By LARRY HILLIARDLedger Sports Editor

James Davis

Notice to the rest of the Class 4A track and field athletes - here comes Gaffney’s Eric Gaffney, Charles Smith and Jessica Shippy.

Gaffney had the fastest time in the 200 meters with a 21.66 at the state qualifier at Spring Valley on Saturday. He also had the second-fastest time in the 400 meters with a 49.1.

The top eight finishers in each event advance to the state meet Friday and Saturday at Spring Valley.

“Eric is having a great year,” Gaffney coach James Davis said. “He’s learning to be more focused.”

Smith won his heat and qualified third in the 100 meters at 10.8.

Davis said Smith could have run faster.

“He shut it down early,” he said.

Smith finished fourth in the 200 with a time of 21.94.

Gaffney and Smith joined Tyson Petty and Cameron Tate to place second in their heat and sixth overall with a 43.12 in the 4x100 relay. Petty, Smith, Gaffney and Kennard Lipscomb qualified seventh in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:28.

Davis said both relay teams have room for improvement.

“You want to qualify then make some adjustments,” he said. “The relay teams need to be more focused on their hand-offs.”

The Indians’ 4x800 relay team failed to qualify.

In the girls’ competition, Shippy will defend her state championship after placing first in the long jump with a 17-7.5.

The meet was delayed about 30 minutes because of lightning.

“It was a tough day,” Davis said. “The runners had to run through the rain.You couldn’t let the rain bother you.”