Florida 1A State Meet Headquarters

FHSAA 1A Outdoor State Finals
Jason Byrne

On-Site Coverage

Todd Grasley, Randy Settle, and Jason Byrne are on-site for coverage for flrunners.com. We will be providing thousands of photos often posted within an our of each event, live Twitter updates, video interviews, video highlights, and summary article. Sorry, we will not be permitted to post full races due to FHSAA licensing those rights to PlayOn Sports.

Highlights

Holy Trinity Boys Win School's First Ever 4x800 Title; End Night with Boys Team Championship

Holy Trinity boys fought of a challenges from St. Pete Catholic, Geneva School, Trinity Prep and Maclay to win the Tiger's first ever state title in the 4x800. That is a surprising stat to most considering Holy Trinity's distance dynasty over the past decade, but until now it has elluded them.

The Tigers led for most of the race, but a strong third leg by St. Petersburg Catholic closed the gap to about 15 meters. Holy Trinity senior Alex Brown's anchor ensured the victory, winning in 8:08 to SPC's 8:13.

Later in the evening, Alex Brown and Cole Oliver put on a clinic in the 1600 meters. As Dylan Scott from Baker ran all alone up front, the two set the pace for the chase pack in the 1600. Coming around the final 200, Brown led out the kick to start to get separation from the pack. Teammate Cole Oliver went with him and treated us all to a battle to the line. Oliver kicked hard, leaned, and collapsed over the line... Brown maintained for the state championship, both with times of 4:25. The nice 1-2 finish for Holy Trinity made it look challenging for First Academy to challenge for the team title. But it's not over until it's over!

After First Academy took out a lead after the 4x100 and 300 Hurdles, it was Danny Welch striking back for Holy Trinity with a second place 1:57.92 in the 800 meters for a much needed eight points. Would it come down to the 4x400?

Not to be. After Kwadarius Smith of TFA manged only six points, Holy Trinity struck back with a bushel of points with 15 in the 3200 meters. Trevor Kattenberg and Alex Brown went 2-3 and then sophomore Andrew Cacciatore added another point with eighth place. That left Holy Trinity with a 79.5 to 59 point lead going into the 4x400 meters and taking any upset off the table.  Holy Trinity won the team title 80.5 to 61!

Video interview with Holy Trinity Boys 4x800 Champs

Alex Brown Interview

Maclay's Kurgatt Aces Field to Win in last 300 in 4x800, Wins 1600, 800; Maclay Girls win State Title

Providence, Holy Trinity, and Maclay traded off leads in a back and forth girls 4x800 battle. After Providence led off with an early lead, Holy Trinity battled back to the front of the pack with Julie Wollrath's second leg. Providence grabbed it back on leg three and held on strong. At the last exchange, the crowd anticipated that with the closeness of Maclay and Providence it was only a matter of time until the Kurgatt effect took place. Kurgatt is one of the top two-lappers in the state and was the far and way favorite to win the open 800 later in the night. Providence held the lead into the bell lap, but Kurgatt had closed within striking distance. With 300 meters to go, she took over and didn't look back. The senior Georgetown signee extended the lead to six second over the last 300 to lead Maclay to a 9:32 to 9:38 victory over Providence, with Evangelical Christian in third with 9:42.

When here individual events came up, Kurgatt did not disappoint. She ran a controled race in the 1600, going just strong enough to secure the win since she still had the 800 to go. She led most of the race, keeping in front of Julie Wollrath of Holy Trinity and gapping her over the last 200m to win in 5:06.26 to Wollrath's 5:11.03.

Later in the evening, Kurgatt started out the 800 conservatively. She went by the 200m mark in last place at the back of the pack. Over the next 200m she picked through the pack and went around the outside on the home stretch to move into second place by the bell lap. She sat back around the curve and then passed into the lead with 250 meters to go.  Grace Blair of Oak Hall put on an impressive move to try to stay with Kurgatt, as they pulled away from the rest of the field. Blair's strong move made us wonder for a brief second if the unthinkable could happen and Kurgatt could go down in her premier event. But Stefanie was just too strong and cruised in for the 2:16.47 victory, her third on the day, and ninth in her career.

Blair, just a seventh grader, turned in an impressive time of 2:16.87 for the silver medal.

To top it all off for Kurgatt and her Marauders, they nailed down the girls team championship at the end of the night!  

Video Interview with the Maclay Girls

Video Interview with Kurgatt after 800

Grace Blair Interview, Girls 800 Runner-Up

Amanda Gale Tops Twin Sister Emily and Kelsey Stern with 12-6 Pole Vault

The above photos is not a mirror or trick shot! The twins echo each other as if a reflection. Today it was Amanda Gale who got the better of her sister Emily. Last year Emily won the state championship with Amanda taking second.

Soaring to new heights this season, both Gales--seniors at Calvary Christian in Ft. Lauderdale--and Kelsey Stern of St. Johns Country Day cleared 12 feet today. That is an impressive group at a national caliber height. Amanda was able to make it over the bar at 12-6 to take the state title. She made three valiant attempts at the state record of 12-11 but just couldn't get there. Stern took second on less misses than Emily.

The twins gained national attention this week when they were in an article on Yahoo! Sports.

Video Interview with the Gales

Darrielle McQueen Soars to Twin State Titles in Horizontal Jumps

North Florida Christian's Darrielle McQueen made a statement today by serving up double gold medals in the jumps. She began the day by beating out a strong 19-3 jump from Abby Hani of Lake Mary Prep with a 19-7, just off her own personal best. Later in the afternoon she took went five better than her closest rival to earn a new personal best with a wind legal and US #12 40-04.50.

Video Interview with Darrielle

Kilborne Nabs High Jump Victory

Holy Trinity McKenzie Kilborne didn't even make the state meet last year, but this year she is going home a champion. She delivered a much needed ten points to the Tigers, who are hoping by some miracle to gather enough points to be in contention with Maclay for the state title. Kilborne's 5-4 is a new personal best and took the senior by surprise. She said she just tried not to focus on the height to not get intimidated by the bar. Apparently it worked!

Video Interview with McKenzie

... more to come...

Photos and Videos

 

Videos

Interview: Maclay Girls 4x800m Relay Champions Interview: Holy Trinity Boys 4x8 Champions Amanda and Emily Gale Interview - Pole Vault Interview: Kelsey Stern - Girls Pole Vault Champion
Interview: Mckenzie Kilborne - Girls High Jump Champion Interview: Austin Warren - Boys Triple Jump Champion Interview: Darrielle McQueen - Long Jump/Triple Jump Champion Interview: Ryan Davis - 300m Hurdles Champion
Interview: Connor Cureton - 800m Champion Interview: Marquis Burgman - 110m Hurdles Champion Interview: Kwad smith - 100/4x100m Champion, 200m Runner-Up Interview: Tamani Wilson - 200m Champion
Interview: Gabby Gayles - 400m Champion Interview: Alex Brown - 1600m Champion, 4x800m Relay Champions Interview: Julie Wollrath - 1600, 3200m Runner-Up Interview: Daniel Salas - 3200m Champion
Interview: Sarah Candiano - 3200m Champion Interview: Coach Gary Droze - Maclay Girls State Champions Stefanie Kurgatt: Three Golds Grace Blair: Second in 800
Adanaca Brown: Sweeps Hurdles, Third in Long Jump Marquis Haynes: HJ Champ, 2nd in 100, 4th in LJ Holy Trinity Girls 4x100 Relay Champs Assata Trader: Girls 100 Champ

National Silver Elite Performances

Girls

Boys

 

 

Watch Videos of Drew McMichael