished third in the 400H (1:05.70).
Rock Hill added a pair of runner-up finishes in the relay events. The ‘Cats were second in both the 4x100M (46.35) and the 4x400M (3:51.20).
Nation Ford, which led area teams with eight top eight finishes, had three individual and two relay teams earn points.
Jasmine Gourdin had two finishes in the top eight. She was fifth in both the 100M (12.07) and the 200M (24.79). Mia Royall was fourth in the 800M (2:20.07), while Lael Valdez was fourth in the High Jump (5.00.00).
The Falcons 4x100M Relay team was third (47.03), and the 4x400M Relay team finished seventh (4:06.93).
Fort Mill added two more top eight finishes. Sienna Lydon was fourth in the Javelin (102.02), and Angel Kravtiz turned in a sixth place finish in the 3200M (11:51.35).
Northwestern had three in the top eight. The 4x800M Relay team was fifth (9:56.23). McKenzie Evans was seventh in the Discus (104-09.00), and Aamori Gaines was eighth in the 800M (2:23.56).
The Clover Blue Eagles had one top eight finish. Destiny Chapman was sixth in the High Jump (5.00.00).
BOYS
Spring Valley won the competition with 58 points. Fort Mill was 12th (20 points), while Nation Ford was 18th (12 points). Northwestern was 20th (10 points), Rock Hill was 21st (6 points), and Clover’s 24th place finish (4 points) rounded out the area team’s scores.
Fort Mill led the way with four top eight finishes and one state title.
Jackson Dawson claimed the top prize in the 1600M (4:16.74). Evan Ickert was sixth in the 3200M (9:50.52), while Isaac Campbell was seventh in the 3200M (9:50.70). The Jackets 4x400M Relay team came home fourth (3:22.25).
Northwestern had two in the elite eight, and one was a state runner-up. Will Mattison was second in the Javelin (166-04.), while Joseph Tindale finished seventh in the 1600M (4:26.41).
Rock Hill had three in the top eight. Isaiah Palmer was sixth in the Pole Vault (13-00.00), Isaac Gilmore finished seventh in the 400M (50.09), and Noah Simmons was eighth in the Javelin (149-06).
Nation Ford manged two top eight results. Mason Haynes was third in the 3200M (9:29.45), and Judge Collier finished third in the High Jump (6-04.00).
Clover’s only top eight finish was turned in by Hunter Baumberger, who was fifth in the Pole Vault (13-06.00).
4A
GIRLS
Greenville won the championship by scoring 102 points. The Catawba Ridge Copperheads were sixth (36.5 points), the York Cougars were 13th (16 points), and the South Pointe Stallions finished 17th (14 points).
Catawba Ridge led the way with seven top eight finishes. Olivia Dubrow was the top performer for the Copperheads with runner-up finishes in the Discus (123-03.00) and the Shot Put (37-02.00). Jolie Nguyen was fourth in the Pole Vault (10-00.00), while Avery Shope was fifth in the 800M (2:24.16). Tatum Postel earned a sixth place in the High Jump (4-10.00) and Sydney Pierce had the same spot in the Pole Vault (9-06.00). The 4x800M Relay team finished fourth (9:50.22).
York had five top eight places. Chentel Chisholm had two of those. She was third in the Discus (118-05) and fifth in the Shot Put (34-03.00). Shanyia Gray was fifth in the 400M (59.49), Ava Shook came home seventh in the 800M (2:25.01), while Madison Griffin was eighth in the 100M (12.43).
South Pointe scored four top eight places. Icesis Gaston was third in the Triple Jump (35-00.00), and Kavae Anderson managed a fourth spot in the High Jump (5-00.00). Zaria Bell was seventh in the Discus (114-05.00), and Shakiya Nichols finished eighth in the Shot Put (31-11.00).
BOYS
Greenville claimed the title by scoring 94 points. Catawba Ridge came home third (50 points), and South Pointe was 11th (25 points). The Lancaster Bruins were 18th (15 points), while the Indian Land Warriors were 25th (9 points), and York was 31st (3 points).
Catawba Ridge was the top team with ten finishes in the top eight. Andre Hodge claimed a pair of state titles in the 100M (10.40) and the 200M (21.20). Josh Ehresman was third in the Shot Put (51-09.50) and eighth in the Discus (142-06.00). Thomas Maxwell finished fifth in the Shot Put (47-06.50) and sixth in the Discus (145-04.00). Jonathan Hairston was eighth in the 200M (22.32).
All three of the Copperheads relay teams scored points with top eight results. The 4x400M was second (3:23.04), the 4x100M came home fourth (42.34), and the 4x800M finished seventh (8:25.48).
South Pointe earned six top eight finishes. Johntavis Ross led that charge with a state title in the 400H (56.28). Zamar Fil-aime was third in the 110H (14.78), while Micah Andrews was sixth in the 800M (2:02.34). Joshuah Sinkler finished seventh in the 800M (2:02.79), and Channing Robinson was eighth in the High Jump (6-00.00). The Stallions 4x400M Relay team was sixth (3:28.75).
Lancaster had a trio of top eight results. Jeremiah Hicks had two of those. He was third in the Long Jump (21-10.20) and fourth in the Triple Jump (44-09.50). Matthew Prete was fifth in the 3200M (9:41.37).
Indian Land had a pair of top eight finishes. Brian Adams was second in the 400M (49.92), and Jeremiah Knight finished eighth in the Triple Jump (41-11.00).
York ‘s Emmanuel Paddyfote earned the Cougars only top eight position. He was sixth in the 1600M (4:34.61).
3A
GIRLS
Seneca claimed the top spot with 90 points. No area team or individual finished in the top eight.
BOYS
Wren scored 65 points and won the title. The Chester Cyclones were 23rd (9 points).
Jaylin Moss had the top performance for the Cyclones. He was fourth in the Javelin (154.02). Zan Dunham turned in a fifth place finish in the Shot Put (46-11.75).
2A
GIRLS
Phillip Simmons was the top girls team with 129 points. No area team or individual finished in the top eight.
BOYS
Greer Middle College scored 92 points to earn the title. The Andrew Jackson Volunteers were 24th (8.5 points).
The Volunteers Ta’nas Watkins had a pair of top eight finishes. He was fourth in the Long Jump (21-02.00) and sixth in the High Jump (5-10.0).
1A
GIRLS
Whale Branch won the title with 118 points. The Great Falls Red Devils were 19th (5 points), and Riverwalk was 26th (2 points).
Quaniya Spence of Great Falls finished sixth in the High Jump (4-08.00), and teammate Yasmin Williams was seventh in the Discus (83-11.00). Riverwalk’s Hayden Thomas was eighth in the 1600M (6:36.14).
BOYS
Southside Christian won the championship with 127 points. No area team or individual competitor finished in the top eight.
This story was originally published May 22, 2022 at 7:47 AM.
