Florida 2A State Meet HQ

FHSAA 2A Outdoor State Finals
Jason Byrne

All photos by Randy Settle for flrunners.com

On-Site Coverage

Todd Grasley, Randy Settle, and Jason Byrne are on-site for coverage for flrunners.com. We will be providing thousands of photos often posted within an our of each event, live Twitter updates, video interviews, video highlights, and summary article. Sorry, we will not be permitted to post full races due to FHSAA licensing those rights to PlayOn Sports.

Highlights

American Heritage Opens Day with Gutty 4x800; Go on to Repeat Team Title... For Fourth Time in a Row!

American Heritage was seeking redemption this year. Ironically, they entered the season having won three 2A team track titles in a row. That's certainly not your average storyline for a tale redemption. But this year was diffferent for the team.

Over the past ten months they've had to overcome a decade's worth of adversity. They've had transfers, controversies, and sometimes coaching changes every other week. It's been a difficult year; so to see them back in the driver's seat to repeat this season was actually pretty surprising.

The 4x800 race was a perfect illustration of just why they are in that position, and kind of parallels their past season. They are a talented but also very gutsy group of girls. They had a target on their backs, but looked vulnerable a number of times. But just when you thought they were going to be surpassed, they come roaring back.

From the gun Rachelle Alexander took them out to a large lead over the competition. She split a quick 2:16 and handed off with a four second lead to Amanda Veve, who fought to hold on. Slowly that lead began to erode, and with about 270 meters to go in second leg, American Heritage was passed by a contingent of chasers led by Bolles. Rather than get discouraged or content to hold on for second though, Veve battled back and re-took the lead before even exiting the back stretch. 

The second exchange was rather sloppy, but by that time American Heritage had re-opened a six meter lead; so despite the slight bobble, the lead was in tact. The clock read 4:42 at the 1600 mark. The third leg was a tough one. Amber Williams struggled hard to maintain the lead she was given. At many points it looked like her pursuers were about to close the gap, only to have it re-opened by the pure determination of Williams. With 250 meters to go, the gap was eliminated and three chase teams were hot on Williams' heels: Bolles, Pine Crest, and Ransom Everglades. After continuing to fight them off, Mackenzie Wilson of Bolles finally came wide on the home stretch and handed off to the anchor leg in first place at 7:08 with American Heritage just a step behind in second place.

They were in good hands though. The anchor leg of Daesha Rogers meant that Bolles' lead would be short lived. Very short lived. Before they even crested the curve, Daesha was gone. And I mean GONE. With a 61 second opening lap for her leg, I mean forget about it. She opened up an eight second lead in that opening lap and then held on for a 72 second closing lap to finish with a 2:13 split to give American Heritage a top five time in the country with a 9:21. Pine Crest fought into second with a strong anchor from Ella Wurth and finished nine seconds back in 9:30, followed by Bolles in 9:34.

American Heritage shook off the adversity of chasers challenges, bobbled exchanges, and uneven splits to reclaim the state title in the 4x800. Much like their season.

They went on that night to have no shortage of victories and a ton of points. Deja Parrish secured an invidividual championship in the 400. Diamond Spaulding shored up the sweep of the short sprints with 100 and 200 meter victories. The 4x100 team added another relay win. Daesha added 1600 and 800 wins to add yet more titles to her already illustrious and decorated career--still just an eighth grader, though it seems like she's a senior by now.  And they capped off the night with the relay sweep, winning the 4x400 in 3:50. It was a true show of force!

Heritage had lived up to the hype and completed another team state title in dominant fashion. Their 89 points was 48 points better than second place Rockledge. Wow! The four-peat was completed. The doubts eliminated. The dynasty in tact.

Interview with American Heritage 4x8 Relay Team

Diamond Spaulding Interview - 100m and 200m Champ

Deja Parrish Interview - 4x100m and 400m Champ

Daesha Rogers Interview - 4x800m, 800, 1600m Champ

Lakewood Pulls Out One Point Team Championship Over Miami Washington

It was a dramatic day in the battle for the boys team title. Sitting in the press box just in front of a group of colleagues from St. Petersburg meant that every twist and turn was amplified and exciting, as the hometowners yerned to be able to write the headline: "Lakewood Wins First Track Title in School History."

The team championship in track & field is often as much an exercise in mathematics as it is in pure athleticism. There is intense analysis of probabilities and distribution of points.

So even as Lakewood racked up a sizeable 57-to-36 point lead, following TJ Holmes important 300 hurdles victory of 37.98 with only four events to go, we knew it was anything but over. The calculators were busy figuring out scenarios for what points still remained out there and who was likely to score them.

The next two events proved that theory right. Booker T scored 24 points between the 800m and 200m, with sophomore Vaquan Small taking second in the 800 (1:55.76) and BTW going 2-3 in the 200 with juniors Nigel Patten (21.13) and Delron Hopkins (21.14) right together. Lakewood should send Jerimy Strainge of American Heriage a "thank you" card there for securing the victory for himself and preventing a 1-2 sweep by Washington, which would have meant lights out, game over for Lakewood's title hopes.

Another key thing happened in the 200 meters. Deandre Boykins is a first year track athlete, who has been very much under the radar outside of Pinellas County. He has been in the shadows of his better known teammates and the senior was really not necessarily expected to make the finals. But he made a name for himself tonight. He not only made the finals but came in with a personal best 21.69 for fifth place and an absolutely crucial four points. Without Boykins' points, Washington would have entered the 4x400 with a one point lead; instead Lakewood maintained a three point advantage going into the final event.

Both being sprint-heavy squads, neither had any representation in the 3200 meters... leaving them both teams only to agonize, strategize, and theorize about what they needed to do to win. For Booker T. Washington, they needed to finish two places ahead of Lakewood to pull it off. For Lakewood they didn't need to win, they just needed to stay with Washington. And so this was the challenge.

The 4x400 went off and American Heritage moved out to the lead and stayed there. Not to diminish their win, but much of the attention shifted back to the orange jerseys of Washington and where they were in relation to the black and yellow of Lakewood. Each leg, one after another, Lakewood seemed laser locked on the back of each BT-Dub runner. They refused to let them go. Briefly they actually took second place for a few meters on the anchor before Washington fought back. They finished second and third in 3:16.42 to 3:17.84--behind American Heritage at 3:14.28. In staying within one place of their rival, Lakewood had done it.

By a one-point margin, Lakewood returned to St. Petersburg victorious with a 67-66 victory. Every point counts, folks!

Interview with Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin of Lakewood

Interview with Timothy TJ Holmes -300m Hurdles Champ, 110m Hurdles Runner-Up

Griffins Triple Jump Highlights Video - Coming

Tampa Bay Times: Deandre Boykin Gives Spartains an Unlikely Spark

Interview with Booker T. Washington 4x100 Relay Champs

Rockledge 4x400 Closes Two Point Deficit to Pine Crest, Pushes to Second Place Team Trophy

Going into the 4x400, the Rockledge girls trailed Pine Crest by two points for the second place team trophy. They had to finish at least sixth to secure the three points necessary to get on the podium. They did one better. The first three legs did their job to hang tough and keep them in it and then Terra Edwards closed with a strong last leg and massive kick over the crowded last 100m stretch. She swung wide and got by Godby at the line to nab fifth place and four points.

Video Interview with Rockledge Girls 4x400 Team

Interview with Tia Smith - Triple Jump Champ

Jerimy Strainge Returns After 3 Year Absence to Win Two State Titles!

In 2010 a freshman named Jereimy Strainge stormed on to the scene. After flying under the radar all season with relatively low key North Broward Prep, he shocked everyone by winning the 2A State Championship in both the 100 and 200. That feat is nearly unheard of for a freshman guy! The sky seemed to be the limit for the young star. It seemed we were looking at Florida's sprint star of the future.

His sophmore season started out normal enough. He ran a few minor meets, won an important 100 showdown at the flrunners.com Primetime meet, and that led to the much hyped battle at the Florida Relays that was going to be the test to see just how legit the youngster was. After getting out of the blocks well, one lane over from Marvin Bracy, something went very wrong.  Strainge heard something pop; he pulled up about 40 meters in and could not finish. A hamstring injury along with a nagging hip problem meant his season was over and hopes of repeating as state champ dashed. The problems eventually led to surgery. The rehab and continued hip issues stretched on and agonizingly on. They sidelined him from the 2012 season as well before it even got started.

Two track seasons passed with no Jerimy Strainge. All was quiet. Many had seemingly forgot about the former freshman phenom. Would he ever run track again?

Enter the 2013 season. Now a senior and representing a new team, American Heritage, Strainge told flrunners.com reporter in a January interview that he was back. But was he really? He said the same thing in the 2012 season. Could he really return and last the season injury fee? And if so would he really be in the same kind of form we saw three years earlier? Only time would tell... and it did.

After trying his hand at the 400 meters early in the season, the senior started to focus once again on the event most have always felt was his strongest: the 200 meters. His coaches (smartly) kept him out of the injury-maker, the 100 meter dash. They built up his strength and stamina and keyed on the post season. They didn't over race him and allowed him to build back slowly and evenly and with an eye toward April. The plan worked perfectly.

Today, three years after his first titles, Strainge took the prelims with a top seeded time of 20.97 and came back later in the night to the exact same (wind legal) time of 20.97 to secure the state championship!

Not done yet, the 400 meter work was a much needed support role for the American Heritage 4x400 meter relay team. The strong leg from Strainge helped American Heritage to a 4x400 state title against the top two teams in the country: Lakewood and Miami Washington. They won in 3:14.28, over two seconds better than Washington.

What redemption to miss almost entirely two track seasons and to bookend a high school career with two state titles on each side! Great job to Jerimy, who by the way says he has had NO interest from colleges. With the state titles and a 20.97 to his credit, wanna bet that changes real quick? 

Interview with Jerimy

..... more coming ....

Photos & Video Coverage

 

 

Videos

Interview: American Heritage Girls 4x800 Champions Interview: Lake Nona Boys 4x800 Relay Champions Interview: Nicole Carroll - Girls Pole Vault Champion Interview: Jeremiah Theus - Boys Discus Champion
Rockedge Girls Win Second Place with Fifth Place 4x400 Interview: Julia Montgomery - Girls 3200m Champion Interview: David Yarborough - Boys 1600m Champion Interview: Alex Padraza - Boys 3200m Champion
Interview: Chris Jackson - Boys 800m Champion Interview: Deanna Hill - Girls 100m Champion, 200m Runner-Up Interview: Shaquem & Shaquill Griffin - Lakewood High School Interview: Diamond Spaulding -100m Champion, 200m Runner-Up
Interview: Deja Parrish - 400m/4x100m Relay Champion Interview: Jerimy Strainge - Boys 200m/4x400m Champion Interview: Bernicia Hollifield - Girls Discus Champion Interview: Frederick Jones - Boys Shot Put Champion
Interview: Lauren Blaugher - Girls Discus - Third Place Interview: Nick Catchur - Boys Pole Vault Champion Interview: Tia Smith - Girls Triple Jump Champion Girls 100m Dash
Boys 100m Dash Interview: Terrell Campbell - Boys High Jump Champion Interview: Godby Girls 4x100m Champions Interview: Booker t. Washington Boys 4x100m Champions
Interview: Shamaria Lovett - Girls 300m Hurdles Champion Interview: Stefani Kerrison - Girls 100m Hurdles Champion Interview: Walter Tucker - Boys 110m Hurdles Champion/300m Hurdl Interview; Timothy Holmes - 300m Hurdles Champion, 110m Hurdles
Interview: Krondis Larry - Boys 400m Champion Girls 4x100m Relay Boys 4x100m Relay Interview: Nicole Mis - Girls 1600m Runner-Up
Griffin's Triple Jump Highlights Interview: Daesha Rogers - 4x8, 800, 1600m Champion

Elite Performances

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