The Magnificent Seven win AAAA girls state track and field championship
By Neill Kirkpatrick
Special to the HSSR
Columbia – The Magnificent Seven is a classic old time western movie at Richland Northeast in the AAAA girls state track and field meet the Gray Collegiate girls track and field team wrote their version of the Magnificent Seven as they won their first AAAA state track and field state championship narrowly defeating runner up Daniel 61-58.
“I’m really proud of these girls, they worked hard all year. The coaches did a great of preparing our kids to come out here and preform at a high level,” said Head Coach Jackie Robinson. “First time getting a AAAA state championship at Gray Collegiate, we did it with only seven girls making it so for them to come out here and maximize all the individual and relay events I just can’t say enough good things. We had several personal records; they picked themselves up and delivered in a big way.”
The state championship was the second consecutive for coach Robinson and Gray Collegiate as they won their first state track and field championship last season at the AA level.
Gray led Daniel by two points 58-56 heading into the final event, the 4x400 relay. The Lady Eagles team of Tamara Steward, Taylor Jones, Aliyah Edwards, and Zaira Gaines made sure the lead held up as the finished sixth while Daniel finished seventh for the final of 61-58. The foursome also got the meet started off on a solid note as they won bronze in the days first event the 4x100 relay.
Steward led the way for Gray Collegiate winning three individual medals: two gold and a silver. She won the 100 hurdles in a time of 14.83 equaling her personal best and the long jump setting a new personal best of 5.48 meters. She also set a new personal best in the 400 hurdles in a time of 1:03.23.
Tresta Miller, also visited the medal podium for Gray as she placed second in the 100 and the 400 meters. She also participated in the 200 and the long jump.
Daniel’s lone gold was in the 4x800 relay with Lizah Williams, Ellen Breed, Lilly Tidwell, Lilly, and Ashby Williams. Williams was the top individual winner for the Lions as she won silver in the 1600 and 3200. She set a new personal best of 5:08.39 in the 1600.
In the 100 and 200 meters, Gaines scored valuable points for Gray as she placed fifth and sixth, respectively.
Greer’s Jewel Brantley had won a gold and silver medal winning the 100 meters in a time of 11.88 and finishing second in the 200 meters in 24.68. She is just a junior.
Also winning two individual medals was Westsides Ayanna Hunt. She won the discus with a throw of 47.51 meters and won silver in the shot put with a put of 12.17. She won the discus by over 10 meters.
South Pointe’s Azyah Adams won two bronze medals in the 100 and 200 meters. She set new personal best in both events with a time of 12.05 in the 100 and 24.83 in the 200. The 4x100 relay team of Jayla Robinson, Adams, Amiya Davis, and Kavae Anderson took home gold in the event.
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1 Gray Collegiate 61
2 Daniel 58
3 Seneca 55
4 Hilton Head 47
5 South Pointe 45
6 Bishop England 40
6 Westside 40
8 Wren 39.5
9 Lakewood 26
9 York 26
11 Dreher 25
11 Lower Richland 25
13 Travelers Rest 19
13 South Florence 19
15 Greer 18
15 Fountain Inn High School 18
17 Bluffton 16
18 Gilbert 14
19 Wilson 13
20 Aiken 12.5
21 Hartsville 12
22 AC Flora 11.5
23 Blue Ridge 9
24 Airport 8
25 May River High School 6
25 Richland Northeast 6
27 Brookland Cayce 5.5
28 Midland Valley 5
28 South Aiken 5
30 Colleton County 4
30 Camden 4
32 Pickens 3
32 Southside 3
34 Beaufort 2
35 Lancaster 1
