Boys 800m Run
Future Florida Gator and the defending Florida Relays 800 meter champion Miguel Pantojas will lace it up on his next home track at James G. Pressly Stadium as the top seed and favorite to repeat as the winner in the two lap event.
Pantojas is already on the Florida high school top 10 all-time list in the 800m with his 1:49.90 personal best from last spring and certainly would like to move further up that list before he graduates. He also ran 1:50.58 this past indoor season and earned All-American honors with a sixth place finish at New Balance Nationals Indoor.
Pantojas won the 800m at the 2022 Florida Relays in 1:52.71, which might not cut it in 2023 with a deep field including a half dozen others who have run 1:53 or faster in the event.
Nathan Cumberbatch is making his way to Florida all the way from Wisconsin to compete at the University of Southern California commit has the second fastest PR in the race behind Pantojas at 1:51.54 from his victory at the Nike Indoor Nationals earlier this month. A senior at Shorewood High School, Cumberbatch is the defending Wisconsin state champion at 800 meters.
Among the Florida top challengers to Pantojas, Edward Kepran of Arnold is coming off throwing down a 1:52.27 personal best from a slow heat at the FSU Relays but this weekend will certainly be placed in the fast heat with the top entrants.
Last time that Noah Musselwhite raced on this track, he clocked a 1:52.33 personal best to finish fourth in the FHSAA 4A State Championships last May. He has been undefeated so far in local competions at 800 meters.
Gavin Nelson, a senior at Mandarin, has been on a tear as of late with his race performances including a 1600 meter victory at the Bob Hayes Invitational against Graham Myers of Fleming Island in a 4:18 best then dropping his 800 meter time last week at FSU Relays down to 1:53.39 to finish fifth.
Two half milers from South Florida to watch in the race include Columbus senior Marc Dabby with a 1:53 best and Miami Northwester junior Daniel Jean-Charles, who ran his 1:53 PR from the slow heat in the 2022 Florida Relays.
2. Nathan Cumberbatch 12 Shorewood 1:51.54
3. Noah Musselwhite 12 Apopka 1:52.33
4. Edward Kepran 12 Arnold 1:52.27
5. Gavin Nelson 12 Mandarin 1:53.39
6. Marc Dabby 12 Columbus 1:53.56
7. Daniel Jean-Charles 11 Miami Northwestern 1:53.67
8. Caden Montini 12 Oak Hall 1:54.76
9. Devin Jones 11 Miami Northwestern 1:55.07
10. Lucas Oliveira 11 Coral Reef 1:55.26
11. Evan Fleming 11 Buchholz 1:55.32
12. Grayson Tubbs 12 Bishop Verot 1:55.59
13. Dawson Isbell 11 Niceville 1:55.87
14. Matthew Raucci 12 Tavares 1:55.99
15. Devin Makousky 12 Rockledge 1:56.14
16. Liam Jordan 10 Berkeley Prep 1:56.79
17. Roman Mollicone 11 Fleming Island 1:56.99
18. Jeffrey Belizaire 10 Coral Springs 1:57.13
19. Aedan Rendek 12 Viera 1:57.38
20. Brandon Kalasnik 12 Flager Palm Coast 1:57.72
21. Zach Patell 11 Patell 1:57.85
22. Richard Circelli 11 Ponte Vedra 1:58.23
23. Jordan Fiducia 12 Sumner 1:58.43
24. Colby Green 11 Ponte Vedra 1:58.46
25. Brandon Metcalf 11 Sumner 1:58.72
26. Mario Sueiras 11 Columbus 1:58.73
28. Carter Rothell 12 Florida High 1:58.96
29. Schuvens Liska 11 Miami Carol City 1:59.02
30. Kai Martin 10 Cambridge Christian 1:59.04
31. Certain Williams 12 West Port 1:59.09
32. Andrew Marello 11 Wolfson High 1:59.19
33. Kasey Wheatley 12 Spruce Creek 1:59.21
34. Josh Davis 12 Calvary Christian (Clearwater) 1:59.38
35. Noah Scheinblum 11 Miami Washington 1:59.42
36. Jamari Benjamin 12 Flanagan 1:59.54
37. Wisny Cherident 12 Bloomingdale 1:59.76
38. Kai Fruechtenicts 12 West Boca Raton 1:59.83
39. Arthur Cavalcanti 11 Windermere 2:04.74