COLUMBIA – The SCHSL 4A Region 5 track and field meet at Richland Northeast on May 1 had more than touch of déjà vu. Both Westwood teams finished in second place behind Ridge View, just as they finished in the 2023 region meet.
Westwood’s girls finished with a team score of 147, just 20 points behind Ridge View’s 167. The boys finished with a combined score of 121. Ridge View topped the field at 241.
The battle has stayed hot all season and could boil over in the coming weeks. Westwood’s girls’ team claimed their first SCHSL state title last year, a shared 4A championship with Ridge View’s team. Westwood looks to claim it for their own this season, but will have to outperform Ridge View to do that.
Westwood’s girls had seven first place finishes at the Region 4 meet last week.
Redhawk distance standout Emma Ashley took two first place finishes – one in the 800m run at 2:20.26, her season best, and also in the 1600m run with a 5:21.68 finish.
Ayrianna Moore finished first in the 200m dash at 24.97 and also took two second place finishes. Moore finished second in the 100m dash at 12.25 and in the 400 m dash at 57.65.
Harper Ramsdale had the team’s other individual first place finish. She took first in pole vault at 3.05m.
Westwood girls’ 4×100 (48.16) and 4×400 (4:04.94) relay teams had first place finishes. The 4x800m relay team finished in second at 10:14.87. All three relay teams had their fastest times of the season.
Other top finishers were
- Christina Tyndall: 2nd in 1600m run at 5:47.93 and 5th in 3200m run at 14:29.86
- Jasmine Graham: 2nd in discus at 30.59m
- Ja’Miah Samuel: 2nd in 400m hurdles at 1:08.72 (SB) and 5th in 100m hurdles at 17.13 (SB)
- Jamiya Carter: 3rd in 800m run at 2:28.43 (SB)
- Rebecca Ashley: 3rd in pole vault at 2.28m and 5th in 1600m run at 5:55.15 (SB)
- Jaslyn Simpkins: 4th in shot put at 10.24m
- Ayanna Aarons: 5th in 100m dash at 12:57
- Eden Davis: 5th in discus at 25.2m
Mike Balkman, Zion Brown and Chase Simmons had Westwood boys’ top finishes on the day. Balkman finished first in the 400m dash with a time of 48.93. Zion Brown took first in high jump at 2m. Chase Simmons finished first in triple jump at 13.46m. Simmons also finished second in long jump at 6.51m.
Westwood’s 4x400m relay team also took first place with a season-best 3:19.66 time.
Other top finishers were
- Jayden Wilson: 2nd in 200m dash at 22:08 (SB)
- Christian Banks: 2nd in 400m hurdles at 55.77 (SB)
- Jarmar Gallman: 2nd in javelin at 39.05m
- Tavaris Bell: 3rd in high jump at 1.85m
- Dominick Young: 3rd in 400m dash at 49.9 (SB)
- Ivory Thigpen: 3rd in 110m hurdles at 15.57 and 3rd in triple jump at 13.09m
- Demari Clark: 4th in 400m dash at 50.63 (SB)
- Darryl Jones: 4th in javelin at 38.17
- Christian Rhoden: 5th in discus at 41.75m and 5th in shot put at 12.96m
Westwood is set to compete at state qualifiers May 10 and 11, then will set their sights on the 4A State Championship meet, held at Spring Valley on Saturday, May 18.
