Florida Relays Day Two: STA Starts Day With DMR Sweep, Daniels Hands Whitney First Loss This Season

Apr 04, 2014

The 2014 Florida Relays saw more fireworks as day number two got underway. Fresh off a trip to Austin, Texas last weekend for the Texas Realys, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders were back in action setting a new meet record, state leading and US#5 time of 12:05.90 in the distance medley. The ladies weren't done as they set the meet record and re-wrote their own national record in the 4x200m relay with a sizzling 1:33.41 . Great battles in the 100 meter dash, and tons of state and nationally ranked times over the course of the afternoon. Check out the full highlights as well as on-site coverage of photos, videos, and interviews from our team of Jeff Adams, Darrell Laxton, Dean Headley, and our friends at Flotrack.

On-Site Coverage

DAY TWO TRACK HIGHLIGHTS

Boys 1600m Invitational

Sarasota junior Zack Summerall picked up a win a new personal best, and improved on his school record time of 4:18 with a win at the Florida Relays. In the invitational 1600m, Summerall lead from the gun and had a couple of challengers early on in Freedom senior and University of Alabama signee Connor Ferrentino and Andrew Iglesias. Iglesias hung in there with him the majory of the race while 3200m winner Kurt Convey moved his way up from the back of the pack into third after picking off runners. Summerall surged in the last 100 meters to zoom past Iglesias and cross the line in 4:17.23. Iglesias was second in 4:17.46. Convey was third in 4:18.49 and Summerall's teammate Adam Bradtmueller was fourth in 4:19.16. What a great day for the Sarasota High School program, two new school records, and two individual champs to sweep the 1600m invitational races!

Girls 1600m Invitational

In the girls 1600m invitational run, Julia Montgomery of Pine Crest who finishedin the 3200 lead the first lap before Emily Edwards of Fort Myers took over. Emily Harding of Sarasota and Lauren Perry out of Richland High School in Georgia moved up as well. Edwards tried to distance herself on the third of four laps, but her two chasers never gave in. Coming around the turn in the final 200 meters Harding swung wide and passed both Perry and Edwards crossing the lin ein a new personal best mark of 4:56.27. Her time was over four seconds better than her previous best of 5:01 set at the FSU Relays and was also a new school record. Perry was second in 4:57.59. Edwards was visibly exhausted in the final meters and fell down to her knees, but was still able to finish in a very impressive time of 4:57.87, narrowly missing a personal best. Estero sophomore Daley Cline was the fastest overall finisher out of heat two, coming in sixth overall with a time of 5:06.51

Girls 4x200m Relay

St. Thomas Aquinas set a national record in the girls 4x200m relay last week at the Texas Relays. So what do you do for an encore? How about re-write the record books. The group had city championships earlier this week, but their was no fatigue on Friday afternoon. The quartet of Krystal Sparling, Diamond Spaulding, Narina Jean-Baptiste, and Kendall Ellis made it no contest early on dominating with a US#1 and meet record time of 1:33.43, nearly three seconds faster than Miami Northwestern and four seconds faster than the meet record set by their counterparts 14 years ago! Northwestern's time of 1:36.41 (US#2) also broke the record with a foursome of Robyn Jones, Twanisha Terry, Alexis Harrell, and Timetria Mitchell. Oak Ridge was third in 1:40.84.

Boys 4x200m Relay

The St. Thomas Aquinas boys received welcome news at the conclusion of the 4x200m relay. Booker T. Washington finished first in a state leading and US#1 time of 1:25.52. However, after the race the Tornadoes were disqualified. The Raiders who finished second were now bumped up and their time of 1:25.97 became good enough for relay gold, as well as a state and national leader. The group of Rasheed Tatham, James Oliphant, Jordan Scarlett, and Trevor Grimes beat out The St. Michael's School of Barbados that posted a time of 1:28.06, edging out East Ridge who went 1:28.07 with 100m champion Terry Jernigan on the anchor leg for the Knights. Miramar and Miami Northwestern went sub 1:30 as well.

Boys 100m Dash

The boy's 100m dash went down to the wire with Terry Jernigan of East Ridge and Levi Cadogan of the Barbados. Jernigan edged him out at the line with a time of 10.44, the third fastest this year in Florida (he has gone 10.35 and 10.36 already) and one of the top 15 times in the country. Cadogan came in at 10.45. Xavier Atkins of Spruce Creek beat out Deltron Hopkins of Booker T. by three-thousandths of a second; 10.665 to 10.668 to claim third and fourth respectively!

Girls 100m Dash

Teahna Daniels of The First Academy racks up another huge win. After running 11.37 at Texas Relays, Daniels beat the field in a time of 11.43 and handing East Ridge sophomore Kaylin Whitney the first in-state loss dating back nearly four years to her time in middle school. Her time is currently the fourth fastest all conditions in the U.S.this year. Whitney was second in 11.50. Lake Highland Prep senior and USC bound Deanna Hill was third in 11.74. Jadzia Beasley of Lincoln the only other runner in under 12 seconds at 11.84

Boys 110 Meter Hurdles

A great final stretch by Kelvin Williams propelled him to victory in the 110 hurdles. The Palm Bay senior dipped under 14 seconds clocking a new personal best of 13.98, tied for FL#2 and tied for US# 7. Senior Jonathan Hayden of Palm Beach Lakes was second in 14.07 while Hallandale's John Battle was third in 14.19.

Girls 100 Meter Hurdles

Stefani Kerrison proved why she is one of the best hurdlers in the state. The Jones senior and University of Miami signee duked it out with fellow Central Floridian Domonique Turner of Lake Mary and came away with a US#7 all-conditions mark of 13.82. Turner was second in 14.03.

Girls Distance Medley Relay

Fresh off a trip to Austin, Texas last weekend for the Texas Realys, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders were back in action setting a new meet record, state leading and US#5 time of 12:05.90 in the distance medley. The quarter of Narinah Jean-Baptiste, Alexa Cruz, Christina Kalis, and Alon Lewis, broke the former record of 12:08.17 set in 2004, and beat runner-up Pine Crest by nearly 20 seconds. It was also a 19 second personal best for the group from their time last week. The event which is rarely contested in Florida saw the four fastest times of the year with STA, Pine Crest (12:26.67), Estero (12:32.90), and Olympia (12:46.89). Pine Crest's foursome lead by 3200m champion Julia Montgomery might have been the youngest group to place that high. Montgomery is the oldest as a sophomore with the team also featuring freshman Katherine Jovanovic and sixth graders Amanda Schwartz and Tsion Yared.

Boys Distance Medley Relay

Not to be outdone, the STA boys improved on their DMR time from the Texas Relays to pick up the "W". The foursome of Manny Velasquez, Matthew Butler, Bryce Statham, and Sam Bruce clocked a state leading and US#12 time of 10.27.69, nearly fifteen seconds faster than their time last week. It gave the Raiders the DMR sweep on the afternoon and ten valuable points in the team standings. Lyman was second in 10:33.41 and Bloomingdale finished third in 10:37.46; the three fastest times in the state for 2014.

DAY TWO FIELD EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Girls Shot Put

All Lloydricia Cameron does is win. On her future track at the University of Florida, the Miami Northwestern senior hurled the shot put the farthest she ever has; 48-4. It's the farthest mark this year in the state of Florida and fifth fastest in the country for 2014. Junior Noelle Parker of Whitewater High School was second with a throw of 44-0.

Boys Discus

Three of the top five marks in the state of Florida were set at the Florida Relays. Fredrick Jones of Miami Central claimed the number two spot with a launch of 188-3 second only to Jobi Finau of Pine Forest who threw 189-6 at FSU Relays. Jone's mark puts him sixth in the nation. Jamal Whittaker of Apopka who is looking for his state title of his career next month, was second on the day with FL#3 and US#11 toss of 185-9.

Boys Triple Jump

Three guys leaped over 46 feet in the triple jump, but it was Ma'Queale Lattimore who came away victorious. The Charlotte senior hit the winning mark on his first attempt and after leaping 43-01.75 on his second attempt decided to pass on his third and fourth before fouling on his fifth. Charles Nelson of Seabreeze who had a phenomenal weekend who won the long jump, and finished sixth in the 100 meter dash, was second with a personal best mark of 46-4.25. Hometown boy Laron James of Buchholz finished third with a mark of 45-4.

Girls Triple Jump

Darrielle McQueen and Kimani Rushing ranked one and two in the state and third and fifth nationally coming into the 2014 Florida Relays. Fans were in for a treat when these two who have cleared 41 feet already this year took to the pits. McQueen, a University of Floriad signee popped a near 41 footer, 40-08.25 on her second jump which was good enough for the win. Rushing also cleared 40 feet leaping 40-02.50 for second place. Ebony Luster of Lake Mary was third with a mark of 39-06.25

Girls Pole Vault

Lake Mary senior Erica Sergeant continued her win streak in the pole vault that dates back to 2013. The last time, she lost was May 18th at the Golden South Classic. Her winning mark of 12-6 was a new meet record, one-upping her vault of 12-2 she set as as sophomore in 2012.

Boys High Jump

Celebration senior Jhonny Victor seals the deal with a clearance of 6-8 to win the boys high jump. Boyd Anderson sophomore Phillip Lee was second at 6-6 while a trio of individuals all cleared 6-4.