4A District 2, 3, & 4* TRACK & FIELD MEETS
By “Wheels” Epifanio
*The 4A District schedule featured four meets, on three separate days (April 18-20), three of which occurred within (roughly) 40 miles of each other, hence this once-in-a-lifetime three-fer.
Who is not fondly familiar of ABC’s Wide World of Sports, with its unforgettable introduction, “The thrill of victory…the agony of defeat,” followed by a tape of ski jumper Vinko Bogataj’s epic crash? Like Vinko, WWS had a lasting impression on both the courage and spirit of all that is sports in America…even though Vinko wasn’t…from the USA. (Vinko’s fame, in fact, has outlasted his country’s name.) The program itself ran from 1961-1998—37 years—forever changing the image and depth of sports coverage. That may be the result of a good start.
The Wide World of Sports’ first broadcast, on April 29, 1961, featured both the Drake and Penn Relays, with American decathlon/pole vaulting legend Bob “The Vaulting Vicar” Richards reporting from the University of Pennsylvania’s historic Franklin Field. Richards’ fame was the result of his amazing 14’11” gold medal pole vault performance at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics…a height that may or may not win this year’s FHSAA State Meet.
Vinko, incidentally, was a philosopher on skis, and was no doubt inspired by American icon Yogi Berra. When asked about this single greatest moment in sports history, the human snow plow was overheard to say, “Every time I’m on ABC, I crash!” Not to dwell in the past, he did go on to coach the 1991 world ski jump champion, Franci Petek, to whom he emphatically emphasized, “Do as I say, not as I’ve done.”
These events of the past teach us not to dwell there. So, in the spirit of moving ever forward, I will attempt a feat never before attempted…at least by me: to be short and to the point. This will no doubt please not only my editors at FLR Corporate, but also those of my readers who are on a tight schedule. Enough said on that. Let’s hit the track!
District 2
Although common knowledge to most athletes who have reached the level of international competition, sudden disasters—minor or otherwise—can sneak up on a younger version of Vinko with the suddenness of, well, an unexpected storm. Ain’t that right, schussmeister?
Lightning struck twice in the 5 Star Conference, shorting out the season for its two of its premier athletes, each of whom were expected to go all the way to the State Meet. And mini-disasters continued throughout this meet.
After hurdling a blistering 14.86 personal, and school, record time in the 110 prelims, Spruce Creek’s Terry McMillon Vinko-ed in the 300. (Ironic how you can do the same thing with machine-like perfection, over and over again, and then something like that happens.) Perhaps distracted, perhaps not, he ran a still fast15-flat final in his remaining, more difficult race, but Lake Brantley’s Donovan Franks ran 14.92 to win.
LB’s “other” hurdler, Dillon Morton, picked up where Franks left off, winning the 300s in 40.11, which was a personal best.
“I PR’d in both races”--15.33 for third in the highs--he told me. “That’s my goal; to get faster every week. I should go to states.”
Also Prrrring along in the hurdles were two Spruce Creek girls. Megan Tse set both a personal and school record in the 100 prelims (15.36), then again in winning the finals (15.11). Jade McCrary did likewise in the 300 finals (46.37), but Hagerty’s Alyssa Younker did her one place better, winning the event in 46.12. (Alyssa was also second in the 200 with a 26.22 time.)
Seminole’s DaKesha Jackson scored a 100/200 double—12.34 and 25.74 in this one—for the second meet in six days.
Hagerty runners took five out of the six distance races, with Otneil Teixeira the lone non-Husky (1:53.66 in the 800); Peter Licari won the 1600 and 3200 (4:29 and 9:58.74), Amy Ankli won the same two (5:19.12 and 11:27.90), and Tayler Johnson added the 800 (2:20.84).
“I knew I had to get first to get into the fast heat in the Regionals,” Tayler told me. “The first in each district goes into the fast heat of the Regional. I’m just now peaking. Last year I peaked a little early, so this year we changed it so that it would happen at the State Meet. My goal is a 2:16.”
Otneil is shooting higher.
“It’s every 800 meter runner’s goal to break that 1:50,” he said.
Another runner named Johnson, this one from Lake Mary, started two races, but finished only one. He took the 100 (10.94), and Viera’s Justin Gorbea the 200 (22.43). Gorbea also won the 400 (49.66).
“I was just checking the Florida Runners website, and comparing the times with what I run to see how I would do,” he said after his race. “I’m going to try to run a 48 (400) in the Regional, and I’d like to run a 21 in the 200. The competition will push me to get those times.”
Johnson’s empty lane, incidentally, created a mind-boggling chain reaction in the 200 results.
It can only be conjectured whether Spruce Creek’s Daniel Bazano wanted to end his high school career with a bang, or if he was inspired by the moment. In either case, he won both individual heats that he was entered in, and both in PR times; 11-flat in the 100 and 23.26 in the 200. Plus, as a member of Spruce Creek’s 4 X 1, he checked into three finals.
I
n the 100, he finished eighth in 11.44 (2 points), and in the 4 X 1 his team finished a very close third (50.38); unfortunately, somewhere among those five races, he strained himself. By the 200 finals, there was definitely a problem with his groin, but his coach suggested, “Just jog it for the point.” Down, but not out, he did. With Antonio gone, however, he got two points…and with a time of 51.01.
In the field events, there were only two double winners. “Outback” Nathan Milch threw the discus further than he ever had (163’ 8”), and came within a half-foot of repeating the feat in the shot put (50’ 10-1/2”). Spruce Creek’s Rachel Wofford won her two--18’ 3-1/4” in the long jump and 36’ 2-1/4” in the triple—both PRs by the length of her shoe.
“The wind was a help,” Wofford said of wind at the girls’ backs, “but it was messing with everyone’s mind. I fouled twice—once in the prelims, and once in the finals. But I was jumping pretty consistent. I had three jumps in the 18s, and the other was in the 17s. This was my first time winning the event(s). I finished fourth”—in the long jump with 16’ 11”; third in the TJ with 34’9”—“in last year’s district meet.”
Pole vaulters Erica Sergeant (Lake Mary), and Andrew Grubbs (Viera), finished at 12’0” and 13’6”, respectively.
“I wasn’t too comfortable, because of the wind,” Grubbs explained, “It was into our faces the whole way on the runway, in the (planting) box, and up in the air.”
Still, his last jump was a lifetime best. And sitting nearby, under a floppy white hat, might have been the reason; Andrew’s “wind antidote.”
“I think he can go higher,” said Bill Falk. “It’s tough to say, but I think well over 14’. He almost made it twice, but missed it today.”
Falk, founder of MF Athletic Company, is known nationally for his expertise as a pole vault coach, and sponsors regional camps that teach the event.
“I coached Lindsey Enders last year. She’s the state record holder; she jumped 12’ 10” while at Holy Trinity in 2011 (FHSAA 1A Meet on April 29, 2011). She’s at Cornell now, where she jumped 13’10”. This year I coached Andrew Grubbs.”
Erica Sergeant, who won her 15th consecutive pole vault competition in this meet, is currently coached by Bill Cashman. The last time Erica lost her event was to Enders, when Enders was technically a senior and Sergeant a freshman, May 28, 2011. The difference was 12’ 6” to 12’.
Other winners include Spruce Creek’s Ryan Patton (42’ 11-1/4” in the triple jump) and Krista Colubiale (60.61 in the 400); Vianca Alfonzo (Viera), 34’ 4 -1/4” in the shot put; Madeline Moxley (Lake Mary), 99’ 11” in the discus; and Durayeon Martin (Seminole), 22’ 4-3/4” in the long jump.
For the Boys’ long jump, as well as their triple jump, the wind was at their face.
“It can be counter-productive,” Durayeon said after his event, “but you can use it as a motivation to push yourself harder. Technique is very important. I came in with first in the preliminaries—I’m not sure what my distance was—and finished first.”
Despite his individual district title, Martin’s favorite event is the 4 X 1.
“It’s the team chemistry. Everyone has to pull together.”
And that is exactly what the two district champions did. Although Martin’s Seminole team won that 4 X1, Lake Brantley won the other two relays, plus six individual events and numerous seconds and thirds, to score 153 points. However, the host Spruce Creek team seemed to be one step ahead, and were nine points (with 162) ahead when the batons were retired for the night.
“I was just in shock, because on paper we weren’t picked to win,” commented Coach Craig Janson by e-mail. The News Journal”—the local newspaper—“didn’t pick us to win. I tried to use that as motivation for the boys to get them to believe that they were not a team that was all about one person in particular, but a team where everyone had to do their job so that in the end the TEAM would benefit. Great group of boys with a whole lot of heart, and I am proud of all of them.”
It might be that another of those “little disasters” showed up in the Girls’ team score, but only if you weren’t Hagerty. Or perhaps it was the motivation of never being mentioned by so-called “expert” predictions, like the Spruce Creek Boys team, and as a Hagerty coach confided to me afterwards. In any case, Hagerty’s 149 to 148.5 win might best be summed up by the “other” Ankli, Sarah, who will be joining her twin sister Amy in next week’s 4A Region 1 Championship. In the last few feet of the next-to-last event, she edged into fourth place in the 3200, earning five points (instead of four), and a trip to her first regional track meet. Like those little, Hagerty-blue hair ribbons that have popping up all of a sudden, she explained to me that….
“I don’t know for sure whose idea it was, either Tayler or Amy, but we all wanted to do it for team spirit. We’re all really supportive of each other. We try to help each other feel good…the entire team. We all push each other. It is a team effort.”
Asked if she had any idea that she would be where she was at meet’s end, Sarah was honest.
“That’s always the hope. I didn’t come in (to the meet) thinking that I could for sure, or that I couldn’t get it, but to do the best I can.”
That’s worth at least half a point, don’t you think?
District 3
Beginning a meet with the field events is never a bad idea, as the athletes can thus concentrate on their specialty, and perform at, or near, their optimum without their energy being drawn off into running events. However, although the scene at the Lake Mary track opened under sunny skies, for the athletes—a number of whom are among the state’s top ten--there were clouds on the horizon. It is, of course, springtime in Central Florida.
Jamal Whittaker, currently ranked fourth in the discus in the Sunshine State (172’ 8” at the April 7th Florida Relays), made short work of his competition. Tossing his implement 25’ beyond the best mark of his nearest competitor—Boone’s Sam Doster with a very respectable 133’ 2”—Jamal claimed the district title with 158’4”. Later, he threw the shot 43’8” and added his second district title of the day.
“My middle school track coach, Mr. McMillan, introduced me to it,” the Apopka senior told me, “but my coach now, Paul Sharpe, taught me how to throw it. It took awhile to ‘play it,’ or learn the technique and all that.”
That is underscored by the sophomore’s remarkable turnaround this season. His bests in 2011 were 110’ in the disk, and 40’ 8 -1/2” shot. So far in 2012, he has already added 62’ 8” and 9’ 5”, respectively, and four Metro titles (two F/S, and two open).
Jamal, who also plays defensive tackle in football, points out the importance of a solid conditioning program.
“Because I play football, I have weight lifting in class, then do track weight lifting after school.”
Senior long jumper DerRenae Freeman ended 2011 as #1 in Florida, and #3 U.S., and is closing out her senior year at West Orange with the promise of continuing that in 2012.
The defending FHSAA state champion (20’ ¾” on May 7, 2011) may surprise many with the admission that her favorite event is not necessarily her specialty.
“I do love the long jump, so that’s my favorite,” she admitted candidly, “but I think I’m a 200 runner. I’m tall, so I can open up in the 200. But my passion is the LJ, because I won it at the State Meet.”
Consider her dilemma. She has PRs of 7.13 in the 55, 11.81 in the 100, 24.38 in the 200, 40.68 in the 300, and 58.65 in the 400. (I didn’t ask Freeman her 800 time.) So many events, so little time(s).
“Right now, it’s the 1, 2, 4 X 1, and the long jump.”
At the conclusion of this meet, she moves on to her 4A Regional in the 100 (2nd in 12.28), 200 (1st in 25.05), long jump (1st in 19’5”) and 4 X 1 (2nd team in 50.76). Will the State Meet follow?
“If God allows me to get that far.”
If so, after that, perhaps a long recovery in a mountain resort.
Her male counterpart as district long jump champion was Olympia’s Jarvis Williams. Although off his 21’ 11” best (Brian Jaeger Invitational on April 9, 2011), he was close enough.
“I didn’t like the runway,” he commented. “They didn’t even have a (takeoff) board. People were decelerating, thinking that they were going to foul. I didn’t want to (risk) not having a mark at all, so I slowed down on the second jump in the finals. My third one was my best one; 21’3”. If I got on a better track, one with a board, I think I can jump 22’, easy.”
The triple jump winners, Naquon Shelton and Leila Foster, were both from Apopka, a team that-- under their new coach--has turned heads, and it’s not just the t-shirts they wore for the Districts.
Naquon Shelton, a junior who also runs the 400 (52.93 personal best at the Lake Mary Rams Invitational this past March 31st), wasn’t quite sure how things would turn out.
“Today, I’m not doing the 400 and 4 X 4, because I injured my ankle, probably strained it,” he said later on in the meet. “It’s hard to stand on it now, but the triple jump was the main thing.”
That he won convincingly, with a 43’ 8-3/4” effort (just a quarter inch short of his 43’ 9” PR on March 3rd at Lake Brantley), but then Naquon is a natural in the event.
“Coach Will got me started in it my freshman year at Oak Ridge High School. They threw me in it and I did well right from the start. Freshman year, I went to Regionals. I missed out my sophomore year, but this year I’m doing way better. I’m hoping to make it to State.
“I don’t think I would have gotten as far as I did without the Apopka team. They’re like a family, and we’ve been doing a lot better since we got our new coach, Taylor, from Wekiva.”
Naquon, incidentally, ended up running that 4 X 4, aching ankle and all. (A team mate’s injury was worse than his.) Naquon’s leg kept them close, and Apopka won in 3:25.09.
Laila, as mentioned, was the winner of the Girls’ triple jump, and second—to Freeman—in the long jump (18’1-1/2”). During an interview, she and her friend Tisherneria Vasser, illustrated that Apopka “family aspect” by their close relationship.
“I started triple jumping in seventh grade, in Texas—where I lived at the time--and have been doing it since then,” explained Leila. “I love the triple jump, but it’s something everyone can’t do.”
Tish, who won the discus (94’), then finished fifth in the shot, explained how she got started.
“I was in wrestling, and they thought I was really strong, and said that I should do it. That first time, I didn’t do too well, and had to learn it. It’s all about form. It took me about a month and a half, and I’m still learning. If it’s possible, I’d like to get a scholarship, because I’d definitely like to do it in college.”
Both girls are willing to try things meant to improve their performances.
Leila: “We did cross country.”
Tish: “We both did.”
Leila: “We hated it!”
Tish: “It was crucial; a do or die sport. And we died doing it. I did get into shape, though, for wrestling, and Leila did it to get into shape for track.”
Leila: “It’s a self-motivating sport.”
Tish: “If you’re not self-motivated, you can’t do it.”
Leila: “A mental game.”
Tish: “Yeah.”
Leila: “Yeah.”
That term, “mental game,” might be truer still in the Girls’ pole vault. Besides the technical aspect, there’s that time between jumps, when a good jumper has nothing better to do than watch the less capable jumpers’ dramatic misses, often at attempts barely above high jump parameters. Consider that from the perspective of a beginner.
“This is my first year of pole vaulting,” said Oviedo’s Jamie Brenner. “I started in October. I did gymnastics—I began when I was ten--so I kind of had a head start. One of my gymnastic coaches, Beth Martin, suggested it because her daughter did it, and got a scholarship.”
Brenner came in relatively early in the competition.
“I started at 7’. From there it was technique. Mr. Cashman”—her coach—“said don’t worry about the height, just get it right. It’s worked for me.”
Going up in increments of six inches, Jamie soon found herself looking up at 9’6”.
“My highest has been 11’ at the Thin Air Club, where Coach Cashman and I practice. I also practice at Lyman High School. I like the club, but I also have a good coach at Oviedo, Coach Thomas.”
Jamie came into the meet with five consecutive, identical 9-0s in her previous meets, so that 9’6”, if she cleared it, would be an “official” best.
“I wanted to go 9’6”, she said in anticipation of her final successful vault. “It was the next increment up.”
When she made it, not only did it make her the 4A District 3 Champion, but it broke through a year-long nine foot high “ceiling.”
In winning the Girls’ high jump, Wekiva’s Shakeana Clark seems faced with her own “ceiling.” Although the senior has a 5’ personal best (which she reached both at last year’s Metros, and this year’s March 3rd Lake Brantley Invitational), nine of her 13 competitive jumps have been at a height of 4’ 10”.
“I think I’d be jumping higher if I only did the high jump. I have also done the 400, 800, 4 X 1, and 4 X4,” she explained, although not mentioning her “occasional” involvement in the 100 hurdles, the 200, the 1600, and the long jump. “Honestly, I think about the other events a lot. I jump as high as I can, but still thinking of the relays, I try to save something.”
What she saved in this event was well-spent in the 4 X 1 (Clark ran third leg on Wekiva’s winning team; 48.20), the 4 X 4 (second leg in their second place finish; 4:10.36)), and 800 (seventh in 2:32.47), proving that even higher than her jumps is her team spirit.
The field events, luckily, began promptly at one o’clock. And with only eight teams, they progressed quickly. Good thing. By 2:30 or so, dark, ominous clouds rolled in and surrounded the track, prompting the announcement, “All coaches, please report to the center of the infield.” (That was the first time.)
The result of said meeting was a rescheduling of the preliminaries, from 4:00 to 3:30. Another really, really good move.
This meet was “hosted” by Apopka, but run on the Lake Mary track, and with it came the LM “hurdle drill team.” I kid you not when I say these kids did a world-class job of moving those hurdles on, around, and off the track promptly, and in record time. If they had not been there, this meet might have been finished on Monday. (You can see a photo of them in the “Lake Many Faces” folder.)
Prelims were just that, and no surprises there. However, more people were looking above—it seemed—than at the track. At the completion of the 200 prelims, came another “ACA” (all coaches announcement), and the resultant evacuation to Lake Mary High School couldn’t have been more timely. I jusssst closed my car door when a torrential downpour added more drama to the scene.
Although the Boys’ HJ official (eventually) got the message, the Boys’ PV was more or less “washed away,” but not before District 3 had its four qualifiers. They were led by Olympia’s Kevin Knox, with a 13’ 1” vault.
The finals, scheduled to begin at 7:30, finally got started sometime after nine, but no one’s spirits were dampened in the least…except maybe that of the timers. As if the downpour hadn’t soaked everything already, a sprinkler had popped up right in front of their computers and, anthropomorphically speaking, “joined the rain party.” (Mike played “Little Dutch Boy” with his foot until someone turned it off.)
First event up—post rain, post haste—was the high hurdles. Coming in with a 14.93 best (March 31, 2012 Lake Mary Rams Invitational), Rayeisha Lowe-Chin, Apopka, took her first first of the day in 15.29.
“I’ve been involved in track since seventh grade, at Robinson Middle School,” she said, “where I ran the 100, 200, 400, 4 X 1, and 4 X 4. But I like the excitement of being good in two things; not just running, but running and jumping.”
That “excitement” continued--or rather increased--in the Boys’ race, as Kimlor “KJ” Dillon’s 14.14 left a trail of misplaced, overturned (and perhaps broken) hurdles behind him.
“The one-ten hurdles are like a war,” said the Apopka senior. “My blocks slipped, and there was water on the track, but I didn’t pay attention.”
KJ just plowed ahead to a stunning 14.14 personal best, a time that appears to place him seventh in Florida at this point.
Later in the evening, both Darters—as their t-shirts remind us, they come from “Darter Country”--returned to claim the 300 crown. KJ won his in 37.65 (.15 off his best at this past March 22nd Metros), and Rayeisha hers in 43.89 (.25 shy of hers at Brian Jaeger on April 14, 2012).
“In the 110, it’s more about perfection. In the 300, it’s more about heart; who wants it more,” lectured Professor Dillon.
Having seen Dillon’s approach to hurdling, one can only speculate what Marvin Bracy’s plan of attack might be in that event. From my personal observations, rather than using lane lines, he seems to follow his own tangent(s) to the finish line. In the 100, no mere mortal would dare challenge his full ownership of lane 4, but what if the big man was “boxed in” by hurdles?
“The heck!” he said as he sprinted by in the 100 finals.
Can he read minds, too?
Asked for a clarification of this particular term from his Marvinological lexicon, he responded, “The heck someone is going to beat me!”
That is true in the 55 (he ran a US #1 6.08 indoors at the January 29, 2012 Jimmy Carnes Invitational), the 100 (10.05 at the June 25, 2011 USATF Junior Track and Field Championships), the 200 (21.21 at the May 8, 2010 FHSAA finals), and it is FSU’s hope that that is truer still when he dons their colors this coming fall.
“I signed with FSU…accounting. I met one,”—accountant—“and he told me about the job. I like money and numbers, so that’s the job for me.”
At this point, I discovered that his leg speed might be a half a step behind his thought processing—or is that vice-versa--yet I persisted.
“You seemed to coast in the prelims. Was it your plan to conserve your strength for the finals?”
“I didn’t run that fast in the prelims, but in this one I came out hard, just got in front. When he was still with me,”--(Synjohn Lilly, second in 10.72)—“I kicked it in. The 100 is a lot more complicated than people think.”
“But who can stop the rain?” I pondered out loud.
“I love the rain. It kind of helps. My 10.28 was actually in the rain at FSU (3/25/11).”
In this, yet another impressive win in a years-long string of them, he was timed in 10.49, still off a bunch of 10-ohs, but I didn’t volunteer that observation. Nor did I attempt to question his conquest of the subsequent 200 (21.29), which was an even stronger mark.
The female version of Bracy—if there is such a thing—might be Teahna Daniels of Dr. Phillips High School. She came in with a short list of race experience because, a freshman, she is (barely) in her third month of high school track, but that list includes PRs of 12.02 in the 100 (March 10th at Spruce Creek), 24.80 in the 200 (March 2nd at UNF), and a District Championship (12.18)…plus a second in the 200 (25.41) to none other than WO’s Freeman.
“I’m more of an explosive runner,” she explained. “Sometimes my starts are okay, but I kind of build up. I feel better in the 100.”
Explosive might be the word I’ve been looking for to describe DP’s Reggie Glover. Reggie has proven that in the 100 (10.94 at the March 10th Spruce Creek Invitational), 200 (21.51 in the April 27, 2011 4A Region 1 Meet) and 400 (47.44, also at the 2011 Region 1 Meet).
In this meet, he won the 400 (47.99), placed third in the 200 (22.10), and anchored his team’s 4 X 4 (third in 3:28.02).
Terika Henry won the Girls’ 400, in 59.12, or did she?
“I like this event because it’s like four different hundreds in one,” she said, catching me by surprise. “You have to run each one differently if you want to win.
“The first 100 has to be fast. I have to get out and use all of my free energy. In the second 100, I maintain what I’ve built up in the first. In the third, I start building back up. In the last 100, I think ‘God, please let me get to the finish line in first place!’”
Judging from the 800 races won by Danielle Turk (Oviedo), and Daniel Dey (Olympia), any “preying” going on was at the expense of the competition.
Turk ran what I’ve come to observe is her usual race: go out fast and stay just out of reach down the stretch. In the last 100 meters, Olympia’s Danielle (Swaysay), seemed to be making progress on Oviedo’s Danielle, but finished a few hundredths under a second back; Turk won in 2:22.61.
“I went out a little fast,” Danielle told me. “I felt it. That girl from Olympia was closing in on me. But I wanted a good time for the Regionals, just because I didn’t know, coming in, who would do what. So I felt it would be better safe than sorry.”
I learned that Danielle Turk’s long range goal, perhaps lofty, is attainable for her.
“I want to get the school record. Jenny Barringer—surprise, surprise—has it”--and just about every other distance record you can think of—“2:15.71. Since my freshman year, that’s what I’ve wanted.”
Dan Dey, who, in running an all-out, wire to wire race, didn’t play the tease. He won by nearly six seconds (1:56.58).
“In a race with this kind of field, you have to take it out,” he explained.
Dey has shown that he can run times that could win at just about any distance: 1:54.39 in the 800 (April 27, 2011 4A Region 1); 4:22.76 in the 1600 (April 1, 2011 Florida Relays); 10:23 in the 3200 (April 22, 2012 Metros); and even 5000 meters (16:12.43 at the 4A District 3 XC race on November 6, 2011). However, he always “comes back” to the 800.
“I’ve run this race the most,” he said after winning. “I’ve run it for the past four years. Throughout the year, I do the 1600/3200 double, but at this time of year, I have to scale it back because of the kind of competition that I’ll have, like Otneil, Romero, and a freshman from Miami, Javon Patterson. I definitely feel that I haven’t tapped my potential for the year.”
That last statement might be just as true for 1600/3200 double winners AJ Cunningham and Bridget Blake.
For most, if not all, of his high school career, AJ has been running in the shadow of one local legend, Logan Cruise. However, when a runner chases that particular shadow, he picks up some particularly good habits, like strength, endurance, and especially fast leg-speed.
“I’ve always had someone to pace off,” he said between races. “So this is the first race where I’ve had a chance to lead in the mile. I’ve done it in the two mile, but not in the mile.”
In the mile, he was cautious at first, but by the third lap, he was definitely in control of himself, and the race.
“I wanted to get first if I could, but I’m looking at the 3200 for the Regionals, because it’s a big race. I just wanted to get through this one.”
You could say that his kick, which ensured his four second advantage over Justin Zagra (Olympia)--who finished in second with 4:37.85—was his warm-up for what followed. After winning the 1600 in 4:33.48, Cunningham came back with a 10:07.41 in the 3200.
“I just wanted to run as comfortable as possible,” he added after winning his second race, “as even as possible. My PR is 9:43, but today I ran 10:06 or 10:07. I know I can drop it. With ten or twelve runners, I’m seeded about fourth or fifth in Regionals. There’s Arroyo, who runs 9:10, but with the other guys, it’s going to be a real battle.”
Barring surprises, Bridget Blake will probably be the battle in 4A Region 1.
Here, she “coasted” through her three races. She ran second leg in DP’s second place 4 X 8 (9:46.70), won the 1600 (5:14.80), and the 3200 (11:35.41). Incidentally, her best 1600 was 4:56.20 at the April 5, 2012 Florida Relays, and fastest 3200 at the March 22, 2012 FSU Relays.
“I probably did not run (as a whole) as conservative as I went out, but I’m not going to complain.”
While everyone, myself included, was busy watching the boys from Apopka rack up one spectacular win after another—they “darted” to five individual and two team firsts—Olympia “snuck in” through the back door. Well, maybe that’s not quite the word for it, but if you plotted the Titans’ scoring, it’s pretty even (first through eighth places), right across the board. Whether their 158.5 points is a sign of depth or tenacity, it still earned them the Boys’ title. Boone was second (126.5), and Apopka third (112).
For the girls, it was as even on paper as it was on the track. (I’m sure the coaches of West Orange, Olympia, and Dr. Phillips eventually gave up trying to keep their own running score.) By the time the rainwater settled, West Orange won with 110 points, while Olympia and Dr. Phillips tied for second with 108 each. Personally, I’m glad someone came out on top. As I understand the tie breaking procedure, the final outcome could have been determined on quality points, based upon coaches’ dress. Where would that have placed West Orange? (Come on, pink shoes on a guy?)
District 4
It may yet come to pass that one day Andres Arroyo’s fame will precede him, to the extent that before each of his races, huge crowds will already be settled into their seats, anxiously waiting to see him run. But, as yet, this is not yet the case. In the opening 4 X 8, where Andres certainly pulled off the most spectacular finish of the day, it was in front of a crowd of about 50…most of whom were cleverly disguised as empty seats.
In that aforementioned 4 X 800, Winter Park had about a four second lead when speedy Arroyo grabbed the baton and took off. One minute and fifty point nine seconds later, he was finished with his 800, but the WPs anchor was not.
“We were kind of hoping for a lead by the time of my anchor,” Andres explained, “but I knew I had it in me to catch him.”
Not that Arroyo has been is the position of “having to catch” anyone all that often. With the fastest 800 of his life now logged in his coach’s book—this 1:50.9, being in a relay, was of course unofficial—I asked him, “What’s next?”
“I’ll probably go to my house and rest.”
With two more races to go, a good plan. For everyone but the distance runners, it would be a long, (mostly) hot afternoon. That was fine for the pole vaulters, who, as a group, are experts in taking their time. That is not necessarily a criticism, because if you choose to hurtle yourself into the air so high that you’d be looking down at a basketball rim, it takes time to mentally prepare yourself for the return flight.
“I was trying to ‘see myself’ higher than anyone else who would have jumped at ten feet,” explained Anna Hinkeldey about her request for a final, 10’ 1” target.
Anna had already closed the books on the field with her last successful—9’ 6”—attempt. What she wasn’t counting on was the on-again, off-again rain showers that would plague the events that did not finish quickly, and may have thrown off her rhythm.
“It’s definitely something you have to expect with outdoor track; it’s either going to be hot, or windy, or it rains.”
This afternoon, it was all three. Nonetheless, Anna continues on to the 4A Region 1 Championship as the District 4 pole vault champion.
“It’s always an honor to go to Regions, which is what I came out to do.”
At that meet, which is being held at Flagler-Palm Coast High School on Thursday, April 26th, she’ll be jumping against some of the best female vaulters in the state.
“Erica Sergeant (Lake Mary)—we’re really great friends—and Alex Woodruff (also Lake Mary), we train together (technically with the “Thin Air Athletic Club”) will be there. It will definitely make us more conscious (of technique), and we jump clean.”
With the Girls’ vault wrapped up, the Boys’ vaulters took center stage. Only a small field—one more than would eventually qualify—was entered, and Colonial’s Erick Knott quickly rose to the top. He came in at 10’ 6”, skipped up to 12-6, then 13, 13-6, 14, and 14-6.
“He nailed (made it on his first attempt) each one except 13’ 6”, which took three attempts to clear,” the event’s official told me.
Erick finished with 14’, half a foot lower than his 14’ 6” best (this past March 22nd at the FSU Relays).
“He’s been jumping 15’ in practice pretty consistently,” said Bill Cashman. “But conditions change from one competition to another; the weather, the runway, and the planting box.”
Perhaps in other events that’s a good thing.
In the Boys’ high jump, East River’s Gilbert Gildersleeve came in with a 6’2” best, which he cleared twice, most recently at the March 22nd Lake Brantley Invitational. Although the rain held off for the jumpers, Gilbert described the apron as “slick,” and began with conservative jumps.
“To save energy, and to get my legs warmed up, I entered at 5’ 10”,” he explained. “It only took me four jumps to get to 6’ 2”.”
Up until that time, he wasn’t certain how things would turn out.
“I thought that JP (Friday), from Colonial, would win.”
But JP was shuttling back and forth to the triple jump, which he won with 47’ 9 ¾”, and the long jump, where he took third with 21’ 10-1/2”. And, although Friday has jumped 6’ 6” on several occasions--the most recent being this past April 14 at the Brian Jaeger Invitational—he was only able to match Gilbert’s former best, while Gildersleeve set a new PR at 6’4”. It was enough to earn him the district championship. Friday, meanwhile, was three for three; he made the Regionals in the LJ, TJ, and HJ.
The Girls’ high jump, with 16 entries, was unusually competitive, but for the most part at three heights; two tied at 4’ 10”, three at 4’ 8”, and six at 4’ 6”. That required jump offs for first and third/fourth place. Symone Jernigan (Freedom) emerged the winner at 4’ 10”.
Derrick Knott, pole vaulter Erick’s twin brother, won the long jump (22’ 5-1/4”), placed third in the triple jump (44’ 2-3/4”), and later in the day was fourth in the 100 (11.13).
Their sister, Kristina, won the long jump (18’ 3-1/2”), the 200 (24.81), and helped Colonial win both the 4 X 1 (47.37), and the 4 X 4 (3:54.09).
I caught up to “Team Knott,” briefly, that night, and asked them about the family’s commitment to Colonial track and field. I asked them when this “family affair” began.
Kristine: “Our Dad was once the fastest in the state of Minnesota.”
Derrick: “Back in 1975, he ran 9.9 in the 100 (yards), and also ran the 220 (yards).”
Derrick: “Our parents never pushed us. Since they already had their “shine” in sports, they let us do whatever we wanted to, and supported us.”
Erick: “100 % of the way.”
Kristin: “Our older sister, Vanessa, didn’t do sports.”
Erick: “She’s the artist of the family, but based on body type, she definitely would have been a distance runner.”
Derrick: “Both of us,” meaning he and his brother Erick, “since our freshman year. Erick was on the cross country team. I did the same things I’m doing now. Besides track, we also played basketball. We stuck with basketball all the way up to our junior year, but didn’t play our senior year.”
Erick: “I was moving to all these different things when I tried the pole vault. I had no knowledge of it, but loved it.”
Kristina: “I started, in ninth grade, with the ‘Florida Elite.’ That was when I was getting serious about it. (Colonial) Coach Plasencia said, ‘If you want to be successful in track, you have to do it during the summer.’”
Derrick: “It’s definitely fun being on the same team, and seeing each other develop during the year.”
Chris Benavides, representing Freedom High School, describes fun as throwing the discus. “I saw it during the 2008 Olympics, and loved it. I started throwing it last year. I did it at Freedom, and then went out for the Gliders.”
Although Chris has an “official” longest throw of 142’ 4” (at Lake Highland Prep, on March 10, 2012), he seems certain that he can throw further.
“I was throwing 154 in practice, but got a blister, and ripped it off. So now I have a cut,” he said, showing me an inch-long gash in a finger on his throwing hand. “I’ve been trying to keep a band aid on it, unsuccessfully. It fell off, but I kept throwing.”
Despite that cut, his 136’ effort earned him first place, and a ticket to Regionals.
Winter Park throwers won the other three weight events: Bryanna Slay the Girls’ shot (33’ 4-1/4”) and discus (101’ 10”), while Darius Mcmillan won the Boys’ shot (47’ 5”).
With the conclusion of the field events, the throwers and leapers gave way to the sprinters and runners, some of whom gave way to no one.
In recent weeks, Colonial’s Oriel Anu has set PRs in both the 100 hurdles (14.98 at the April 5th Pepsi Relays), and the 300 hurdles (44.54 in the March 22nd Metro finals).
“I came in with the best time,” she explained. “I’ve been training hard, and I felt confident, coming in from the preliminaries, with the fastest time.”
Why end a good thing? Anu lowered that 100 best in the preliminaries (14.84), and again in the finals (14.72). The 300 PR also fell in that final (44.09). She won both events.
The Boys’ hurdle events were a split between Karl Austin (15.30 in the 110) and Travis Joseph (39.16 in the 300). Austin also took third in the 300 (41.80), and Joseph second in the 110 (15.31). In that 110 hurdle event, the first four places were recorded as 15.30, 15.31, 15.50, and 15.62.
“I think the 300 hurdles is my strongest event,” Travis told me. “My coaches tell me otherwise, but I think it’s my height. I can’t get over the taller hurdles as well. The 300s are easier. Plus my speed between them helps a lot.
“In the 110, I want to make it as far as possible, but in the 300 I want to make a mark for the ‘little guys,’ maybe a 36/37, if that’s possible. I think it’s very possible.”
The only athlete to win two sprints was East River’s Jose Santana, and he did so by running an unusual 200/400 double.
“In a meet, the break between the 100 and 400 is just too short,” Santana said, explaining his choice of races. “In a sense, the longer the race, the stronger I get,” he told me, “because of form. I keep my knees up, and have a good arm pump. I would like to place in the top three in the state for the 200 and the 400. I think I can place in the shorter one, like the 100, but my coach thinks I’m stronger in the longer one. I would like to place in the top three.”
Santana’s winning time in the 200 was 22.28; in the 400 it was 48.65.
D’Shea Taylor (Winter Park) won the 100 in 11.01, a personal best, and placed third in the 200 (22.84).
“Today was pretty satisfying,” the senior said after his long day of sprints, “with a couple of wins under my belt. Last year, I didn’t make it in any individual events. I only made it in the 4 X 1, but we went all the way to States, and got fifth (41.61). But it’s just me left from that team.”
I asked D’Shea how he gets through his preliminaries and finals in three events.
“Motivation. I think about my parents, my friends, and my coaches. I don’t think about myself as invincible; I just do what I can.”
Courtney Johnson won the Girls’ 100 in12.61; her Colonial teammate Katurah Smith the 400 in 57.97, just a tad over her 57.86 best, which won the March 17, 2012 Metro Freshman/Sophomore Championships.
“I hope to run a 53 by my senior year,” Smith said. “(With that) I’m hoping to get into a good college, like FSU or FAMU.”
Smith also won the triple jump (35’ 7-1/2”), finished fourth in the high jump (4’8”), and was a member of Colonial’s winning 4 X 400 relay team (3:54.09).
Moise Diodonet (Colonial) ran a 1:55.90 to win the Boys’ 800, and Kristen Kelly (WP) the Girls’ 800. Diodonet was fairly confident of a win; Kelly, on the other hand, was surprised.
“I just tried to win it,” said Moise. “I ran my pace, and waited to see who would follow me. John Lindsay (WP, second in 1:57.74) was trying to get a lead in, but people were pushing a lot. I would have come out faster, if I could.”
As it turned out, Diodonet’s 1:55.90 was a brand spanking new PR.
Kristin, despite her pre-race doubts, also claimed a PR (2:19.84), along with her district title.
“I seriously thought that my teammate, Charlotte Stephens, was going to win it,” said Kristin. “But before the race, Charlotte said ‘We’re just going to race it.’”
Each came in with similar PRs—Kelly had run 2:22.17 and Stephens 2:20.40—but the difference might have been that Stephens had won the 1600 (5:26.23) earlier in the meet, and Kelly had not.
“I guess I wanted it really bad,” Kelly concluded.
Probably the athlete that gets the grand prize for wanting first the most is Kaley Schmick, of Cypress Creek. In the (earlier) mile, she finished ahead of University’s Autumn Bartlett, placing third (5:32.43) over Autumn’s sixth (5:40.85).
In the 3200, Autumn jumped out to an early lead, and proceeded to widen her gap over the field, lap after lap, until most of those watching the meet had turned away. The general assumption might have been that that the outcome of the race was a foregone conclusion. But definitely not for Kaley.
With less than a lap to go, she started to close quickly, until she drew close enough to sprint past, winning in 12:05.44. Autumn was second, in her second PR of the night, with a time of 12:06.75. But by the time she finished, Kaley had collapsed in complete exhaustion. The first one to reach her was Autumn, and she stayed with her, helping her up off the ground, and even lending a shoulder in an attempt to keep her vertical.
In short, the headline reads: Schmick wins race; Bartlett wins sportsmanship.
At the end of the meet, I saw Andres Arroyo standing in the middle of the infield, taking everything in. It had been yet another long day for him, which included school, three distance races, and four more titles; the 4 X 800 in 7:50.20, the 1600 in 4:26.71, the 3200 in 9:50.3, and the team championship.
So I asked him whether, in this seemingly endless running, he ever tires of the routine that distance running entails.
“I’m very proud of what I’ve run, and content with my life,” he answered.
“Running is a life style. You have to dedicate yourself if you want to get better. Think about it. You have to…schedule everything around it, even sleep.
“When I get up in the morning, I worry about school work. When school is over, then I start thinking about getting my training clothes, and doing my workout.
“(Each day is) one more step. I’m a junior, and the more I run three events, the better I get. Everything that I’ve done this year is getting me ready for my senior year. Everything I do, whether it’s a race, or a workout, contributes to my future.
“I’m not sure if you’re ever (completely) sure of your future, though. Whatever happens, happens. I’ll leave it to God to decide. I’m just going to push and see how it goes. I’ll never give up; do the best I can, so I can get better and better.”
“What do you see yourself doing in ten years; after high school and college?” I then asked.
“I like to draw, so I’d like to find a good job where you can draw. Maybe engineering, or architecture.”
Somehow, I had the feeling that he has already begun, although not yet with the tools usually associated with mechanical engineering. If you figure in the 20 points he earned on his own, plus that extra effort in his anchor leg of the 4 X 8, I believe you get just about the right amount to see that he quite successfully “engineered” Colonial’s win over Winter Park (175 to 147). Freedom’s finish, too, with their 131 points, came under the influence of his “designs.”
The Girls’ teams finished in the same order, but by different scores: the Colonial Girls had 188, Winter Park 141, and Freedom 92.
Well, how’d I do for brevity: 8,136 words divided by three stories = 2, 712…I guess a leopard can’t change its spots.