BHS Girls, Boys 4×400 Relay Teams Set State Records
COLUMBIA – In a weekend defined by speed and milestones, Blythewood High School’s track and field program made a statement at the 31st annual All-American Track and Field Classic. Competing in a field of 72 elite teams from as far away as Delaware and Barbados, the Bengals’ girls team emerged as overall champions.
The All-American Classic is recognized nationally as a ‘gold standard’ meet that serves as a recruiting hub for Division I coaches. Standing atop the podium, Blythewood’s girls became the first South Carolina school to claim the overall title since 2019. The Bengals tallied 51.25 points to outshine 71 other schools, including runner-up Mallard Creek (NC), which finished with 42 points.
Both the girls’ and boys’ 4×400-meter relay teams from Blythewood not only finished in first place at the meet, both squads set new state records.
In the girls relay, the quartet of Olivia Taylor, Alexandra Francique, Hayley Hightower, and Peyton Hightower took first place with a time of 3:45.71, almost six full seconds ahead of second place St James Academy’s time of 3:51.31. This performance marks the fastest time ever recorded by a South Carolina high school girls’ 4×400-meter relay team.
The Hightower sisters’ performances cemented their status as elite national prospects in their individual events. Peyton Hightower took second in the 400m (54.26), while Hayley Hightower finished second in the 800m (2:09.80). Olivia Taylor added vital points to the team total with a third-place finish in the 200m (24.17).
Other girls’ highlights included:
- Brooke Bramlett: 5th in 100m Hurdles (14.51).
- Romell Garway: 5th in Triple Jump (11.63m).
- Alexis Jones: 7th in Long Jump (5.44m) and 8th in High Jump (1.58m).
- Relays: The 4x100m relay team took 3rd (46.76) and the 4x800m relay placed 6th (9:36.05).
Blythewood’s boys also proved they could go toe-to-toe with the country’s best, securing a ninth-place overall finish with 21 points in the 72-team field. Archbishop Carroll (DC) took the boys’ title with 32 points.
Mirroring the girls’ record-breaking success, the boys’ 4×400-meter relay team also etched their names into the South Carolina history books. Rodney Little, Solomon Cobbs, Marlon Glover, and Larry Davis flew to a first-place finish in 3:14.64, just ahead of Mallard Creek’s 3:15.10 finish.
Individual excellence was also on display as senior Jacob Powell outlasted a deep national field to win the 3200-meter run in 9:08.60, almost two seconds ahead of second place finisher Eric Gillis from Carson High School.
Other boys’ highlights included:
- Larry Davis: 8th place 400m dash (48.19)
- Justin Simmons: 12th in Long Jump (6.59m).
- Dillon Hutcherson: Top-30 finishes in both Discus (40.56m) and Shot Put (13.54m).
- Anthony Knight: A strong showing in the one-mile run, finishing 83rd in a field of 114 (4:39.39).
Blythewood’s teams now settle back in for the final stretch of the regular season, prepping for the SCHSL 5A track and field championships in mid-May.
The Bengals hosted an eight-team meet on Wednesday, but scores were not available prior to The Voice’s press deadline.