A handful of athletes from the 4A meet rocketed themselves onto the national leader boards on Saturday in 4A. East Ridge's Ashley Miller swept the hurdles with a 41.56 in the 300s. That time moves her into US #2 and her winning time in the 100s, a 13.69, ties her for the 11th best time in the US in 2015.
While on the subject of top US marks, Oak Ridge's Sharrika Barnett ran a 52.67 to scorch the 4A, 400m final and take over the top spot in the US this year. Northeast sophomore Damion Thomas got his share of the hurdles sweeping them with a13.73 to win the 110s that moves into the ninth spot in the US. Trevon Grimes of St. Thomas Aquinas ran a 36.84, now the US #7.
Lyman discus thrower Adam Shuler blasted out a 192-9 to win the boys discus by more than 30 feet. Shuler fouled on two of his throws and didn't mark anything longer than a 178-11 before loading up for his final throw and it was a big one. It takes over the #6 spot in the US this year.
Not to be out done Colonial High School's Armani Wallace got as far out as 48-9.75 in the triple jump and then on his final hop skip and jump, he soared out to a 51-2.25 crushing the field beneath him and notching a US #2.
In the team standings the St. Thomas Aquinas girls made it their third straight team title. STA got big help in the sprints as Krystal Sparling and Diamond Spaulding took first (11.46) and third (11.71) in the 100m finals. Spaulding's wind legal 11.44 is a US #3. Chelsea Francis of Atlantic Coast was second in 11.69 but Sparling and Spaulding were still gobbling up points.
Spaulding won the 200m in 23.21 and Sparling was second in 23.45, those times are now US #2 and #3. As might be expected the STA girls won the 4x100m relay in 46.26. Spaulding and Sparling even teamed up with Erica Murphy and Alon Lewis to win the 4x400m relay to end the day in 3:44.30, a US #5. STA finished with 79 to runner up Miami Southridge with 45. Oak Park's Northeast was a close third with 43. Southridge edged Northeast's 4x400m relay to step into second place in the last event of the day.
The distance events were highlighted by changing of guards. In the 1600m, Plant's Jack Guyton seemed primed to repeat as the champion putting a healthy lead on the rest of the field by the final lap. However, Coral Reef's Carlin Berryhill had other ideas. He gave Guyton a challenge on the back stretch of the final lap but Guyton held it off. Again, Berryhill gave Guyton a challenge on the last turn and again, Guyton held. Down the home stretch, it turned into an all-out 100m sprint with both runners hitting the line almost simultaneously. Guyton fell forward at the tape and only scrutiny of the finish line photo could separate the two. It would be Berryhill with the win in 4:16.91 and Guyton in at 4:16.96.
"I wanted to really open it up for a sprint, I know Jack has good kicks and I knew he would hold me off and that it would be a battle to the end," Berryhill said.
The 3200m had a late coup as well. Sickles' James Zentmeyer got out to an early lead and put a lot of ground between himself and the rest of the field. Lyman's Joshua Jacques worked his way closer to Zentmeyer and passed him into the final lap. Jacques made sure no one could come up on him as he kept up his acceleration. Jacques won it in 9:11.00 with Zentmeyer in second at 9:22.56 and Guyton, made up several spots on his final lap to close into third in 9:28.39.
Lake Brantley's Sinclaire Johnson had probably the best day of any athlete of any gender. She started off in the 1600m. A very fast start to the race had a dense pack of girls holding together for the first three laps before they started to spread out. Johnson made her move just into the final lap and no one could challenge it. Riverview freshman Bailey Hertenstein made a valiant effort on the final straightaway to catch Johnson but the effort fell short and Johnson won it in 4:59.93. Hertenstein was not far behind at 5:01.90.
Johnson saved her best for last as she took on the fastest field of any classification in the 800m. With the top four times all coming in under 2:15, Johnson separated and pulled off a jaw-dropping 2:08.71, a US #6 and a new state meet record in Florida.
"I wanted to get that so bad," Johnson said. "I knew when Maddie (Beaubien) took it out so fast it was going to be a race and I was so glad she did."
Johnson continued.
"(Down the home stretch) I could see the clock and it said 2:02 and I thought, 'I'm gonna do it!,'" Johnson said.
Manatee sprinters Kelvin McKnight, Sam Urinios, Jarquavis Laughlin and Kavious Price won the 4x100m relay in 41.32 and Price came through in the 100m dash with a fifth-place finish. West Broward's Isaiah Taylor ran a just barely wind legal 10.48 to win it. Dr. Phillips' Alvin Bryant Jr. ran a blazing 21.13 to win the 200m and provided some essential points in the team win with 56 points to Lyman's 46.
East Bay's James Hambrick won the long jump at 23-9, just a half an inch off Spruce Creek's Jeffrey Spence.
Sanford Seminole's Raymond Nellon cleared 6-8 to win the boys high jump.
Northeast's Camora Sanders won the girls shot at 43-2 and took second in the disc (139-3) behind Monarch's Phoebe Gustely at 142-0.
Winter Park's girls 4x800m ran a 9:19.61 to win the event.
Macon Rodier of Olympia HS goes 55-2 to win boys shot.
Female long jumper Devin D'Oliveira of Flanagan goes 18-11.25 to win it.
Dallas Hampton of Bucholtz won the girls pole vault at 11-0 based on scratches at the height. Lake Brantley's Anna Chamness also cleared 11-0.
