Two more indoor meets are left in the 2024 Florida HS indoor series, sponsored by RADD Sports, at the Alachua County Sports & Event Center in Gainesville. The past three weeks, on the fast 200m track, have seen some early season, outstanding performances, including several Top 10 nationally ranked. This weekend we can expect more fireworks at the Florida HS Challenge. Watch the meet LIVE here on fl.milesplit.com.
Riley Smith leads Jonathan Leon and Graham Myers early in the RADD Sunshine Boy's HS Mile.
Both the Boy's and Girl's Miles will be two of the most anticipated events. In the Boy's Mile, Buchholz Sr. and University of Florida commit, Riley Smith, hopes to go sub 4:10 (4:08.55 converted 1600). Just two weeks ago at the RADD Sunshine Showcase, Smith ran a State leading and US #9, 4:11.84. Smith could pull several others under 4:20, including his teammate, Sr. Evan Fleming. Fleming was 4th at Radd in 4:18.7. In addition to Fleming, Ocala Vanguard's Clayton Knight has a PR of 4:19.27. Another of Smith's teammates, Jr. Gino Palazzola has run 4:20.1. Bolle's has two runners entered: Sr. Miles Rivera, (4:21) and Jr. Parker Adams (4:21). Sr. Andrew Marello of Wolfson, who was 7th at RADD in 4:22.19 is also in the group seeking to go sub-4:20.
Scheduled to run in the Girl's Mile and 800 are So. Eliana Black of IMG and Sr. Madeleine Gear of Foundation Christian Academy. Black ran a 5:03.96 at the VA Showcase, but has run 4:54.60 outdoors. She was the 2022 1A 1600m Champion and the 2022 1A State XC Champion. She has a 2:10.78 outdoor PR in the 800. Gear won the 1000 last weekend at the Legends of Alachua County Meet in 2:53.27. A FL #1 and US #11. Gear ran a 5:03.49 in winning the Arkansas HS Invitational several weeks ago. Last Spring in the Florida 1A State Championships, the two went head to head with Gear taking the win in 4:49.68. Black was 2nd in 4:49.73.
The Boy's 3000 features Sr. Jonathon Leon of Hagerty who is also
headed to the University of Florida. He was
the runner-up in the 4A State XC championships in 15:07, just behind Riley Smith, who ran 15:05.50. Leon has run 8:33.29 in the 3000.
In the Boy's sprints, IMG Sr. Caine Stanley will showcase his speed in the 60 and the 200. Stanley won the 300 at the VA Showcase in 33.33. His 33.33 is US #3. In the 60 his 6.78 leads a field of 9 under 7.0. His 21.11 (outdoors) heads a 200 field with 4 under 22, including Tristen Washington of Oviedo HS. Washington has the Fl #1 time of 6.91 in the 60 that he ran in winning the VA Showcase. His 22.01 indoor time from the VA Showcase is a FL #2. The State leading time of 21.61 was run by Montverde Sr. and Tennessee commit, Jayvian Greene, two weekends ago at the RADD Sunshine Invitational.
Greene is running in the 400 this weekend where he leads a field of four sub-49 runners. Greene ran 47.70 last weekend in the Legends of Alachua County Meet. It is currently a US #6 time.
In the 60mH, Jr. Jabari Armstrong, of George Steinbrenner is scheduled to run. He was last weeks winner in the 60mH. His 7.98 is the State leading time.
The Montverde and IMG Elite girls are the ones to watch in the Girl's sprints, including the 60mH. In the 60mH, Montverde's Michelle Smith, a Unv. of Georgia Commit (8.72) and IMG's Sydney Harris, 3rd at NB National Indoors last year in 8.74, will go head to head. Smith is last years NB National Outdoor 400mH champion, running 58.28.
Watch for Montverde's Adaejah Hodge in the 60 and the 200. She is a Unv. of Georgia commit and her 7.24 is US #2 in the 60. We will see her for the first time this year in the 200, where she has run 22.33 in winning the NB Nationals Indoor last year. In the 200, she will be challenged by Unv. of Iowa commit, Alivia Williams (23.70).
In the 400, watch for the Montverde girls to show their 400m depth. They hold the top 6 rankings this indoor season in Fl. This weekend, Alivia Williams who has a US #6 time of 54.30 (Fl #1) will go head to head with Michelle Smith (54.61 US #9, FL #3) and So. Skyler Franklin (54.75 US #11, Fl #4).
In the Weight Events, Benjamin School Sr., Jackson Hamilton, leads the State in the Weight Throw with a 19.37 (63-06.50) and is 4th with a 15.04 (49.04) in the Shot Put. He is the current 1A State Champion in both the Discuss 51.23 (168-01) and the Shot Put 15.71 (51-06.50). the event
Fl.Milesplit.com will be Live Streaming both the Florida HS Challenge and next weeks Florida HS / MS Indoor Championships.