Ask any track runner what their favorite event is and many of them will tell you it is a relay race. Why? It is the excitement, the pressure, the teamwork. Relays are not just an individual effort. Each runner's performance will affect the results of the entire team.
"It's the last event so all the pressure is on to get the big points," noted Ashleigh Vinson, a senior at Choctaw High School. She and her teammate and Lisa Spikes, also a senior, run in the 4x4 relay.
"It gets your blood pumping," added Lisa. Both runners also participate in the 800. Ashley has plans to attend LSU and Lisa will be going to TCC. Overall Choctaw girls placed 7th as a team.
Lauren Sampson, a senior with Providence Christian School in Dothan, Alabama, is also a fan of relays. Her favorite race is the 4x800. "It's fun to know you are doing it for other people." Lauren is team captain and also ran in the 800 where she placed 16th with a time of 2:52.51. Lauren would like to go to Sanford University but is also looking at Auburn.
Providence's 4x800 team came in 6th with a time of 11:23.38. Other members of the team included Hannah Samuels, Elizabeth Snugg and Alison Burns. Providence girls team placed 16th overall.
Port Saint Joe girls took home the first place girls trophy with 77 points and Fort Walton Beach was just behind them in second with 70 points.
The 4x800 relay proved to be very exciting for both the girls and the boys races. Fort Walton Beach and Niceville were the top two rivaling teams.
Fort Walton's Ivy Chastain led the first leg of the race, followed closely by Alexis Goodine from Bay High School. At the first hand off, Marsel Mosley of Niceville, moved up into second place, but still remained several feet behind Fort Walton's Sarah Devaux. Fort Walton Beach remained in the lead for the remaining two legs of the relay taking first place with 10:06.62.
The boys 4x800 relay was almost a repeat performance. The first leg was led by Arnold High School, followed by Niceville then Fort Walton Beach, in third. By the first hand off, Florida High had taken the lead, with Arnold right behind them and Fort Walton still in third. By the second lap of the second leg, Brandon Murphy of Fort Walton had pushed his way to first. Niceville seemed to be out of the picture until the hand off.
Nicholas Morkin of Niceville was now in second place, right on the heels of Fort Walton's Sam Ammons. Sam didn't budge an inch and held the lead as he passed the baton off to Jake Dearmon who led the final 800. Fort Walton's final time was 8:20.10 and Niceville took second with 8:29.48. Arnold High School held onto third place.
Fort Walton Beach also took home the first place trophy with 126 points followed by Godby in second with 108 points.