Bishops, Iron Horses post strong showings at Coaches Classic

The 2023 Coaches Classic lived up to its name – and then some.

 

The Coaches Classic concluded with The Elite Meet held at Camden High School on April 21, showcasing the top high school track and field athletes in the Palmetto State, regardless of their school’s enrollment classification. With all that talent on display, it was no surprise that 109 national elite performances were either timed or

measured on a brilliant spring day.

 

The Coaches Classic regional qualifiers were held March 25 with seven separate events held around the state. Athletes who finished in the top 16 of their event when results of all seven meets were combined moved on to compete in the Elite Meet.

 

The Elite Meet featured standout efforts in the sprint events. Nigel Ancrum of Spring Valley High School won the 100-meter dash in 10.29 seconds to edge out Carmelo Martin of Boiling Springs, who was clocked at 10.37. Five runners ran the 100-meter dash in under 11 seconds.

 

Four athletes had national elite times in the 110-meter high hurdles.

 

The meet was originally scheduled for April 22 at Waccamaw High School, but officials moved the meet up a day early to April 21 and the venue was changed because of an ominous weather forecast. 

 

Both Bishop England and Philip Simmons competed in the Region 6 qualifier and both schools fared well.

 

Bishop England had only one athlete compete in the Elite Meet and that was Nora Brahim, who finished ninth in the 1,600-meter run. The Bishops had three other athletes qualify for the Elite Meet. But they didn’t compete because the rescheduled meet conflicted with the BE prom.

 

Philip Simmons, meanwhile, had more than 10 athletes compete. The Iron Horses’ best finish came from the girls’ 4x800-meter relay team, which won the silver medal. Members of the team included Hailey Meyers, Matea Prayer, Laura Perry and Samantha Watson.

 

Perry, only a seventh-grader, finished in eighth place in the 3,200-meter run and 10th in the 1,600-meter run.

 

Senior Zhaire Mack, in her first year of track and field after a three-year hiatus, finished in seventh place in the javelin. Avery Harbaugh claimed eighth place in the pole vault.

 

The Philip Simmons boys’ team also was well represented. Bryce Kinloch and Bo Jimemez finished in sixth and seventh place respectively in the high jump. Troy Stevenson claimed sixth place in the long jump and Jeremiah Bonano was sixth in the triple jump.

 

The Iron Horses’ 4x100-meter relay captured sixth place and the 4x400-meter relay team finished fifth.

 

The track and field season will conclude in May.

 

Bishop England will host the Region 7-AA championships on May 3 at home. The Class AA Lower State meet is scheduled for May 13 at Woodland High School. The state championships are set for May 19-20 at Spring Valley.

 

Philip Simmons will compete in the Region 8-AAA championships on May 3 at Beaufort High School. The Class AAA state qualifier will be held on May 13 at Camden High School and the Class AAA state championships will be held on May 19-20 at Lower Richland High School.