Girls Meet Recap
Miami Northwestern claimed its tenth title in a row and its 14th in school history in a runaway victory, 119-71 over Northeast.The Bulls scored in 13 of the 17 events. It was the eight time the Bulls have scored more than 100 points. The 119 was their fourth highest point total. Their largest point total was 157 in 2016.
The Bulls picked up field event wins in the shot put and triple jump. Their 1-2 punch of senior Chantel Dawson's mark of 43-01.5 and junior Alyssia Richard's second place mark of 42-07.50 collected 18 points. Junior Dascha Robinson mark of 40-00 mark and Jada Holton mark of 37-05 led another 1-2 sweep.
Robinson also picked up an eighth with a 17-08 in the long jump and added a fifth place finish by Christon Kingcade(17-11.75). The other field event points came from Alyssia Richard who claimed a third place finish of 129-09 in the discus.
Sophomore Markalah Hart picked up the only individual track wins with a win in the 100-meter hurdles (13.85) and the 300-meter hurdles (42.89). It was Hart's second win in the 300-meter hurdles where she holds the state meet record. She false started last year in the 100-meter hurdles so her win was her first this year. Other track points came from Kouraje Johnson in the 100 meter hurdles (3rd, 14.30), an seventh place finish in the 100 meter dash from Christon Kingcade (12.15), an eighth place finish in the 200 meter dash from freshman Lamaria Washington(24.72)
The 4 x 800 meter relay came with a good challenge from Mater Academy through the first three legs. Mater and NW lead off came through in 2:13and then matched each other through two with equal 2:18(4:31). A 2:16 from the Bulls third leg and a 2:26 opened final margin of 13.18-second margin and winning time of 9:09.88.
The Bulls won their 11th title in school history and fifth title in a row in the 4 x 100 meter relay recoding a 0.29 win over Pine Forest (46.09-46.38), and 5-7-8 finish in the 400 meter dash from senior Dejanee Parms (56.46), senior Taquairia Whiley (56.62) and junior Charity Johnson(56.80).
The final event of the day saw the defending champ Bulls come home second in a time of 3:47.61 behind Northeast's US #7 3:42.19. It was the second win in three years for Northeast. NW has taken the title the other time and in three of the past five years.
For the record
Northeast junior Jan'Taijah Ford collected her second title in a row with her 53.19 win in the 400 meter dash.
Mater Academy freshman Jinah Mickens-Malik claimed her second title in three years holding off Ayoola Gbolade by 0.36 seconds. Mickens-Malik also has a third from last year and a 15th place finish as a sixth grader.
Northeast sophomore Briana Williams was off her best of 11.13 set earlier this year at Bob Hayes, but came up with the win over Tamari Davis, 11.31-11.36. It was her first 100 meter title.
Freshman Tamari Davis much anticipated debut went off with a bang. Her 22.48(1.9) was the third fastest 200 meter all time, broke the freshman 200 record of 23.06 which she shared with Bianca Knight set in 2004, and broke Marion Jones '91 record of 22.76. Moreover, it was the fastest time ever run in a high school only race.
Mater sophomore Valarie Lastra's 4:52.74 was the second fastest 3A wining time in state history. Sarasota's Emily Harding has the fastest winning time of 4:51.61 run in 2014. I don't have in depth results, but I would bet that Claire Openshaw's time would have won 41 of the past 43 3A state meets with her second place time of 4:52.89.
Sophomore Claire Openshaw's tactical win over Lastra Friday night in the 3200 meter run, 10:40.24 to 10:44.55, bodes well for the epic battles to come in the next two years. It was the first for Openshaw. Lastra and Openshaw both established themselves as two of the elite runners in the years to come.