Ed Wells Kiwanis Invitational On-Site Coverage

The 51st Annual Ed Wells Jr. Kiwanis Invitational stayed with some conventions and broke completely with others. The Lakewood boys team continued their dominance of Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay area by repeating as meet champs. The Spartan boys racked up 126 points to Gibbs’ 97. Coming off a massive team win at the USF-Steinbrenner Invitational where they broke their own meet record in the 4x400m relay, the Spartan boys crushed the meet record at Kiwanis in the 4x100m relay, completing it in 41.4 seconds. The Gibbs relay team eclipsed the meet record too at 42.03 but finished behind the Spartans. Bucking convention were the Osceola girls breaking trend to come up with 77 points to edge out Lakewood (73) and Pinellas Park (71).

 

Most Outstanding Athlete Awards went to Pinellas Park junior Deterrica Simpkins and senior Paul “Megadeth” McKenna of Countryside. Simpkins scored a trifecta with wins in the open 100m (12.64), the 200m (25.97) and 400m (57.92).

 

“Our goal was to hit the 58’s in the 400 and 24’s in the 200 and 12 flat in the 100,” Patriot coach Keith Caleb said. “We’re happy with where she’s at now and feel like she can get through regionals.”

 

The boys award went to senior Paul McKenna who smoked the field in the 3200m. McKenna got a fantastic challenge from St. Petersburg senior Sam Chandler, who ran step-for-step with McKenna until the last 200m.

 

“I just laid it down with 200 to go,” McKenna said. “The hammer move that coach instilled in me came in that last stretch.”

 

With 200m left in the race, McKenna just pulled away from Chandler and wound up finishing five seconds ahead in 9:53.24.

 

The senior also got a win in the 1600 over teammate Andrew Llewellyn, with a new personal best of 4:32.55. Llewellyn was seven seconds back.

 

Senior Trayvon Bromell of Gibbs won both the open 100m and 200m in 10.48 and 21.43 seconds, respectively. Senior Jasmine Laska of Pinellas Park dominated the disc with a throw of 125-4. It was not just good enough for first place, it was a better throw than the boys disc champion Darien Hooker of Osceola (125-3.5).

 

The most entertaining duel of the evening was between the boy pole vaulters in senior Cayman Ellis of St. Petersburg and junior Carson Waters of Osceola. The two vaulters are ranked number one and number two in the state and their performances Tuesday night did not disappoint. After topping 14-7, just and inch-and-a-half from the meet record, both athletes raised the bar to 15 feet. With the meet record, Osceola’s school record, and Waters’ own PR on the line, they both cleared it. Neither could quite get 15-6 and Ellis would take first based on his number of scratches. Ellis no-heighted at last year’s state finals and is determined to make a better show of it in 2013.

 

“I’m coming out swinging,” Ellis said. “I want it (state title) now more that ever.”

 

Both athletes train at 727 Pole Vault Academy under coach David Mason.

 

“I like it (competition with Ellis) I’m always trying to beat him and he’s trying to keep his spot,” Waters said. “Our last meet, we both jumped 14-6 together.”

 

Osceola and 727 teammate and sophomore Jennifer Kistemaker won the girls pole vault at 10-6. Kistemaker also got second in the triple jump with a jump of 32-6, behind Bogie senior Chaise Cook-Martin (36-10.5).

 

The East Lake football team’s receiver tandem in junior Artavis Scott and sophomore George Campbell had strong jumps. Scott took first place in the triple jump at 45-5, Campbell 42-9. Campell was fourth in the long jump (21-1) and Scott fifth (20-7). The Lakewood Griffin twins flexed their jumping prowess as well, taking first and third in the long jump as well as second and fifth in the triple jump.

 

Bogie senior Chaise Cook-Martin demolished her qualifying time and took first place in the girls 100m hurdles in 16.11 seconds. Lakewood senior Timothy Holmes broke his PR in the boys 110m hurdles in 14.38 seconds.

 

Lone Palm Harbor champion in junior Brianna Paczynski left the rest of the 3200m field in her dust as she finished in 12:11.15 minutes, more that 13 seconds ahead of the field.

 

Spartan freshman Devontae Persha cracked the two-minute mark in the boys open 800m in 1:58.99, taking first place while Dundedin junior Ahmad Middleton placed second in both the 300m hurdles (39.72) and long jump (21-9).

 

Girls

• 1,600 Meter Run - Amanda Spring (Northeast HS (St. Petersburg)) 5:19.20 SB;
• 200 Meter Dash - Deterrica Simpkins (Pinellas Park HS) 25.97;
• 400 Meter Dash - Deterrica Simpkins (Pinellas Park HS) 57.92 SB;
• 800 Meter Run - Marina Levine (Largo HS) 2:22.08 SB; Amanda Spring (Northeast HS (St. Petersburg)) 2:24.31 SB;
• Discus - Jasmine Laska (Pinellas Park HS) 125-4 SB;
• High Jump - Jeanna Cube (Osceola HS (Seminole)) 5-2;
• Pole Vault - Jennifer Kistemaker (Osceola HS (Seminole)) 10-6; Brittany Galan (Pinellas Park HS) 9-6; Jenna Luther (Countryside HS) 9-0;
• Triple Jump - Chaise Cook-Martin (Boca Ciega HS) 36-10.5;

Boys

• 100 Meter Dash - Trayvon Bromell (Gibbs HS) 10.48; Marquez Valdes (Lakewood HS) 11.00; Trayvon Bromell (Gibbs HS) 10.62;
• 110 Meter Hurdles - Timothy Holmes (Lakewood HS) 14.38; Ahmad Middleton (Dunedin HS) 15.00; Timothy Holmes (Lakewood HS) 14.81;
• 1,600 Meter Run - Paul McKenna (Countryside HS) 4:32.55 SB;
• 200 Meter Dash - Trayvon Bromell (Gibbs HS) 21.43; Jaquez President (Gibbs HS) 22.25; Trayvon Bromell (Gibbs HS) 21.89;
• 300 Meter Hurdles - Timothy Holmes (Lakewood HS) 37.75 SB; Ahmad Middleton (Dunedin HS) 39.72;
• 3,200 Meter Run - Paul McKenna (Countryside HS) 9:53.24; Sam Chandler (St. Petersburg HS) 9:58.89;
• 400 Meter Dash - Jaquez President (Gibbs HS) 50.39; Robert Davis (Countryside HS) 50.90 SB;
• 4x100 Meter Relay - Lakewood HS 41.40; Gibbs HS 42.03; Lakewood HS 41.79 (prelims); Gibbs HS 42.37 (prelims);
• 4x800 Meter Relay - Lakewood HS 8:16.15;
• 800 Meter Run - Devontae Persha (Lakewood HS) 1:58.99 SB;
• Long Jump - Shaquem Griffin (Lakewood HS) 22-0;
• Pole Vault - Cayman Ellis (St. Petersburg HS) 15-0; Carson Waters (Osceola HS (Seminole)) 15-0 SB; Luke Dalton (Countryside HS) 12-6 SB;
• Triple Jump - Artavis Scott (East Lake HS) 45-5; Shaquill Griffin (Lakewood HS) 44-5;