Girl's Spotlight
100m
In the girl's 100m, Mackenzie
Travis makes her outdoor debut. The South Carolina commit was the 2022 1A
State champion in the 100 (11.71). She ran an 11.39 last season but
missed the State meet with an injury. She has come back strong placing
2nd in the Milrose Games with a 7.26 in the 60. At the 55m mark, she was
just ahead of the winner Adaeja Hodge of Montverde Academy. Her time is
US #3. Four other girls come in with sub-12 times:
Sr. Kayla Hopkins Dunbar
11.73 FL#8 60m 7.69, 3rd in 3A 100m (11.79)
Sr. Jasmine Hornes Palmetto
11.92
Jr. Patchnalie
Compere Northeast (OP) 11.97
Sr. Tyler Lowe IMG 11.99
1600m
IMG So., Eliana Black, was the
State leader in 2023 with a 4:48.83. She was the 2022 1A State XC Champion
(17:55.1) and was the 1A State runner-up in both the 1600 (4:49.73) and 800
(2:19.23) in 2023. Indoors this season she won the Mile in the Florida HS
challenge with a 5:03.82. Black should be challenged by Lehigh Sr.,
Gianna Del Pizzo. Del Pizzo was 4th in the 4A 1600 last spring with a
5:05.08 but was the Florida HS Indoor Champion in the Mile with a 5:00.17
(4:58.43 converted 1600). Del Pizzo also went sub-5 in the Mile earlier
in the indoors, running a 4:59.78 mile. (4:58.04 1600 converted). We may
see our first girl's sub-5 1600 of the season.
4x100m Relay
The girl's 4x100m Relay features
the State #2 ranked Dunbar. Dunbar ran 48.26 last weekend at Louie Bing,
finishing 2nd. Other teams to watch, in a race that can come down to
exchanges, are Naples (48.87), Gulf Coast(49.84), and North Fort Myers (49.11).
Long Jump
The girl's Long Jump features last
year's #3, #5, and #11 ranked jumpers. #3, Sr. Shamoya Clemetson of Barron
Collier (5.96), #5, Sr. Sanaa Geter of Lehigh (5.90), and #11, Sr.
Genesis Surlin of Naples (5.84).
Discus
In the girl's discus, the
spotlight is on two of the State's best and an early season showdown between
last year's 4A State Discus champion, Sr. Lydia Kentis of Barbara Goleman, and
the 3A State Discus champion, Jr. Julian Lemmon of Fort Myers. Kentis was
Fl #2 in 2023 with a throw of 45.9m. Lemmon was FL #3 with a throw of
45.11m.
Boy's Spotlight
3200m
Three boys come in with times
under in Florida 9:20. Joseph Ruiz of Belen comes in with a
9:10.89. He was ranked FL #10 last year. He was for in the 3A State
XC Meet and part of the Belen team that arguably was one of the best ever in
Florida. Belen Fr. Marcelo Mantecon has an impressive resume as a
Freshman. His 9:14.38 was run as an 8th grader. He was 2nd in the
3A State in XC with a 15:09.90. He was the Florida MS State Champion in
2023 in the 1500, the 800, and the 3000. He followed that performance up
with a 3rd in the 3200 in the 3A State Championships (9:17.03). Gulf Coast Sr.
William Montanye was 5th in the 4A State 3200m last spring but has one sub-4:20
already this year with a 4:18.68 win indoors in the Mile at the Jimmy Carnes
Invitational.
110mH
Two boys come in with times under
15.00. IMG Sr. Jason Ravelo is the 2024 Florida HS Indoor Champion in the
60mH with an 8.00. He has a PR of 7.97. Outdoors last year he ran a
14.21. He is the FL #3 ranked returner in the 110mH. Thiago Lopes
of Fort Myers is the FL #10 returner. The Sr. ran a 14.60w last
spring.
100m
IMG Sr. Denver Tucker.
Tucker is an experienced runner from Bermuda. He has a 10.68w PR in the 100 and
a 21.61w in the 200. Indoors this year he has 6.96 in the 60 and
21.93 in the 200. Tucker's closet challenge may come from Dunbar Sr.
Dandre Morrison. Last year Morrison was at Ida Baker and had a shortened
season that included a 21.53w PR in the 200. In 2022, he ran a PR of
10.73w 100m. Others to watch for are Fr. Samuel Compere of Northeast
(OP) (10.86), Fr. Jy German of Fort Myers (10.92), and Northeast (OP) So.
Oshane Parke (10.98).
1600m
This should be a good one.
It's not often we see a freshman with talent like Marcelo Mantecon. His 4:14.36
last week in the Belen Pre-Season Meet is not only the number one time in the
State at the moment but is the FL #2 All Time 1600m by a Freshman.
Nease's Rheinhardt Harrison ran a 4:12.59 in 2022. Two others have run
sub-4:20 Gulf Coast's William Montanye (4:17.82) and Mantecon's teammate, Sr.
Joshua Ruiz (4:17.93). Montanye ran a 4:18.68 Mile (4:17.18
converted) indoors in 2024 in winning the Jimmy Carnes Invitational. Ruiz
was 3rd last weekend in the Belen meet with a 4:22.40. Two others, who
have run sub-4:25, will be hoping to go an early season sub-4:20. Fort
Myers Sr. Joseph Koraya comes in with a 4:21.40 and Naples Sr. Hector Toro a
4:23.80.
4x100m Relay
Watch for the Dunbar squad
of Eric Fletcher, Chris Singleton, Dandre
Morrison, and Kelby Tyre to challenge IMG (Avian
Edwards-Pla, Denver Tucker, Ty Mathes, and Caine Stanley). Dunbar
has run a 41.20. IMG a 41.50. It may come down to who runs for IMG
or just how they load the team. Sr, Caine Stanley of IMG, a Unv. of Miami
commit, is ranked US #2 indoors in the 200 (21.04) and won the 300m in the
Milrose Games in 32.85. The 4x100 is an outdoor event but the IMG boys have a
US #3 1:26.28 4x200m this indoor season.
800m
A sub-1:55.00 may be needed to win
this. Seven in the final Section have run sub-2:00. Less than 3
seconds separates the seven. dunbar Sr. Joshua Dorestin has the fastest seed
time of 1:57.38. Sr. Charles Carreno of Belen 1:58.75, Jr. Marco Prieguez of
Belen 1:59.06, So. Prince Valbrin Northeast (OP) 1:59.12, Jr. Jyden White of
Dunbar 1:59.27, Jr. Becket Walker of Gulf Coast 1:59.40, and Jr. Jack Gifford
of Southwest Florida Christian 1:59.40.
400m
Sr. Caine Stanley of IMG leads a
400m final section with a 47.11. Four other will be looking to go sub-50
for the first time. Belen So. Carlos Rodriguez-Novoa (50.02),
Palmetto Sr. Nathaniel Gates (50.19), North Fort Myers Jr. Byron Flemming
(50.27), and Naples Sr. Isaiah Bryant (50.97).
200m
The final section of the 200m
features six runners under 22.00 that are separated by just .96 seconds.
With IMG's Caine Stanley opting to run the 400, this one will be fast and
close. You call it!
Jr. Avian Edwards-Pla of IMG
(21.01)
Jr. Dylan Woodruffe of IMG (21.03)
Sr. Denver Tucker of IMG (21.11)
Sr. Eric Fletcher of Dunbar
(21.69)
Sr. Dandre Morrison of Dunbar
(21.69)
Jr. Dorian Mallary Jr of Lehigh
(21.96)
Pole Vault
Sr. Luther Mogelvang of Naples
is FL#2 ranked for all 2023 returners. He is the 2023 3A State Champion
and has 4.65m 15-03.00 PR.
Long Jump
Scheduled to jump are three IMG
boys, led by Sr. Ty Mathes who has jumped 7.10m (23-03.50). Sr. Nolyn
Johnson III has gone 6.90 (22-07.75) and Sr. Chase Lathrop has jumped
6.55(22-05.75). Joining the IMG trio is First Baptist Jr. Andrew Azunque.
Azunque has jumped 6.89 (22-07.25) and is the 2023 1A State High Jump Champion
with a PR jump of 1.92 (6-03.50).
