Seniors lead SHS Track Team to State Championships

Today the Seneca High School (SHS) Bobcats men’s and women’s track teams will travel to Spring Valley High School in Columbia for day one of the AAA State Track Championship, reports Dr. Chris White, SHS Varsity Boys Track and Field Coach. The men’s team qualified athletes in twelve events, which should put them in the thick of the competition. The main competitors for the Bobcats will be strong teams from Broome, Bishop England and Waccamaw. The Bobcat men have been led all year by a very strong group of seniors. Senior throwers Rome Tabron, Devonte Henderson and Freddy Cleveland have led the way with their work ethic all year long, and their improvement in the throws, along with junior JJ White, have put the Bobcats with four athletes in the throwing events this weekend. In the jumps, senior Trevon Jenkins has been solid in the triple jump all year long- and goes into the weekend with the fourth best jump. He is joined by senior pole vaulter Drew Boggs, who qualified for the pole vault along with 8th grader Bryce Hamby. Both valuters have cleared over twelve-feet, which will put them both right in the middle of the competition. On the track, the Bobcats are led by the senior 4×400 relay team of Cameron McCutcheon (who also runs the high hurdles), James Gibson, Noreaga Alexander, and Elijah Stewart (who is also in the 800 and 1600 meters). Competition will start Friday evening with the 4×800 relay team of Stewart, Gibson, and Sam and Will Dodd who go into the meet with the top qualifying time. The last time the Bobcat men have won a state championship in track and field was 2007, when they completed three straight state championship titles. The Bobcat women have a much younger group of athletes competing this weekend, and look for a strong finish led by the distance team. They are led by Carson Towe, who qualified in the 1600 and 3200 meters individually and Sariah Stewart who qualified in the 800 meters. Competition will start Friday evening with the 4×800 relay of Towe, Stewart, Rhylee Wittrock and Catherine Cann, who go in with the top qualifying time of 10:02. The meet will finish with the 4×400 team of Stewart, Wittrock, Nyqueyah Henderson and Avery Raines, who go in with the fifth best qualifying time. The girls team finished as State Runner Up last year. The first events begin this evening at 5:30pm with the women’s 4×800 relay at Spring Valley High School in Columbia. Stay up-to-date with the SHS Track and Field Teams online at www.senecabobcats.com.