Sydney Johnson leading Lainee Mercer early in the MS Girl's 3000
Jackson Hamilton, a Sr. at the Benjamin School, came in as the favorite in the Weight Throw and the Shot Put. He started the afternoon off with two of the best performances of the day's Field events. In the Weight throw, Jackson threw 20.24 (68.00.50). A US #11 and a FL All Time #3. He also came out on top in the Shot Put with a put of 16.21 (53.02.25).
Another highlight was was a jump of 5.81 (19.00.75) in the Girl's Long Jump by So. Kalia Bing of the St. Matthews Catholic School. Her performance tied her for FL #3. Interview with Kalia
The day's running events started off with the 3000m. Maclay So. Caroline Couch won the HS Girl's 3000 with a FL#5, 10:08.79. Palmer Trinity Sr. Henry Stark won the boy's race running a FL#2, 8:32.87. Sr. Clayton Knight of Ocala Vanguard was 2nd in a FL#3, 8:39.95. The afternoon however, belonged to the MS girl's and boy's in the 3,000. 8th grader, Sydney Johnson, running unattached, won the MS Girl's 3000 in a MS MS#1, 9:57.72. The younger sister, of Creekside's Alyson Johnson, Sydney's time was also a US MS #2 All Time. Johnson's time also was an All Grades, FL#5 All Time, joining the likes of Caroline Lehman, her sister, Alyson, Ashley Fitzgerald and Mary Ellen Eudaly. Another 8th grader, Lainee Mercer, running for the Hillsborough Harriers, was 2nd in 10:15.32. Mercer's time is a FL MS #3 All Time.
In the MS Boy's 3000, 8th grader, Douglas Seth of Imagine School Town Center, won in 9:33.40. Seth's time is a FL MS #2 All Time, as well as US MS #13 All Time. The Johnson's sister younger brother Dominic was 2nd, going sub 10, with a 9:58.15. Interview with Douglas Seth
Following the 3000's, in the HS Boy's 600m, Mabon Hatchette, a Jr. at Trinity Prep, was the winner in a FL #1, 1:21.33. Hatchette's time is also a new FL #1 All Time. 2nd went to Mason Spearin in 1:21.78 (FL #3). The Wiregrass Ranch Sr.'s time is FL #2 and FL#3 All Time.
In the HS Girl's 200, the Montverde Academy girl's demonstrated the schools depth in the 200m. Fr. Dasia Reed won in a FL #4, 24.21. So. Nakira Hudson was 2nd in 24.86. So. Ellise Dickinson was 3rd in 24.86. The top 3 spots in the FL Rankings are all held by Montverde girl's. Adaejah Hodge (23.47), Skylar Franklin (23.86) and Alivia Williams 23.98).
The HS Boy's 200 was won by Sante Fe So., Ben Hockman. Hockman's 22.06 was a virtual tie with Jr. Avian Edwards-Pla of IMG Elite. It came down to the 1000's with Hockman getting the nod in 22.057 to Edwards-Pla's 22.059.
The MS Girl's and Boy's 200's were also fast. In the Girl's race, Vanessa Waite, an 8th grader running for the Power House Athletics Track Club, won in 24.55. A FL MS #1 and a US MS #4. Destiny Robinson, a 7th grader running for Extreme Performance Athletics, was 2nd in a FL MS #2, 25.09.
The boy's race was won by Javaris Gardner in a FL MS #1, 23.37. Gardner's times is also FL MS #4 All Time. Gardner, an 8th grader, run's for Supreme Performance Athletics.
Dylan Cannella, a Sr. at Boone HS, won the HS Boy's 1000 in a FL #1, 2:33.49. Cannella's time is FL #4 All Time for the Indoor 1000m.
The HS Boy's 400 was an exciting race with Windermere Jr., Jozef Miesak, winning over Sr. Rance Grace of Lincoln HS, by just .07 seconds. Miesak ran 48.88. Grace, 48.95. FL # 2 and 3.
In the MS Girl's 400m, 8th grader, A'Niya Carriera ran a FL MS #1, 57.41. Running for the Tampa Xpress Track Club, Her time is FL MS #2 All Time and a current US MS #7.
The HS Girl's Mile was won, in what one could consider a slight upset, by Lehigh Sr. Gianna Del Pizzo in 5:00.17. Del Pizzo chased Foundation Academy's Madeleine Gear who went out fast and led until the last 180, when Del Pizzo closed fast and took the lead and held on to win. Del Pizzo came in with a PR of 5:59.78 and a #5 Indoor ranking. Gear is the defending 1A State champion in the 1600 with a 4:49.68. In the past two weeks, on the Jimmy Carnes track, she has run US a US #12, 1000 (2:53.27) and a US #10 at the time, 800 (2:12.72 is currently T US #19).
In the HS Boys Mile, Henry Stark, followed his 3000m win, running away with the Mile, to complete his double, in 4:18.84.
The MS Girl's Mile was won by Sydney Johnson in a 5:05.53. Following Johnson in 2nd was Lainee Mercer in 5:19.25.
The MS Boy's Mile was won by Douglas Seth. He completed his 3000, Mile double with a 4:55.50. A MS FL #4 All Time and a 2024, US #8.
In the HS Girl's 60m, Montverde Fr. Dasia Reed won in a 7.59. In a close finish, Reed's time is Fl #5. She was followed by So. Peyton Castell of Life Speed, in 7.81, Cocoa HS Jr., Trinity Parham (7.82) and Jr. Arima Turner of Montverde in 7.83.
Vanessa Waite won the MS Girls 60m, after running 4th in the 400 (61.18), with a 7.62. Her 7.62 is FL MS #1. Destiny Robinson of Supreme Performance Athletics, was 2nd in 7.87. Her time is FL MS #3.