On Thursday, 1A Region 4 meet was held, and it sure was a night to remember for many. The day started off late due to a rain delay, so the 4x800m relay popped off at about 2:30. The winner of the relay was one of the major distance powerhouses, Westminster Christian running 10:08.65 finishing in 2nd was South Florida HEAT running 10:19.35. For the boys the obvious favorite, Westminster Academy ran away with the win, with what looked like an easy 8:22.49, in second was Highlands Christian Academy running 8:34.65. The 4x800 was over by 3:00 and prelims were going to still start at 4:30. From the time the 4x800 finished the sky was gray
The finals were to start promptly at 6:45, but the sky was still gray and it drizzled from time to time. In the girls 100mh, Sara Carroll (Highlands Christian) only a freshman won with a time 15.79, in 2nd was Brittany Wirth (South Florida HEAT) running 16.36, following her were both of her teammates; Kristi Isabelle and Becca Christie running 16.41 and 16.45. For the boys Sanders Desir and Terrel Phillips battled for the win, but it was Desir that came out on top running 15.14, Phillips ran 15.41 and 3rd place was Star Tomas (Coral Springs Christian) running 15.97. Following the hurdles was the girls and boys 100m dash. In the girls, Ebony Brown ran 12.06 placing 1st (a new season personal best) closely behind her was the senior, Sarah Collins running 12.19, (also a personal best). In the boys 100m, Andrew James won his first race of his triple, ran a 10.94, in 2nd Edwin Thomas (John Carroll HS) ran 11.24, closely behind him was 3rd and 4th place, Christopher Julien and Kemani Reid (Coral Springs Christian) both running 11.27. In 5th place was Abigael Neus (Doctors Charter School) also ran 11.27, but it was by a 3rd digit that he missed the qualifying spot.
Next on the track, the girls 1600m from the start Natasha Strump and Victoria Hoppe (Westminster Christian) took the lead and finished 1st and 2nd running 5:23.08 and 5:23.80. The fight for 3rd place was between Avery Camp ( The Pine School) and Carolyn Shields(South Florida HEAT), Camp pulled out the 3rd spot running 5:34.07, Shields ran 5:34.61. In the boys mile, it was a battle between familiar rivals Brandon Bejarano (Westminster Academy) and Charles Otto (Boca Raton Christian). The whole race Otto was leading, but it was those last two laps, Bejarano came to close, and his teammate Casey McCracken stayed on his tail. Otto pulled out the win running 4:35.09, Bejarano came in 2nd running 4:36.81, McCracken in 3rd with a time of 4:37.28, and squeaking in 4th places was Darwin Abreu (Doctors Charter School). In the 4x100m, Kings Academy won with a time of 50.38, in 2nd was Westminster Academy running 51.81. On the boys side, Doctors Charter School ran away with it, running 43.66. Second through fourth place came down to the finish. In 2nd was Coral Springs Christian running 44.00, 3rd was John Carroll HS running 44.50, and in 4th just making it was Westminster Academy running 44.55.Westminster’s original 4th leg pulled in the prelims, so they definitely had to make a huge adjustment.
With finals half way finished the 400m dash was on the track, for the girls I placed 1st with a time of 58.83, and in 2nd was Gracie Allison running 1:00.77. For the boys it was a fight to the finish when it came to second through fourth. The favorite of the day, Andrew James ran 49.33, in 2nd was George Williams running 50.95, 3rd was als0 50.96 which was ran by Germaine Small (Archbishop Curley HS) and in 4th was Andrew Carrie running 50.96. The girls 300mh Kristi Isabelle came back to beat Sara Carroll with a time of 47.66, while Carroll ran 48.46, right behind Carrol was the 100mh winner Brittany Wirth running 48.91, and grasping the 4th spot was the freshman, Cassie Pollard (Archbishop Curely HS) 50.04. In the boys hurdles the race was close from the beginning, Jonathan Saintil (Dade Christian) won running 41.03. In 2nd was John Zolnowski (South Florida HEAT) with a time of 41.95, and the 110mh winner, Sanders Desir clenched 3rd running 42.09 with a last minute surge and in 4th was Kurtis Thornton (Jupiter Christian) with a time of 42.17.
The 800m girls step on the track, and the stadium lights come on and the feeling that things are coming down to the wire sets in. The mile winner Natasha Strump claims the 800m as well, running 2:26.29, while again second through fourth was a fight to see who wanted it more. In 2nd was the runner up in the 400m, Gracie Allison running 2:27.55, 3rd was Erin Shields (South Florida HEAT) with a time of 2:27.72, and in 4th was Amanda Martin (Dade Christian) with a 2:27.81. Next the boys in was a battle between teammates as Brandon Bejarano and John Luke of Westminster Academy battled from 500 meters to the finish. Bejarano pulled out the win, running 2:01.72, right behind him was Luke with a personal best of 2:02.79, and on his heels was Devon Bradford (Jupiter Christian) running 2:02.92 to get 3rd.
As the meet is coming to an end, the competition gets more fierce, the girls 200m is on the track and in lanes 3, 4, and 5 we have a winner of something that day. Collins being a part of the winning Kings Academy 4x100m, Brown winning the 100m and triple jump, and myself winning the 400m, you knew the race was going to be good. Being in the race I can say it looked like a battle between Brown and Collins coming off the curve with me in 3rd, but on the straight I was able to close in on Collins taking 2nd (25.86) and Brown claiming her 3rd Regional title with a time of 25.46, Collins in 3rd running 26.03. For the guys, Andrew James completes his triple Regional title win with a time of 21.78, defeating the competition by a whole second. Germaine Small came in 2nd running 22.78, in 3rd was Kemani Reid running 23.10, and in 4th was Samuel Mompremier (Doctors Charter School) running 23.11.
In the girls two mile, Westminster Christian girls dominated again. Dana Thomas and Hailey Mira took 1st and 2nd running 11:57.46 and 12:20.53. In 3rd and 4th were the South Florida HEAT girls, Carolyn Shields and Jenna Evans running 12:33.44 and 12:38.97. For the boys the Boca Christian boy ran the show taking 1st and 2nd, Charles Otto in 1st running 10:09.52 and in 2nd was Tucker Hindle ran 10:18.06. In 3rd place was Casey McCracken running 10:19.93 and in 4th was Guilheme Pereira (Divine Savior Academy) running 10:20.69. Finally, it came time for the last event of the day, the event that can make or break team scores, the 4x400m relay. The Westminster Academy girls are ranked #3 in 1A, we came into the race thinking we have to go at least 4:10, we were close, but not exact we got the win running 4:11.04, in 2nd was our rivals for the day, South Florida HEAT running 4:14.32. For the boys, the favorites were Westminster Academy, and they came out to show us why. The boy won with an easy 3:27.24, in 2nd was Highlands Christian running 3:31.67 and 3rd was John Carroll HS running 3:33.06.
As soon as the 4x400m relay finished, the sky opened up and it poured.
Field Event Highlights
In the girls high jump, in this region it is a must to clear 5’2 to even have a shot to make it to states, the junior Brooke Oman (Westminster Academy) cleared 5-04 for the win, Julia Lindbergh (Coral Springs Christian), Ally Pond (South Florida HEAT) and Hannah Cogsil (Benjamin School) all made it with a clearing of 5-02, but it came down to misses to decide the ladies places. For the boys high jump, Westminster Academy took 1st and 2nd with Terrel Phillips winning and clearing 6-04 and Ryan Moore claiming second clearing 6-02.
In the girls long jump, the 100mh winner, Brittan Wirth jumped 16-04.25 for the win. In 2nd place was Sarah Collins jumping 15-11, and in 3rd was Katie Nava (Westminster Academy) jumping 15-04. On the boys side, Germaine Small had the overall winning jump, jumping 21-10.05 and in 2nd was Jonathan Saintil (Dade Christian) with a 21-02. Winning the girls triple jump, was Ebony Brown jumping 35-00.25, 2nd was Hannah Cogsil jumping 33-00.5. The winner of the triple jump for the boys was Jonathan Saintil jumping 45-03.75, and in 2nd was Germaine Small jumping 42-08.50. For 4th place Ryan Moore out jumped Kevon Spence (Glades Day School) by an inch by jumping 40-10. In the pole vault Karin Sastre (Westminster Academy) wins with a vault of 10-06. And in the guys pole vault, in 1st and 2nd were Jordan Mansour and Elijah Thompson jumping 13-06.
Finally in the boys shot put, Westminster Academy swept all four qualifying spots; first time thrower Mitchell Etienne threw 51-06 for the win, in 2nd was Luke Miseyko throwing 50-02, 3rd Hozie Hankerson with 45-09 and in 4th was Jerome Grey throwing 45-06. It was almost the same in the discus except they [Westminster Academy] took 1st, 2nd and 4th. Hozie Hankerson won with a throw of 148-02, in 2nd was Mitchell Etienne throwing 129-01, splitting up the sweep was Milton Ingraham (Dade Christian) throwing 125-07, and in 4th was Micah Smith with a 122-00.
Overall this meet showed Westminster Academy boys teams are stacked and ready to compete for the 1A State title, being led by Andrew James but his supporting cast is just as strong, which is going to make for an exciting meet. On the girls side again South Florida Heat pulled through with their depth and showed a future is bright for this team, Westminster Academy ladies were 20 points short but still believe with the top athletes in the sprints and some field to challenge First Academy for the State Title, but 2nd through 4th is tight.