By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Hopkins — The Fairfield Central AA boy’s track team dominated the competition on May, 18 at the SCHSL AA track meet hosted on the track at Lower Richland High School.
The Griffins dominated the 42-team field with a 25-point win over second place Greer Middle College by the score of 83-58. The next teams in order with 20 or more points include: Academic Magnet (55), Gray Collegiate (54), Hampton County (47), Silver Bluff (47), Keenan (39.5), Abbeville (32.5), Mid-Carolina (32), Bishop England (32), Liberty (31), Landrum (29), Marion (21) and Saluda (20).
The Fairfield Central Griffins are head coached by six-year veteran Raymond Harrison and his boys’ team qualified 16 athletes for the state meet. “Track is a true team sport and it is a group of individuals performing at a high level for the good of the team,” said Coach Harrison. “I studies the heat sheet carefully and I felt like as long our kids maintained their consistency, we had a shot at winning a state title and that is what happened.
“I will tell you the sky is the limit for Mr. Boyd (Jaden Boyd won three individual gold medals) and I can see him having an opportunity to run track and play college football at the next level,” said Coach Harrison. “Of our 16 qualifiers today only one is a senior (Kristen Golden-long jumper) so we feel really good about next season also. It was a real team effort today and we had four personal bests today which you are hoping happens.”
Sophom*ore Jaden Boyd led the Griffins with three gold medals and he ran a leg on a second- place relay team to produce 32 of his team’s gold medal points. Boyd won the 100- meters (10.51), the 200-meters (21.34) and the long jump (6.95m). Boyd was amongst the top wide receivers in the state who played on his junior varsity (not varsity) football this past season.
Boyd talked with the HSSR from the state track meet. “I ran a personal best in the 100 today and I have been working hard getting prepared for the state meet,” said Boyd. “In my first 30 meters I want to get a good drive, and then in the next 70-yard drive phase; I want to hit my top end speed with a burst at the end. It is a 100 per cent effort the whole way.”
With two more years left Boyd is also focused on participating in track and football at the next level. “I like both sports and my goal are to achieve a five-star rating in football also,” he said. “”I would like to play both sports in college.”
The other gold medal winner for FC was junior Hank White who won for the second straight year in the 800-meters ((1:57,59). His win was a personal best for him. “I have been struggling to break two-minutes all year and I finally accomplished that goal today,” said White. “I like to stay behind the leaders until the final 200-meters because I have a strong kick and I always finish strong. In the past year I have improved over three seconds. My senior goal is to go under 1:50.”
Gray Collegiate sophom*ore Caleb Raysor won individual gold medals in the 110 hurdles (14.81) and the 400-meters (55.92) plus he ran a leg on the winning 4X100 relay team to account for 22.5 points for the War Eagles.
“It feels great to have won two individual gold medals and a third with the relay,” said Raysor. “I ran a personal best in the 110 -hurdles. My thing is to get how hard and run like a butterfly and sting like a bee. I try not to knock down any hurdles also. I also play football; wrestle and I power lift. Football is my favorite passion and I play receiver and corner back.”
Junior Quin Swanton of Academic Magnet was a double winner in the 1600-meters (4:19.60) and the 3200-meters (9:44.92). “My goal coming into the meet was to win both of individual events,” said Swanton. “My goal is keep improving and earn a four-year track scholarship to major college program. My goal by my senior season is a 4:10 mile and break my school record in the two-mile and to just keep having fun in the sport.”
The shot-put gold medal (51-04.50) went to senior Ka’Von Chisolm of Hampton County. Chisolm has signed a football scholarship (defensive end) with South Carolina State. His winning toss was his personal best and also established a new school record for himself.
“It feels great to win today because I have been trying to win in the shot for the past six years,” said Chisolm. “My technique is to stay low and explode on the glide.”
Batesburg-Leesville sophom*ore JaQuan Corley won the discus (157-01.75) event. “My goal for my junior year will be to get a personal best and win again,” said Corley. “I try to stay calm and get a good push when I release the disc.”
Abbeville junior Karson Norman won the 400-mters (48.11) and the Panther football player also placed third in the 100-meters (10.85) and 6th in the 200-meters (22.54). “My strategy in running my race varies from meet-to-meet but today I ran all-out because it was do-or-die at the state meet,” said Norman. “I led wire-to-wire today. My goal is to keep training in both football and track and to keep getting better.”
Silver Bluff sophom*ore Joshua Smith took gold in the triple jump (44-09.75). “My goal for next year is to get a personal best in the triple jump and finish first again,” said Smith. “My strategy is just to stay clam and get a good spring off the board.”
Senior Lucas New of Pelion earned gold in the high jump (6-06.75). “My first step is forward, and then the curve part is where you get all of your momentum, and I watch a lot of videos and practice a lot,” said New. “I was an inch off my personal best today. I am going to Marshall to be a Decathlon athlete and I hope to top the record there of 6-7.”
Senior Academic Magnet pole vaulter Jackson Miller won the event (13-11.25) at the AA meet for the second straight year improving one-foot in the process. “I improved from 14 feet to 15 feet in one year,” said Miller who is headed to Clemson in the fall on a track scholarship. “I also placed 4th at Nationals so I have improved a lot.
“My technique involves giving everything I’ve got running down the runway, and then push up as hard as you can, and once you jump your swing, try to get upside down as far as you can, and pull yourself off the top of the pole,” said Miller, all in one breath. “It takes a lot of focus and hard-work, I have been a pole vaulter for four years and I am really excited about going to Clemson.”
Senior Mark Baker of Landrum improved from second to first place over the past year winning the Javelin with a heave of (168-11.50). “I think it just came down to working hard,” said Baker. “In the fall I had ankle surgery and I really worked hard to rehab and get ready for the track season. The hard work paid off and I am looking forward to attending MIT on a track scholarship the next four years. I will major in mechanical engineering with a focus in bio-medical devices.”
