Bulldogs, Warhorse win state track and field titles

May 21—COLUMBIA — There's a little bit of extra pressure that comes with knowing that you're the one to beat.

Barnwell's Tyler Smith felt it, and so did Silver Bluff's boys' 4x400-meter relay team Friday night at the Class AA track and field championships at Lower Richland High School.

There were two ways to respond to that pressure — crumble, or overcome.

They chose the latter.

Smith and the Bulldogs were the big winners Friday night, as each brought home state titles despite knowing they were taking their opponents' best shot on the state's biggest stage.

"Knowing that I'm the one to beat, it pushed me even harder because I love competition," said Smith, the state champion in the high jump at a height of 6 feet, 4 inches. "It just makes me go harder. I'll go 110% if it's competition. That's how much I love it."

Smith also came into the championship remembering the sting from last year's third-place finish. This time around he arrived in Columbia as the Lower State champion, and he walked in confident that he would win.

He wasn't the only jumper to clear the height of 6-2, and he felt some pressure because Liberty's Alex Peraza was able to do so on his first attempt.

Still, it became a matter of who was going to reach 6-4 — and Smith knew it had to be him. The victory was a bit of redemption for last year while also providing some fuel for his senior season next year.

"Last year, it was crazy. I was trying to break my own record of 6-6, try to get 6-8," he said before adding, "I'll go get it next year."

Silver Bluff had been in a "go get it next year" phase for too long, according to DenTavis Morris. So, when it was his turn to receive the baton as the anchor leg in the night's final race, there was only one thing on his mind — winning.

"It feels amazing," he said. "I've got two seniors in my group, and I've been telling them I'm going to get them a ring for the past three years. It feels amazing to finally be able to get it to them."

The final relay was a back-and-forth affair between Silver Bluff and Philip Simmons, just as it was at the Lower State qualifier. The Bulldogs had fought for this one through adversity and shuffled lineups (like the loss of Timothy Morris due to injury), and they stuck together to get it done when it mattered most.

"I was thinking that we beat them before, same thing, just going to have to fight a little harder," said DenTavis Morris, who teamed with Michael Moody, Nick Brown and DeVontia DeWitt for the title. "I came out, he got it to me, do what I could do, came out on top."

There was no better time than Friday night for a team-best relay time, and that's exactly what the Bulldogs did. DenTavis Morris started the anchor leg trailing by a small margin, but he overcame that to take the lead heading into the final stretch. He held off his opponent's final kick, and the Bulldogs were winners by less than half of a second."

"The whole time. He was talking to us. I heard every step he took," he said. "I felt him breathing down my neck and everything. All I could think of was fight."

Those were the highlights from a host of podium (top eight) finishes for area competitors in the state track and field championships, which started Thursday with Class A.

Wagener-Salley had a pair of top-eight finishers there, with Israel Tyler taking fourth in the 1,600 meters and Christopher Kitchings finishing seventh in the long jump.

Barnwell's Shontavia Tyler joined Smith with a podium finish by taking fifth in the shot put.

Silver Bluff had a host of top-eight finishers, including some medal-winners. The girls' 4x400 relay snagged the silver with a second-place finish, and Dominick El earned a bronze with his third-place finish in the shot put.

Additionally, Alexis Bryant was fourth in the high jump, Fantasia Smith was fifth in the 400 meters, the girls' 4x100 relay team finished sixth, Krystal Johnson was seventh in the high jump and Zaden Davis was eighth in the long jump.

Strom Thurmond was well represented at the Class AAA meet Saturday at Lower Richland High School. Chase Brightharp earned a silver medal with his second-place finish in the discus, and he reached the podium again by finishing seventh in the shot put.

Deondra Jones finished fourth in the 100 meters, Canaan Talbert took fourth in the 400 meters, Hailey Collins was fifth in the shot put, the girls' 4x100 relay team took sixth, and Gregory Bryant was eighth in both the 100 and 200 meters.