Spring Valley’s Brian Raymond (foreground) takes the lead in 2004 Taco Bell one–mile run.

The Taco Bell Track and Field Classic at Spring Valley High School has developed into a premier high school athletic showcase featuring record setting All–Americans. The 13th edition is this Friday night and all day Saturday at the 12,000–capacity Harry Parone Stadium. The event incorporates the finest scoring system with a highly professional staff.

Friday’s competition begins at 6:30 pm with high jump and 4x800 meter races. Activity resumes Saturday at 9 am. The complete schedule for both days can be found on the Internet at www.svh.richland2.org /tbell.

Adult admission is $5, kids 10 and under $3.

Unlike the recent SC–only Coaches Classic, held at the same venue on May 26, competitors come from ten states reaching as far west as Alabama and as far north as New Jersey and New York. There are 131 schools and 2,134 athletes entered.

Before this year, all but a few teams were from public schools.

“We have a lot of private schools from Columbia and from North Carolina,” said John Jones, meet director and Spring Valley boys’ head coach. “The competition definitely will be on par with last year. Some events will be stronger. We have really stellar athletes.”

At the recent NIKE Indoor National Championships at Landover, MD, Spring Valley’s sprint medley relay team, Torric Davis, Joe Holt, Robert Thompson, and Darian Hodges, won All–America honors.

At the Coaches Classic, Davis was third behind Ridge View’s James Lipscomb in the 200m dash and RV’s John Safford in the 100. Hodges took second in the 800m. SV’s Phillip Tyler was third in both the 110m and 400m hurdles.

RV Head Coach Jeff Buys’ 4x200m NIKE event All–America squad of Damon Bailey, Rodney Lipscomb, George Fields, and Safford should be among the top contenders.

Fields was the male MVP in the Coaches Classic with a leap of 24’8.78” in the long jump.

Other top Blazers runners are Aubrey Darnell, Richard Williams, Maurice Palmer, and Michael Varner.

Premiere among the girls is Spring Valley’s All –American and two–mile National Champion, Katie Niehaus. Among her teammates are sprinter Shalyn McMichael and hurdler Breanna Jones.

Top level competitors among the Ridge View girls include Jessica Young in the 400m dash, multi–talented Shantrell Jenkins, and the Lady Blazers’ 4x100m Relay team.