GIRLS
Girls Sprints
Shataya Hendricks won the 100 meter dash finals with a time of 11.77. Just .02 back was Odeika Bent with a time of 11.79. Bent and Hendricks both went even faster in the prelims with times of 11.71 and 11.75, Bent with the faster prelim time. Henrdicks and Bent would come back for impressive times in the 200 meter dash, but it was not enough. Despite Hendrick's blazing 23.88 and Bent in 24.40--the first place title was all Teona Rodgers! The senior from Wharton has been on fire all year and her time of 23.44 in that 200 is the fastest so far this spring by any high school girl in the nation! Jazmyn Shorter of Lakewood repeated this year as the 400 meter champion with her time of 53.74 and it was Bent once again in second place in 54.25.
Girls Hurdles
As if one US #1 time in a day was not good enough, Teona Rodgers had another in the high hurdles! Actually her US #1 time came in the prelims when she smoked the pack with a wind legal (1.3) time of 13.33 (new state record). She came back in the finals and won convincingly over Crystal Bardge with a time of 13.65. And in the 400 Hurdles it was all St. Thomas Aquinas' Latoya Parkinson. The senior clocked a 42.28 win.
Girls Distance
Katrina Skinner of Wharton ran a really gutsy race, leading almost the entire length of the event. But as the pace started to catch up with her on the final 100 meter straightaway, Kaitlin Shiver of Satellite began to turn her game up. Shiver, who is coming off a fantastic season including a 4:51.53 indoors in New York, found a nasty 100 meter kick to beat Skinner to the tape. Shiver 5:04.41, Skinner 5:05.49.
Lanie Whittaker had her way in the 800 meters, winning by three seconds, over Jessica Gambill with a time of 2:15.65. And it was Ali Crabb headed back to St. Petersburg on Friday night with the 3200 meter championship. She held off freshman Lauren Ross of St. Thomas Aquinas for the victory in 11:14.91 to 11:21.78.
Girls Jumps
And as if her performances in the 100-200-400 were not enough, Odeika Bent won her sole state title this year in the pit. Her long jump of 18-7 earned her the victory over Mary Fountain (18-3.75). Tomika Story had just three inches on Marissa McEleveen in the triple: 38-3.5 to 38-0.25. And Danielle Williams of Pensacola cleared 5-8 for a big win for the high.
In the vault, four girls cleared 10-6: Vanessa Ziccardi, Rachelle Boff, Katerine Dolph and Meg Peterson (places in that order).
Girls Throws
Fidela James of Wolfson had the most impressive throw of the day with a 44-1.75 for the shot put win. Atasha Warren was not too far behind that mark with 43-6. Warren though did get her championship in the Discus with a toss of 129-5. James was in third place in that event (123-4) behind second place Ebonie Jackson of Eastside 127-9.
Girls Relays
Oak Ridge 9:19.19 in the 4x800 was good enough for the win and gave them one of the top 4x8 times this season in Florida. Satellite and Naples also put up great 9:20-something showings. St. Thomas Aquinas 47.34 int he 4x100 over Gainesville 47.51. And it was Miami Washington beating Gainesville to the line 3:55.53 to 3:55.90 in an exciting race to end the girl's races for the night.
Girls Teams
What a battle between Oak Ridge and St. Thomas Aquinas. These two teams are the perenial favorites every year! This year the victory belongs to Oak Ridge whose 86 points beat out the 79 points by St. Thomas Aquinas.
BOYS
Boys Sprints
Leonardo Seymore won two golds, the 100 meters wasn't blazing--Seymore only had to go 10.82 to win (10.66 in the prelims) but the 21.40 in the 200 later that night was more impessive 21.40 into -2.6 wind. The junior from Dwyer had a good night! In the 400, three four dipped under 48 seconds in the finals: Jordan Byas 47.36 was the victor, followed by Resha Exilien, Davon Johnson, and Dewayn Lee. The really cool thing is all four of those guys are juniors and so will be back next year!
Boys Hurdles
Dwight Stanley won the 110H over Emery McIntosh 14.36 to 14.53. And it was Tony Davis all over the 300H with a time of 37.57.
Boys Distance
James Grantham was somewhat of a surprise this year and he domainted the 1600m race in a rather surprising fashion against some very good competition. He lead basically start to finish and ended up with a 5 second win over Michael Burke. Grantham 4:18.47 and Burke 4:23.63. Burke had some redemtion though, he came back later that night and took a title of his own. The junior from West Boca won the 3200m in 9:36.92. He had several guys incluidng favorite Eric Larson and Johnathan Esteban breathing down his neck though. Freshman Erick Montoya had a good rookie time of 9:40.09.
Boys Jumps
Dujuan Harris was on fire! He sailed to a wind-legal US #1 jump of 24-4, winning the long jump by over a foot. He also struck gold in the triple jump with a winning jump of 47-1 over Jonathan Herrington (46-10.75). Bryan Turner repeated as high jump champion; his winning jump was 6-8.
Riley Egan won the pole vault crown clearing 15 feet for the win. Warren Lickson also cleared 15-0.
Boys Throws
Gabriel Torres took the discus title with a throw of 177-11 to the 174-2 by Torrey Davis. Isaah Nelson had almost four feet of distance to the next competitor was he won with a toss of 59-10.25.
Boys Relays
In what was the race of the day, Miami Washington and Bay battled it out back and forth the last two legs. During the last leg the lead changed several times and in the final 100m Bay had a bit of a lead but the surging Washington anchor came up and got dead even just before the finish and both dove across the line! It took close FinishLynx photo analysis to put the gold in the hands of Washington with only .002 (yes, two thousanths of a second!) between the two. The times of 3:13.96 were #5 in the nation this year!
St. Thomas Aquinas won the 4x1 in an impressive 41.32. And the 4x8 saw Ida S. Baker take the victory over Miami Washington 7:52.46 to 7:55.81.
Boys Teams
TIE! Yes, how rare it is but Miami Jackson and Miami Washington tied for the team victory with 46 points a piece! The rivals battled it out all year in Miami-Dade County meets and while neither is probably satisfied with not winning it outright maybe both can take some Miami pride in their draw!