Lakewood Boys Still Own St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg Championship
Andy Warrener



On-Site Coverage


Even without the Griffin twins the Lakewood boys continued their dominance of St. Petersburg. The city championships are just three years old and the Lakewood boys have won all three. Their only individual champion was Devontae Persha who won the open 800m in 2:01.59 but the Lakewood boys won both the 4x100m (43.55), the 4x800m (8:29.12), and were runners-up in the 4x400m (3:28.27). The 4x800m time set down the previous meet mark, set by Lakewood.

While Lakewood could bask in their team dominance, Gibbs sprinter Damien Daniels (pictured above) was untouchable, winning all three events he entered, including the 100m (10.76), the 200m (22.10) and the 110m hurdles (14.83). Daniels enters an interesting juxtapose of events with the sprints and hurdles.

"People say it's better if I focus on one but it looks like it's coming around finally," Daniels said.

Canterbury thrower Christopher Olsen dominated both throws, going 41-2 in the shot and setting a new meet mark of 150-11 in disc. The UF-signee is off to an even better start than last season.

"Last season I was throwing in the 140's (at city championships)," Olsen said. "And I'm just four months off of ACL surgery - I'm way ahead of schedule."

Olsen threw 168-9 at the junior olympics this past summer where he took third place. His throw at the city championships marked his best of this season.

St. Petersburg sophomore Quinn Dudley baffled the pole vault field by taking first place with a jump of 11-6. Dudley just picked up a pole two weeks ago and competed in his first pole vault Thursday.

"He (Dudley) called me a couple weeks ago, said he'd like to try pole vault," 727 Track Club coach Dave Mason said. "This is the future of pole vaulting in this county right here."
 

On the girls side, host Northside Christian got back to the top of the podium after a one-year hiatus. The Mustang girls got a big lift from Deterrica Simpkins, who won the 200m (25.76) and took second in the 100m (12.45) to first place Assata Trader of Shorecrest (12.42). Strong showings in the hurdles (2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th in the 100m) and (2nd, 3rd, 4th in the 300m) helped lift the Mustangs to the team title.

Admiral Farragut's Brittany McGee scored 40 of her team's 63 points on Thursday, taking first in her signature four events, the 100m hurdles (14.99), the 300m hurdles (46.88), the long jump (17-9.5) and the high jump (5-2). McGee had very quick turnarounds from the 100m hurdles to the long jump, then again from the 300m hurdles to the high jump. McGee's only obstacle was her own fatigue as she easily out-paced the field in her respective events.

No less spectacular was Shorecrest senior and University of Georgia-commit Alex Eaton. Eaton devoured the distance races, demolishing the field in  both the 1600m (5:20.98) and the 3200m (11:31.35). Eaton then helped the 4x800m team take first in 10:30.30 and even ran a leg on Shorecrest's third-place 4x400m relay team.

"Honestly, I always try to hold a good pace (regardless of proximity of other runners)," Eaton said. "I try to push myself to have better opportunities later in the season."

Gibbs' Jerosan Fletcher won the girls open 400m in a meet record time of 1:00.26.

"Last year, we had her in the 57's," Gladiator coach Natalee Allen said. "We're a little disappointed in the time but we'll take the win. She did just run the 4x100m."

Northeast's Hayley Brahm won the open 800m in 2:34.67 and helped the 4x800m team finish second.


Elite Performances

Girls Highlights

Boys Highlights