The Herald unveils its 2022 track and field All-Area teams and athletes of the year
It’s not hyperbolic to say that Jada Jones of Rock Hill High and Sam Rich of Catawba Ridge will be remembered long after they’re gone.
They broke school records and won state championships to make sure of it.
Jones has been named The Herald’s All-Area girls track and field athlete of the year, and Rich has been named The Herald’s All-Area boys track and field athlete of the year. Both are headed to prestigious college programs to run — Jones to Dartmouth and Rich to Notre Dame — and both had stellar senior years.
Jones finally earned what had eluded her in her high school running career — a state championship — when she took home the 5A state title in the 400-meter dash in a personal-best 53.81. (That time was also the state’s best in this outdoor season.)
Among her other senior-year accomplishments: She was the 5A state runner-up in the 200-meter dash and as part of Rock Hill’s 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams, and she ran the area’s best 800-meter run (2:18.74) to win the Rams/Falcons High School Invitational at Columbia International University on April 2. (She was also a standout for the Rock Hill basketball team, which won a program-first state championship.)
Rich didn’t compete in this year’s state championships — a hamstring injury sidelined him — but his robust accomplishments previously in the year made him impossible to overlook. The senior finished the 2022 season with the No. 1 time in the state in both the 1600-meter (4:14.78) and 3200-meter (8:55.78) runs this outdoor season, and he also won the 3200-meter event at the prestigious Adidas Raleigh Relays at N.C. State in March.
Additionally, Rich was named the S.C. Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year and took home a second-consecutive cross country title this fall.
Below is a full listing of The Herald’s boys and girls All-Area track and field teams, which spotlight some of the best athletes from York, Chester and Lancaster counties.
Girls All-Area track and field
Athlete of the Year: Jada Jones, Rock Hill
Coach of the Year: David Helms, Catawba Ridge
First team girls All-Area
100-meter dash: Sierra Smith, Nation Ford, Jr. The Falcon junior was the 5A state champion in a personal-best 11.90.
200-meter dash: Jada Jones, Rock Hill, Sr. The Bearcat senior was the 5A state runner-up and ran a personal-best 24.07 to win the 5A Upper State title.
400-meter dash: Jada Jones, Rock Hill, Sr. The Dartmouth signee won the 5A state title in personal-best 53.81, which was also the state’s fastest time this outdoor season.
800-meter run: Jada Jones, Rock Hill, Sr. The Rock Hill senior ran a season-best 2:18.74 to win the Rams/Falcons High School Invitational at Columbia International University.
1600-meter run: Alivia Cleveland, Fort Mill, 8th. The Yellow Jacket eighth-grader ran the fastest outdoor time this season to win the 5A Upper State championship (5:02.12). She was also a 5A state runner-up.
3200-meter dash: Alivia Cleveland, Fort Mill, 8th. The Fort Mill eighth-grader was the 5A state champion and also ran a personal-best time 11:02.85 to finish 11th at a national event at Spring Valley High in Columbia in April.
100-meter hurdles: DeeEra Cousar, South Pointe, Fr. The Stallion freshman won the Region 3-4A title in a personal-best 16.50.
400-meter hurdles: Sierra Smith, Nation Ford, Jr. The Falcon junior ran a personal-best 1:04.98 to finish as runner-up at the Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic. She also finished third at the 5A state championships.
High Jump: Lael Valdez, Nation Ford, So./Bryleigh Jackson, Northwestern, Fr. Valdez jumped a personal-best 5-4 to win the event at the Bob Jenkins Classic and finished fourth at the 5A state championships. Jackson went 5-4 to win the Region 4-5A title.
Long Jump: Lael Valdez, Nation Ford, So. The Falcon sophomore jumped 19-2.5 to win at Clover and also finished 14th-place at the 5A state championships.
Triple Jump: Icesis Gaston, South Pointe, Sr. The Stallion senor jumped a personal-best 35-6 to win the Region 3-4A title. She also finished third at the 4A state championships.
Pole Vault: Sydney Pierce, Catawba Ridge, So. The Copperhead sophomore vaulted a personal-best 10-0 to win the Tri-County Championships at South Pointe on April 28. She also finished sixth at the 4A state championships. She was a key reason why her team finished an area-best sixth place at states this season.
Javelin: Chantel Chisholm, York, Jr. The Cougar junior threw a personal-best 114-0 to win the Region 3-4A title. He also finished 12th at the 4A state championships.
Discus: Olivia Dubrow, Catawba Ridge, Fr. The Copperhead sophomore was 4A state runner-up and also threw a personal-best 125-9 to win the Diamond Hornet Invitational at Spring Valley in March.
Shot Put: Annie Reagan, Nation Ford, Fr. The Falcon freshman ran an area-best 37-8.75 to win at Clover on April 26.
4x100-meter relay: Rock Hill (Khamoni Rockey, Jada Jones, Makayla Street, Laila Hankerson). The Bearcat quartet was the 5A state runner-up in this event with an area-best time of 46.35.
4x400-meter relay: Rock Hill (Khamoni Rockey, Deashaj Crawford, Makayla Street, Jada Jones). The 5A state runner-up team ran an area-best 3:151.20 in this event.
4x800-meter relay: Catawba Ridge (Avery Shope, Riley Shope, Shay Studley, Maddy Mack). The Copperhead relay finished fourth at the 4A state championships in 9:50.22.
Girls second team All-Area
100-meter dash: Jasmine Gourdin, Nation Ford, Fr.
200-meter dash: Jasmine Gourdin, Nation Ford, Fr.
400-meter dash: Sierra Smith, Nation Ford, Jr.
800-meter run: Mia Royall, Nation Ford, So.
1600-meter run: Mia Royall, Nation Ford, So.
3200-meter dash: Angela Kravitz, Fort Mill, Sr.
100-meter hurdles: Mackenzie Boggess, Clover, Fr.
400-meter hurdles: Olivia Evans, Northwestern, So.
High Jump: Destiny Chapman, Clover, Sr.
Long Jump: Madison Griffin, York, Sr.
Triple Jump: Makayla Street, Rock Hill, Sr.
Pole Vault: Julie Nguyen, Catawba Ridge, So.
Javelin: Sienna Lydon, Fort Mill, Jr.
Discus: Chantel Chisholm, York, Jr.
Shot Put: Hana Kandil, Nation Ford, So.
4x100-meter relay: Nation Ford (Alyse Davis, Sierra Smith, Jasmine Gourdin, Aubrey Barney).
4x400-meter relay: Nation Ford (Alyse Davis, Sierra Smith, Jasmine Gourdin, Naturee Thomas).
4x800-meter relay: Northwestern (Madeline Smith, Olivia Evans, Addison Meeker, Aamori Gaines).
Boys All-Area track and field
Athlete of the Year: Sam Rich, Catawba Ridge
Coach of the Year: David Helms, Catawba Ridge
First team boys All-Area
100-meter dash: Andre Hodge, Catawba Ridge, Sr. The Wake Forest football commit won the 4A state title and ran a personal-best 10.38 to finish as runner-up in the Clash of the Carolinas. His performance is part of why Catawba Ridge notched an area-best team finish at the state championships this year (third).
200-meter dash: Andre Hodge, Catawba Ridge, Sr. The Copperhead senior also won the 4A state title in a personal-best 21.20.
400-meter dash: Isaac Gilmore, Rock Hill, Sr. The Bearcat senior was Region 4-5A runner-up in personal-best 49.19. He also finished seventh at the 5A state championships.
800-meter run: Jackson Dawson, Fort Mill, Sr. The Yellow Jacket was the 5A Upper State champion in 1:58.01.
1600-meter run: Sam Rich, Catawba Ridge, Sr. The Notre Dame commit ran the state’s fastest time this outdoor season (4:14.78) to win the event at the Carolina Distance Carnival.
3200-meter dash: Sam Rich, Catawba Ridge, Sr. The Copperhead senior ran a state and personal-best 8:55.78 at the Arcadia Invitational in California.
110-meter hurdles: Zamar Fil-Aime, South Pointe, Jr. The Stallion junior finished third at the 4A state championships in a personal-best 14.78.
400-meter hurdles: Johntavis Ross, South Pointe, Sr. The South Pointe senior won the Region 3-4A title in a season-best 56.20. He also won the 4A state championship in a time of 56.28.
High Jump: Judge Collier, Nation Ford, Jr. The Falcon junior was the 5A Upper State runner-up in 6-6. He also finished third at the 5A state championships.
Long Jump: Jeremiah Hicks, Lancaster, Sr. The Bruin senior was the 4A Upper State champion in 23-4 and also was third at the 4A state championships.
Triple Jump: Jeremiah Hicks, Lancaster, Sr. The Bruin senior also won the Region 3-4A champion in a personal-best 45-2. Hicks also finished fourth at the 4A state championships.
Pole Vault: Hunter Baumburger, Clover, Sr. The Blue Eagle senior finished fifth at the 5A state championships in a personal-record 13-6.
Javelin: Will Mattison, Northwestern, Sr. The Trojan was the 5A state runner-up in a personal-best 166-4. He also was the school’s record-breaking quarterback.
Discus: Josh Ehresman, Catawba Ridge, Sr. The Copperhead senior threw a personal-best 148-6 at the Bob Jenkins Classic on April 23 and also finished eighth at the 4A state championships.
Shot Put: Thomas Maxwell, Catawba Ridge, Sr. The Catawba Ridge senior was the runner-up in a personal-best 52-11 at the Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic. Maxwell also finished fifth at the 4A state championships.
4x100-meter relay: Catawba Ridge (Jonathan Hairston, Evan Hamilton, Andre Hodge, Dalante McAllister). The Copperhead relay team ran an area-best 42.39 to finish third at the 4A Upper State championships. They also finished third at the 4A state meet.
4x400-meter relay: Fort Mill (Elijah Grant, Jackson Dawson, Lance Kimani, Anthony Elijah). These Yellow Jackets ran an area-best time of 3:22.35 to finish fourth-place at the 5A state championships.
4x800-meter relay: Fort Mill (Liam Eident, Tanner Long, Devon Sibley, Jackson Dawson). These Yellow Jackets ran an area-best time of 8:17.60 to finish fourth-place at the Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic in March.
Second team boys All-Area
100-meter dash: Skylar Woodard, Northwestern, Sr.
200-meter dash: Jonathan Hairston, Catawba Ridge, Sr.
400-meter dash: Jonathan Hairston, Catawba Ridge, Sr.
800-meter run: Sam Rich, Catawba Ridge, Sr.
1600-meter run: Jackson Dawson, Fort Mill, Sr.
3200-meter dash: Mason Haynes, Nation Ford, Fr.
110-meter hurdles: Johntavis Ross, South Pointe, Sr.
400-meter hurdles: Deshawn Mungo, Rock Hill, Jr.
High Jump: Jordan Dahmer, Rock Hill, Jr./Channing Robinson, South Pointe, Jr./Nashon Suchanek, Clover, Jr.
Long Jump: Lance Kimani, Fort Mill, Jr.
Triple Jump: Javarus Guthrie, York, So.
Pole Vault: Isaiah Palmer, Rock Hill, So.
Javelin: Jaylin Moss, Chester, So.
Discus: Alexavier McMoore, South Pointe, Jr.
Shot Put: Josh Ehresman, Catawba Ridge, Sr.
4x100-meter relay: Rock Hill (Jyierre Edwards, Isaac Gilmore, Daylen Boulware, Malik Clark).
4x400-meter relay: Catawba Ridge (Brandon Raysor, Alex Conetta, Jonathan Hairston, Dalante McAllister).
4x800-meter relay: Catawba Ridge (Spencer Predmore, Max Conetta, Jack Myatt, Zach Bannister).
The Herald will publish its other spring sports All-Area teams later this week. Sam Copeland, Jay Edwards and Alex Zietlow all contributed to the selection of these teams.
This story was originally published June 14, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
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