By Bru Nimmons
Sports Editor
bnimmons@thepccourier.com

CENTRAL — Heading into the home stretch of their seasons, Pickens County’s four public high schools took to the track at Daniel High School on April 2 for the Pickens County Track and Field Championships.

For the second year in a row, it was a clean sweep for Daniel High School with its boys’ and girls’ teams both taking first place at the meet.

While the Lions controlled the final standings, the Easley girls had the best day on the track winning nine events.

Aamari Kelly was the biggest winner for the Green Wave, proving to be one of the county’s finest athletes with first place finishes in the 100-meter dash as well as the long and triple jump. Easley also received record-breaking performances on the track from Brooklyn Nova and Acie Vincent.

Nova set the new county record with a time of 25.65 seconds in the 200-meter dash, while also helping the Green Wave bring home the 4×100 meter relay alongside Lia Salley, Abbe Starnes and Taylor Williams. Meanwhile, Vincent pulled away with a record-breaking time of 11:42.20 in the 3200-meter run.

Quin Miller also picked up a big win for the Green Wave on the track in the 400-meter run, while joining Williams, Emerson Guarino and Joby White for a first-place finish in the 4×400 meter relay.

Aubryn Salley picked up the final win for the Green Wave as she tied her county record of 3.05 meters in the pole vault.

The meet champion Daniel girls weren’t far behind Easley, boasting winners in eight events. The Lions were bolstered by two standout performances from Lizah Williams and Phoenix Mora Mann.

Williams continued her dominant display as a distance runner taking first place in both the 800-meter run and the Abraham Balawi memorial one-mile run. The eventual girls’ meet MVP wasn’t done there, teaming with Hunter Vye Fraser, Ellen Breed and Emma Dryman to take home the 4×800 meter championship with a county record time of 10:17.00.

Mora Mann matched Williams with an athletic spectacle of her own taking first in both the 110- and 400-meter hurdles, as well as the high jump.

The Lions final pair of champions were both in the field with Emma Leigh Baker winning the discus and Braelin Cumbie winning the javelin throw.

Pickens’ Zamiya Donaldson picked up the lone gold for the Blue Flame in the shot put, while the Liberty girls were left without a first-place finisher.

On the flip side, the Red Devil boys had the most successful day on the track winning seven events behind huge days from Reid Finley and Kendrick Jackson.

Finley was a force to be reckoned with on the track winning four events on his way to being named boys’ meet MVP. Finley won the 800-meter and Abraham Balawi memorial one-mile run and set a new meet record with a time of 9:53.20 in the 3,200-meter run. He then finished the night with a win in the 4×400 meter relay alongside Orion Austin, Jayden Garrett and Chavis Roland.

Jackson picked up two individual championships with wins in the 200-meter dash and the long jump, while also helping the Devils clinch the title in the 4×100 meter relay alongside Austin, Garrett and Keenen King.

The Easley boys weren’t far behind Liberty, picking up wins in five events at the meet.

Julius Adams led the way for the Green Wave boys winning gold in both the 110- and 400-meter hurdles. Lucas Miller joined him with a win on the track in the 400-meter run.

In the field, Evan Massey set a new county record in the javelin with a throw of 53,34 meters and Reese Brown took first place in the high jump.

County champion Daniel also had wins in five events at the meet with strong displays all over the track.

The lone record-setters for the Lions was their championship winning 4×800 relay group of Cole Allred, Bryce Emerson, Cooper Hallo and Sam Proffitt. The group came together to set a meet-record with a time of 8:47.00. Trey Wimbley also picked up a win for the Lions on the track in the 100-meter dash.

The Lions added three more championships in the field with Christian Chancellor Jr. taking first in the triple jump, while Caesar Oglesby won the shot put and Shawn Elliott took first in the pole vault.

Pickens saw its lone win on the boys side come in the discus thanks to a first place throw from TJ McCullough.

Pickens County track meet results

GIRLS

Girls’ meet MVP:
Lizah Williams (11), Daniel

Girls’ jump MVP:
Aamari Kelly (12), Easley

Girls’ field MVP:
Ciairra Hester (12), Liberty

Girls’ team scores: Daniel 98.5, Easley 90.5, Pickens 27, Liberty 16

Girls’ All-County Team
100m: Aamari Kelly, Easley, 12.72
200m: Brooklyn Nova, Easley, 25.65*
400m: Quin Miller, Easley, 1:01.38
800m: Lizah Williams, Daniel, 2:25.42
1 Mile Run: Lizah Williams, Daniel, 5:24.54
3200m: Acie Vincent, Easley, 11:42.20*
100m Hurdles: Phoenix Mora Mann, Daniel
400m Hurdles: Phoenix Mora Mann, Daniel
4x100m: Brooklyn Nova, Lia Salley, Abbe Starnes, Taylor Williams, Easley
4x400m: Emerson Guarino, Quinn Miller, Taylor Williams, Joby White Easley, 4:18.58
4x800m: Ellen Breed, Emma Dryman, Hunter Vye Fraser, Lizah Williams, Daniel, 10:17.00*
High Jump: Phoenix Mora Mann, Daniel, 1.45m
Long Jump: Aamari Kelly, Easley, 5.35m
Triple Jump: Aamari Kelly, Easley, 10.89m
Discus: Emma Leigh Baker, Daniel, 31.38m
Shot Put: Zamiya Donaldson, Pickens 10.70m
Javelin: Braelin Cumbie, Daniel, 32.06m
Pole Vault: Aubryn Salley, Easley, 3.05m*

 

BOYS

Boys’ meet MVP:
Reid Finley (12), Liberty

Boys’ jump MVP:
Christian Chancellor (11), Daniel

Boys’ field MVP:
Dodson Broussard (9), Daniel

Boys’ team scores: Daniel 109, Easley 56, Liberty 55.5, Pickens 23.5

Boys’ All-County Team
100m: Trey Wimbley, Daniel, 11.11
200m: Kendrick Jackson, Liberty, 22.38
400m: Lucas Miller, Easley
800m: Reid Finley, Liberty, 2:08.34
1 Mile Run: Reid Finley, Liberty, 4:36.70
3200m: Reid Finley, Liberty, 9:53.20*
110m Hurdles: Julius Adams, Easley
400m Hurdles: Julius Adams, Easley, 59.00
4x100m: Orion Austin, Jayden Garrett, Kendrick Jackson, Keenen King, Liberty, 43.05*
4x400m: Orion Austin, Reid Finley, Jayden Garrett, Chavis Roland, Liberty, 3:35.84
4x800m: Cole Allred, Bryce Emerson, Cooper Hallo, Sam Proffitt, Daniel, 8:47.00*
High Jump: Reese Brown, Easley, 1.90m
Long Jump: Kendrick Jackson, Liberty, 6.70m
Triple Jump: Christian Chancellor, Daniel, 13.49m
Discus: TJ McCullough, Pickens, 32.88m
Shot Put: Caesar Oglesby, Daniel, 12.92m
Javelin: Evan Massey, Easley, 53.34m*
Pole Vault: Shawn Elliott Daniel, 3.43m

*Denotes a Pickens County Track and Field Championships record