Lady Bengals Made It A 4-Peat Enroute To Dominating The Final Division I Championship

Thomas Grant, Jr. • May 23, 2026

By Thomas Grant Jr.

Special to the HSSR


Columbia - Harry Parone Stadium has served as a fitting site for the S.C. High School League track and field championships.

The past four years has seen main resident Spring Valley and fellow Richland District Two schools Blythewood and Ridge View come away with Class 5A boys and girls’ titles.


On Thursday, the Lady Bengals made it a 4-peat enroute to dominating the final Division I championship. Their 125 total points exceeded second place Dorman by 50 points and produced gold medals by sisters Peyton Hightower (400 meters) and senior Hayley Hightower (800 meters).


This marked their second repeat title team up at the school. Back in March, they helped Blythewood win its second straight girls’ basketball title.


“This journey has been really amazing,” said younger sister Peyton, who’s a junior. “I’m just blessed to share with my sister and run with the same track team. I really love her and I’m super proud we’re both state champions in our last year.”


The Lady Bengals also won both the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays in building a large lead. Junior Alexis Jones placed second and third, respectively, in the long jump and high school and Brooks Bramlett (100-meter hurdles) and Romell Garway (triple jump) added to the point total with runner-up finishes.


Head coach Aleshia Hawkins credited her team with maintaining their intensity and overcoming the pressure of a 4-peat.


“Our girls are real committed,” Hawkins said. “The goal is to just always give something to our young girls to look up to and so, with the older girls and mid-age girls, they just keep coming.”


While Dorman finished a distinct second place with 75 points, it did not a record-setter. Senior hurdler Rebecca Okebe became the first female at the S.C. High School League track and field championships to finish the 400-meter hurdles in under a minute.


Her time of 56.70 seconds broke the previous mark by Summerville’s Imagine Patterson by four seconds.


“I like it because it’s what I’ve been working on for the past four years of high school,” said Obebe, who also won the 110-meter hurdles. “Especially the previous two years and the summer, we’ve been working really hard to perfect my race and kindly get me the right things to work on alternating and staying consistent in my hurdles. So, I get to see all the hard work pay off.”


Other multi-medalists were A’zedah Anderson (Summerville), Ella Nighbor (Clover) and Riley Vaughn (Spartanburg).


The boys’ title quite literally came down to the final two field events. Wando had developed an early lead on defending champion Ridge View before winning by a small margin.


The Blazers were looking to make it five straight years a Richland Two school was boys’ champion. Spring Valley had won champion from 2021-24.


“It’s a battle to the end and we knew it was going to be that way coming into this meet,” head coach Jason Doorman said. “And it was awesome to see. We had pretty step up in places we didn’t expect. We had people just bring their ‘A’ game throughout the entire meet and it was an awesome finish.


“Taking out Ridge View is something because they’re a very good team and they’ve been beating the state over and over and over. So, to be able to defeat them, hey that’s an honor to take them down and be able to be in the ranks there on top of the state.”


Junior Dylan Carey was the lone individual champion for the Warriors in the 400 meters. Wando did have several medalists in the field events that helped in its points total.


Multi-medalists in the boys’ division included Chanin Harris (J.F. Byrnes) and Luke Hurley (Boiling Springs).


S.C. HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE CLASS 5A TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (Top 5 Finishers)


GIRLS

100 METERS

1. A’zedah Anderson (Summerville), 2. Jordayn Ratliff (Dorman), 3. Trinity Jones (Summerville), 4. Oliver Taylor (Blythewood), 5. Ciara Williams (Lexington)


200 METERS

1. A’zedah Anderson (Summerville), 2. Ciara Williams (Lexington), 3. Kendell McFadden (Fort Dorchester), 4. Olivia Taylor (Blythewood), 5. Alexandra Francique (Blythewood)


400 METERS

1. Peyton Hightower (Blythewood), 2. Patience Grant (Stratford), 3. Olivia Taylor (Blythewood), 4. Akyra Webster (Spartanburg), 5. Zy’keyia Halley (Spring Valley)

800 METERS

1. Hayley Hightower (Blythewood), 2. Ana Laurient (Wando), 3. Rowyn Martens (Wando), 4. Gretchen Kale (Mauldin), 5. Marley Wall (Dutch Fork)


1600 METERS

1. Ella Nighbor (Clover), 2. Ava Jagielski (Clover), 3. Callie Rohm (Mauldin), 4. Kendra Miles (Lexington), 5. Taylor Blackwelder (Summerville)


3200 METERS

1. Ella Nighbor (Clover), 2. Taylor Blackwelder (Summerville), 3. Avery Griffith (Mauldin), 4. Anna Cavallon (Wando), 5. Anna Kelly (Blythewood)


110 METER HURDLES

1. Rebecca Okebe (Dorman), 2. Brooke Bramlett (Blythewood), 3. Gabrielle Cherry (Blythewood), 4. Romell Garway (Blythewood), 5. Sidra Berry (Ridge View)


400 METER HURDLES

*1. Rebecca Okebe (Dorman), 2. Katelyn McNeil (Spring Valley), 3. Arriana Dooley (Mauldin), 4. Tatiana Dooley (Mauldin), 5. Madison Ross (Blythewood)


4x100 METER RELAY

1. Blythewood, 2. Summerville, 3. Dorman, 4. Spartanburg, 5. Spring Valley


4x400 METER RELAY

1. Blythewood, 2. Spring Valley, 3. Dorman, 4. Ridge View, 5. Wando


4x800 METER RELAY

1. Wando, 2. Mauldin, 3. Blythewood, 4. Spartanburg, 5. Dorman


HIGH JUMP

1. Miracle McLean (Carolina Forest), 2. Danabella Jackson (Sumter), 3. Alexis Jones (Blythewood), 4. Trinity Hall (Clover), 5. Oprah Tchuendem (River Bluff)


LONG JUMP

1. Ciara Williams (Lexington), 2. Alexis Jones (Blythewood), 3. Alahna Valentine (Ridge View), 4. Simone Wells (Sumter), 5. Jordayn Ratliff (Dorman)


TRIPLE JUMP

1. Jordayn Ratliff (Dorman), 2. Romell Garway (Blythewood), 3. Naadia Rampersant (James Island), 4. Miracle McLean (Carolina Forest), 5. Oprah Tchuendem (River Bluff)


DISCUS THROW

1. Addilyn Elrod (Summerville), 2. Olivia Parker (Spartanburg), 3. Maddie Sanders (Mauldin), 4. Emmie Otto (Carolina Forest), 5. Darcy York (Rock Hill)


POLE VAULT

1. Riley Vaughn (Spartanburg), 2. Skylar Singleton (James Island), 3. Emiya Victor (James Island), 4. Mattie Bandy (Dorman), 5. Harmoni Harris (Spartanburg)


JAVELIN THROW

1. Elle Cocco (Wando), 2. Morgan Carter (Fort Dorchester), 3. Hailey Greatrex (Fort Dorchester), 4. Kyleigh Moore (Fort Dorchester), 5. Jaylyn Maley (Lexington)


SHOT PUT

1. Riley Vaughn (Spartanburg), 2. Emiya Victor (James Island), 3. Harmoni Harris (Spartanburg), 4. Lainey Myers (Lexington) 5. Elle Cocco (Wando)


TEAM SCORES (Top 10)


1. Blythewood (125),

2. Dorman (75),

3. Summerville (60),

4. Wando (59.50),

5. Spartanburg (53),

6. Lexington (45),

7. Mauldin (42),

8. Clover (36),

9. Spring Valley (33),

10 (tie). James Island and Fort Dorchester (30)

* S.C. High School League record


BOYS

100 METERS

1. Chanin Harris (J.F. Byrnes), 2. Grant Garrick (Lexington), 3. Jeremiah Calhoun (Boiling Springs), 4. Ke’Shon Tate (Spring Valley), 5. Thaddius Rush (Ridge View)


200 METERS

1. Chanin Harris (J.F. Byrnes), 2. Jeremiah Calhoun (Boiling Springs), 3. Grant Garrick (Lexington), 4. Devan Erby (Rock Hill), 5. Aidyn Wiggins (J.F. Byrnes)


400 METERS

1. Dylan Carey (Wando), 2. Larry Davis (Blythewood), 3. Jaderion Moore (Rock Hill), 4. Brody Johnson (Wando), 5. Jaden Davis (Wade Hampton)


800 METERS

1. Josh Voegele (Lexington), 2. Ari Laurient (Wando), 3. Wesley Heimbach (Lexington), 4. Joseph Robinson (Spring Valley), 5. Jack Butler (Wando)


1600 METERS

1. Luke Hurley (Boiling Springs), 2. Jacob Powers, 3. Joseph Robinson (Spring Valley), 4. Sammy Joudeh (J.L. Mann), 5. Evan DeMassi (Dutch Fork)


3200 METERS

1. Luke Hurley (Boiling Springs), 2. Jacob Powell (Blythewood), 3. Hudson Kennemore (J.L. Mann), 4. Ben Elliott (Mauldin), 5. Noah Taylor (Spring Valley)


110 METER HURDLES

1. Grayson Crowe (Boiling Springs), 2. Quency Grant (Ridge View), 3. Elijah White (Ridge View), 4. Justin Elliott (Mauldin)


400 METER HURDLES

1. Elijah White (Ridge View), 2. Quency White (Ridge View), 3. Justin Elliott (Mauldin), 4. Andy Metz (Spartanburg), 5. Grayson Crowe (Boiling Springs)


4x100 METER RELAY

1. J.F. Byrnes, 2. Spartanburg, 3. Ridge View, 4. Carolina Forest, 5. Ashley Ridge


4x400 METER RELAY

1. Ridge View, 2. Blythewood, 3. Wando, 4. Carolina Forest, 5. Spring Valley


4x800 METER RELAY

1. Lexington, 2. Wando, 3. Spring Valley, 4. Clover, 5. Summerville


HIGH JUMP

1. Cameron Hughes (Spring Valley), 2. Evan McCullough-Bryant (Dorman), 3. Jamarius Brown (Dorman), 4. Jonathan Wilson (Carolina Forest), 5. Isiah Kennedy (Ridge View)


LONG JUMP

1. Torrean Davis (Spartanburg), 2. Gage Stewart (Dutch Fork), 3. Jahmari Malone (Wando), 4. Jamier Gaston (Dorman), 5. Miles Williams (Carolina Forest)


TRIPLE JUMP

1. Jamarius Brown (Dorman), 2. Jahmari Malone (Wando), 3. Torrean Davis (Spartanburg), 4. Amari Stevenson (Ridge View), 5. Jamier Gaston (Dorman)


DISCUS THROW

1. Aiden Graham (Rock Hill), 2. Jaden Roberson (Dorman), 3. Jay Morris (James Island), 4. Collin Ash (River Bluff), 5. Preston Iagulli (Carolina Forest)


POLE VAULT

1. Lukas Kowlok (Stratford), 2. Mayson Samuel (Cane Bay), 3. Caleb Berry (Mauldin), 4. Luke Lasher (James Island), 5. Walker Ferguson (Mauldin)


JAVELIN THROW

1. Walker Ferguson (Mauldin), 2. Ben Eikenberry (Wando), 3. Gryson Greenberry (Summerville), 4. Zach Teachman (Wando), 5. Nate Dixon (Lexington)


SHOT PUT

1. Aidan Graham (Rock Hill), 2. Henry Camps (Wando), 3. Collin Ash (River Bluff), 4. James Porter (Dorman), 5. Jimmy Jones (James Island)


TEAM SCORES (Top 10)

1. Wando (84),

2. Ridge View (78), Dorman (52),

4. Lexington (50),

5. Spring Valley (48),

7. Mauldin (41),

8. J.F. Byrnes (40),

9. Blythewood (38),

10. Spartanburg (35.50)

 

Saluda Football Uses Spring To Build Depth

By Dennis Brunson • July 3, 2026
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor Saluda – The Saluda High School football team will have a good amount of experience returning for the 2026 season. The Tigers have six starters back on offense and eight on defense from a team that went 6-6 and reached the second round of the AA state playoffs. However, they didn’t get a lot of work in during spring practice because many of them were on the school’s baseball and track and field teams that made deep runs in the postseason. Saluda head coach Greg Woerner found a silver lining in that though. “We were only able to get eight days of spring practice in and made the most o it and got better learning the offense and defense and developing some depth with the younger guys,” said Woerner, who will be in his second season as head coach. “A lot of our returning starters were making playoff runs in baseball and track, so we got a good luck at our depth.” Saluda returns four players who were selected to the All-Region 2-AA team last year. They are rising junior placekicker Ericson Vasquez , senior running back Tristan Daniels, senior tight end Jahmeer Myers and junior defensive back Ceddion Springs . Vasquez was named the Region 2 Special Teams Player of the year. Woerner is hoping the Tigers can be productive in the month of July leading into the start of fall practice. “For the remainder of the summer we’re really just looking forward to continuing to get stronger but also focusing in more on football,” Woerner said. “We had a good June competing in 7-on-7s (competitions) and getting better at our passing game and pass defense. July will focus more on getting better at the whole game.” The Tigers completed their 7-on-7 competition in June. Their first scrimmage will be on August 6 at Woodland before coming home to scrimmage Gilbert on August 10. Saluda is scheduled to open its season on August 21 at home against Abbeville . The Tigers will be part of a new region in Region 4-AA. The region will include two old Region 2 foes in defending state champion Strom Thurmond and Pelion to go with American Leadership Academy , Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Silver Bluff . MILLER MARTIN SELECTED TO AA ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAM Sophomore pitcher Miller Martin , a key figure for Saluda’s AA state championship softball team, was selected to the AA All-State softball team announced by the South Carolina Association for Women’s Sports . Martin had a 15-3 win-loss record and struck out 248 batters in 139 2/3 innings while posting a 0.70 earned run average. At the plate, Martin had a .308 batting average with five home runs and 32 runs batted in. Martin was also named the Region 2 Co-Player of the Year. Martin was joined on the All-Region team by Amy Sorcia , Zoey Springs and Nyla Jordan . Tigers head coach Hannah Towery said the program’s first ever state title sets a precedent for the future. “Future players will walk on to that field knowing a championship can be achieved because this team proved it,” said Towery, who guided Saluda to a 29-3 record. “The banner will hang, the trophy will be displayed, and the record books will always show who did it first. “History remembers champions, but it especially remembers those who paved the way. This team just didn’t win a state championship – they built a legacy.”

Jefferson Davis football focusing on the basics over the summer

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 3, 2026
Raiders return everyone along the line from 8-4 team that reached 8-man semifinals

OCA Football Sets Sights On Four-Peat

By David Shelton • July 2, 2026
Oceanside's rising senior QB, Aiden Manavian is nearing 10,000 career passing yards and threw 42 touchdown passes last season.

W W King Holds Spring Athletic Banquet

By Gerald Doolittle • July 1, 2026
By: Gerald Doolittle Contributing Writer, HSSR Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. -W.W. King Academy held its Spring/Winter Athletic Banquet in mid-May to honor their 2025-26 athletic efforts. All the Knight teams were very competitive in their SCISA Class A region where they competed against Wardlaw Academy, Newberry Academy, Cambridge Academy, Richard Winn Academy and Anderson Christian . The Varsity Baseball team won the SCISA Class A Title . The Varsity Softball team was very competitive in the playoffs. Coach Jessica Anderson presented the Varsity Girls Basketball Awards . Blythe Buzhardt won the All-Around Excellence Award. Kenzie Morse won the Defensive Player-of-the-Year Award. Coach Dennis Gibson presented the Varsity Boys Basketball Awards. Spencer McCormick received the Most Outstanding Player Award. Brady Goff received the Sharp-Shooter Award. Coach Allen Guy presented the Varsity Softball Awards. Blythe Buzhardt received the Most Outstanding Player Award. Abby Aull received the Leadership Award and Kenzie Morse received the Iron Athletic Award. Coach Zach Matthews presented five awards to his Varsity Baseball State Champion players. Elijah Hutto received the Offensive Player of the Year Award. Luke Harvey received the Defensive Player of The Year Award. Wyatt Burbank, Zed Watkins and Smith Kirby shared the Team Leadership Award. Athletic Director Kathy Gibson assisted in presenting the Senior Awards. Smith Kirby and Abby Aull received the Senior Student Athlete of the Year Award. Wyatt Burbank and Kenzie Morse received the Athlete of the Year Award. Spencer McCormick and Abby Aull received the Christian Leadership Award. Wyatt Burbank and Kenzie received the Varsity Year-Round Athletes Award.

Florence Christian football team lost a few players to more than just graduation

By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor • July 1, 2026
Eagles do return Region Defensive Player of the Year in Hayden Schwab

Lodge Begins Fourth Season As Berkeley Coach

By David Shelton • June 30, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Moncks Corner – After a pair of six-win seasons in his first two years , Berkeley head football coach Eric Lodge guided the Stags to a 10-3 record last fall. Lodge is hoping and expecting to see continued growth and development in 2026 and recently put his prospective team through spring drills. The purpose of the spring is to identify roles and hopefully find rising talent that can assist either as backups or starters this fall. “Our spring is about evaluating kids, all of them, to see where they fit in,” Lodge said, “Those practices are very important to the growth of the program. We get everyone involved amd work to get them up to speed. Once we get into the summer, we are working hard to get stronger in the weight room along with seven-on-seven stuff.” Lodge says most of the returning experience is on the offensive side and the Stags should be explosive. Henry Rivers , a senior, will be a fourth-year starter and rates as one of the best in the state. Hethres for more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, adding 803 rushing yards and 16 more scores. Returning at receiver are John Cleveland, Eli Mitchell and Johnathan Mitchell, who combined for more than 60 receptions last season. Anchoring the running game are returners Lawrence Washington, Bryson McGee and Jesse Brown . That trio will work behind a revamped offensive line but Lodge sees potential in the developing unit up front. “I like our depth at running back and receiver, and of course we have a veteran leader at quarterback,” said Lodge. There are significantly more holes to fill on defense. The Stags lost an all-state tackle and three starting linebackers that were three-year starters. There also are three holes to fill on the back endd. “We have identified some young men who we feel will step in and be solid players for us,” Lodge said. “Replacing the experience is tough but we have some guys who will learn and grow over time. We’re not new to having young guys on the field. The talent is there and there are opportunities for guys to get on the field.”

Pinewood Preparing To Move Up A Class

By Roger Lee • June 29, 2026
Expectations are high for Pinewood Prep quarterback Silas Brawner.

Cane Bay Football Looking To Get Back On Track

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Summerville – The last two football seasons have been sub-par for the Cane Bay Cobras but veteran head coach Russell Zehr believes the pieces are in place for a potential resurgence. The Cobras finished the last two seasons with three wins each but did win a region championship in 2024. Zehr and his staff have worked hard in the offseason to develop some up and coming talent. They did so through the weight room and spring practice. “We had a good spring overall,” Zehr said. “We were missing a handful of guys due to track but we had good numbers. We spent a lot of time getting everyone up to speed. It was an opportunity for us to see younger kids that are coming up and find out who can help us this season. We had about 80 kids during the sprng and about 75 of those have been consistent in their workouts over the summer.” The Cobras will have a new quarterback this fall. Zehr says senior Coran Houp e is moving from running back to run the option offense this season. Returning in the backfield are Mayson Samuel and Sam Rolston , with some talented backs coming from the lower levels. The offensive line returns two starters, Isaac Siefken and Eli Taylor . Junior JJ Rose is back as the leader along the defensive front, with ends Devin Cobbs and B rennen Shokes also returning. The linebackers will be new starters with only Jackson Williamson returning with experience. The secondary could be a strength with returners Tyrell Bess, Zion Bryant and Caeden Wilson . The kicking game is a solid strength with senior Aiden Thorne returning. Thorne is a deep threat on kickoffs and field goals. “He’s got a leg and can be a real weapon for us,” Zehr said. Cane Bay participated in weekly 7-on-7 passing league scrimmages during June and will play at The Citadel event in July.

Mckoy Continues To Build A Winner At James Island

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
Head football coach at James Island, Jamar McKoy has worked to build his program into one of the more consistent programs in the state.

Red Fox Football Putting In The Work For 2026 Season

By David Shelton • June 29, 2026
By David Shelton Senior Writer Hartsville – As he embarks on his 22 nd season as the head football coach at Hartsville High, Jeff Calabrese is anxiously anticipating the upcoming 2026 season. Calabrese, with more than 200 career coaching wins, sys his team has put in good work in the offseason and appears focused on bettering last year’s 7-5 record. “We had a good spring practice, a good offseason all together really,” the coach said. “The numbers were maybe a little down but not far off. We spent a lot of time evaluating every position. If we needed to make a change we did. The focus in the spring and summer is making sure we have the right guys in the right spots. We basically are trying to get everyone on the same page.” Like all the schools in the state, the Red Foxes put in training four days a week from 8:30 to 11 am. Calabrese says this summer has been especially important as four new coaches have joined the program, including new defensive coordinator Neil Smith . “Really excited to have coach Smith. He brings a ton of energy and experience and he has really adapted well here,” Calabrese said. In terms of personnel, the Red Foxes have experience returning in several areas, starting with quarterback. Junior Ford Wallace is back as the starter and continues to develop in his role as a leader on the offense.. Returning at running back is Trace Hillian with CJ Hickmon moving from receiver to the backfield. Anchoring the offensive line is two-time all-region performer Fred Turner . Other returning linemen, who could end up on either side of the ball, include Creighton McKnight, Jake Williams, Jaquan Samuel and Pat Rhode. Rod Cranford returns in the back seven as a third-year starter. Zi’Yon Mason is moving from the secondary to linebacker, as is Jamario Scipio-Bishop. Devaris James and Deon McCall are players to watch in the secondary. “At a school our size, sometimes you have to move some kids around to make it all fit,” Calabrese said. “That’s why the summer is so important, to get those kids a lot of reps, good group to work with. We just need to build some depth.”
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