3A State Meet: Northwestern Girls Make History, Chiles Boys Upset Sweep Hopes

FHSAA Outdoor State Finals, Saturday
Andy Warrener

On-Site Coverage

Girls Recap


Photo by Andy Warrener

The Miami Northwestern girls had a shot at history Saturday. If they won, they would tie Lakeland Christian for six-straight team titles. If the girls got the team victory it would give them 11 total titles and put them in front of Glades Central for total team titles for the state. There was never a shred of doubt. The girls scored 154 points. Carol City was way back in the rearview at 37 in second place. Lakewood Ranch mustered 35 for third place. 


Photo by Andy Warrener

Northwestern senior Lloydrica Cameron was going for her third-straight state title in the girls shot as well as her second-straight title in the discus. She came through in the discus on a soppy surface to go 160-3 to win the event and in the shot to win it with 46-8. Cameron joins only seven other girls to win three straight shot put titles in Florida. She now has five state titles to her name. Teammates Jontavia Dykes and Akassja White were second and third. Kaylah Clark took fifth in a near-sweep of the discus. The girls did nearly as well in the shot, taking first, second and third. It gave the Bulls 52 points in just the throwing events. 

"It feels good, now people will recognize me more and to leave something behind (in the record books) for people to see," Cameron said.

Spoto middle distance runner Janae Caldwell improved on her runner-up finish from a year ago with a first place finish at Saturday's meet. Caldwell got off to a great start and demolished the last turn to gain an insurmountable lead and win it in 55.50. Caldwell also picked up a fourth place medal in the 200m. 

In a virtual repeat of the regional meet, Sarasota's Emily Harding battled Gaither's Rachel Cazares, Estero's Katie Slater, and Clearwater's Erin Avers in the 800m. True to form from a week ago, Cazares came out strong. Last week it was Slater that clipped her at the end, on Saturday it was all Harding.

"I didn't even expect to come out on top," Harding said. "After the first lap I was fourth with the other three girls from regionals in front of me."

Harding found another gear on the final straightaway and won it in 2:15.12. Harding also won a scorching 1600m that saw the top three girls all go under five minutes. Harding won it in 4:51.61.

"We all (top three finishers) broke five minutes and set some PRs," Harding said. "I'm just glad I was able to peak at the right time."

Jennifer Kistemaker of Osceola came into the 3A meet with a torn ACL that she is scheduled to have surgery on May 12. Kistemaker went jump-for-jump with Mitchell's Taylor Anderson. Both cleared 11-6 on their way to 12 but neither could get 12 and the bar went back down to 11-6 where Anderson was able to clear it to take first place. Kistemaker even landed on her left leg on one of her jumps after avoiding landing on it all day long. An interesting side note, Anderson is a state champion swimmer in the 50m freestyle. 

"It hurt really bad, I was just trying to shake it out and work through the pain," Kistemaker said. "It's great though to get fourth the last two years and second today, I'm just glad I had the opportunity to compete today."

In girls triple jump, Talia Falco won the event, jumping 38-2, topping her regional mark by more than a foot on a wet runway. Falco won the girls high jump as well at 5-6. Falco also grabbed third in the long jump behind BeJai Fray of Lake Weir at 18-11. Falco set personal marks in all three events.

"It was definitely a surprise, they told me I'd won and I didn't believe them at first," Falco said.

Sprinters Jadzia Beasley of Lincoln and La'Kayla Harris dominated the sprints. Beasley took both events, 11.78 in the 100m and 24.59 in the 200m but Harris was right behind her in both events. 

Boys Recap

The 3A boys team title actually had some suspense. Miami Northwestern had a sweep in their minds after dominating the girls team score. However, Chiles still had some shots left as the meet wound down. Avery Bartlett squeaked past Boyd Anderson's Javon Patterson in the last 10 meters to win the 800 in 1:52.27. It put the Chiles boys at 38. Just enough to thwart Northwestern's first place finish in the 4x400m. the final tally was Chiles 38, Northwestern 35.


Sukhi Khosla (Leon) tries to shake Nick Morken (Niceville) in the 1600, on their way to a 4:05.96/4:07.95 finish.
Photo by Donald Lamb

Perhaps the most amazing individual accomplishment of the day and perhaps the whole weekend was Leon's Sukhi Khosla. Khosla wasn't the only athlete to win both distance events but he certainly was the only one to win both in such dominating fashion. Uncontested in both events, Khosla went 4:05.96 in the 1600m setting the best mark in the nation and the meet record for the Florida state finals that stood for seven years, set by Joseph Franklin of Godby. The momentum carried into the 3200m as Khosla went 9:05.75, knocking more than five seconds off his top seeded time from regionals.

Stanton Prep's Kendal Williams swept the sprints, setting down a 10.33 in the 100m cracking the top seven best times in the nation. Williams followed it up by burning a 20.96 in the 200m. The Superman-themed "S" on his chest for Stanton took on a dual meaning, Saturday.

"It stood for Stanton over the years, it's turned into a symbol for me now," Williams, who is headed to FSU this fall, said.

Miami Central throwers Fredrick Jones and Aaron Hanna went first and second at 58-5 and 56-1.5, respectively. Jones won his third straight title in the event. The rivalry with the Armwood throwers that starts on the football field doesn't really extend to the track.

"We're just all here to have fun and win," Hanna said.

Naples sophomore Tyler Byrd won an exciting long jump competition, just out-distancing Jefferson's Deiondre Porter by going 23-7.5, topping his personal mark and taking first place. Byrd moves up from fourth place a year ago at states.

"With two years left, I'm hoping for 24's or 25's," Byrd said. 

Pine Forest's Chris Rogers looked fantastic clearing 6-6 and went on to clear 6-8 and win the boys high jump. Three other jumpers were tied at 6-6.

"Just need to not over-think it," Rogers who has cleared 6-10 this season said.

Northwestern 400m runners Jeffrey Green and Cordell Lamb were first and second, respectively, in the 400m. Green won it with a 47.44.

Elite Performances

Girls

Boys

 

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