2A Recap: Hallandale Sweeps Team Titles

Girls Meet Recap


When you have athletes scoring in 14 of 17 events, your team is going to be tough to beat.  And when  those athletes and the relay teams win six of those events, well, we start talking about record breaking point totals. In fact, in amassing 138 points The Chargers beat their 2015 best of 105 which was the last time they won the state at Hodges Stadium. Since 2013 when they dropped down from Class 3A, it has been a two horse team race with this year's 3rd place team Bolles taking the titles in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Even mighty American Heritage (winners in 2011, 2012 and 2013) could not keep pace as they finished with 80 which incidentally would have been enough to win in 32 previous 2A state championships.

But back to the Chargers historic record setting performance. Their state champions included a two time state champion senior Sydney McGinley in the 100m hurdles (13.75) and the 300 m hurdles (42.20, US #6)), junior Destiny Castillo's win in the long jump(19-04.25), senior Takira William's win in the triple jump(39-06.50, her second title in a row), Amari Heaven's win in the shot put(142-07) and their 4 x 400 meter relay team(3:42.98, US #11 and the fastest 2A wining time in state meet history, breaking Raines 3:48.89 set in 2007 and beating state leader American Heritage who posted a 3:43.82).


They backed it up with nine athletes scoring in eight other events. In their yellow and maroon uniforms, The Charges looked like they were everywhere taking 3-4-7 in the shot put, 1-4-7 in the 100mH, 1-2-5 in the 300mH, 1-5-6 in the long jump, and 1-3-5 in the discus.

 

Nationally, 2A girl's competition had a national impact; Collier's 2:02.77 was US #1; Cocoa junior Jatana Folston's 53.42 win in the 400 meter dash was US #9; Bolles 4 x 800 meter relay team just missed Northwestern's State Meet Record of 9:05.90 in 2007 with their US #5 of 9:06.55. The splits I had were 2:20, 2:23, 2:22 and 2:04(Collier went out in 57). Pine Crest gave a good challenge finishing in 9:08.05 with splits of 2:18, 2:18, 2:22 and 2:10. Collier even began to look back a bit as Ysion Yared appeared to be gaining over the final 100 meters.


Collier just missed  Jenny Barringer's 1600 meter state record of 4:48.90(2004) and ran the third fastest winning time of any class. Sue Overby's 4:50.8 for the mile is roughly equal to a 3:49.4 1600m time.