2024 FHSAA 1A Boys And Girls State Meet Preview

Mark Stonecipher

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Boys Team Race

It's hard to differ from the results of the virtual meet when it comes to the 1A Boy's Team Title. The Benjamin School is led by Sr. Jackson Hamilton one of the State's premier throwers.   He is the defending State Champion in the Shot Put with a toss of 15.71 and the defending State Champion in the discus with a throw of 51.23m. In addition to Hamilton, they have two of the States' top Pole Vaulters in the #1 1A Vaulter Robert Letsche who has gone 4.8 (15-9) and #5 Micah Griffith over at 4.2m (13-09.25).  In the 400mH, Julian Luiz is the favorite to win, as well as to place in the 110mH and the LJ.

The closest challenger is the boys from Indian Rocks Christian.  In the virtual meet, they are only 8 points back of Benjamin.  Indian Rocks has two outstanding distance runners in Aidan Griffin and Blake Young.  Both are in the 1600 and the 3200 with the 3200 being their best events.  Both will have to step up.  It may come down to the final event however, where the Benjamin School is ranked ahead of Indian Rocks in the 4x400m Relay in the 1A State Rankings.  Coming out of Regionals, Indian Rocks won their Regional with a 3:27.76 but is ranked 2nd to the Benjamin who has run 3:21.90.  


Boys Top Athletes to Watch

SPRINTS

In the 110mH three boys come in with seed times under 15.00.  So. Camryn McRoy of Holy Trinity (14.90),  Sr. Tyson Waters of Chaminade-Madonna (14.51), and Sr. Joshua Demosthenes of Orlando Christian Prep (14.90).   Demosthenes is 1A #1, Waters is 1A #2 and McRoy is 1A #5.  Joining them in heat 2 is #3 ranked Sr. Arkylless Acevedo of Moore Haven. This should be a very competitive race.  It will come down to who gets out fast and is the cleanest over the hurdles.  

In the 100m, expect the 1A ranked #'s 1, 2, 3, 4 ranked boys to go head to head in Heat 2.  So. Christopher Bronaugh of Foundation Academy was 3rd last year and comes in with a 10.38 leading time.  He is the only boy under 10.50 and is ranked #5 All Divisions.  Jr. Darius Smith of Chaminade-Madonna  comes in with a 10.64, Jr. Justin Woulard of Melbourne Central Catholic with a 10.68, Fr. Jacob Thomas of Chaminade-Madonna with a 10.71 and Sr. Jaden Mackey with a 10.71.  Baring any miscues and getting out of the block fast and this should be Bronaugh's to win. 

Woulard, Smith, Mackey, and Bronaugh will get after it again in Heat 2 of the Boy's 200m.  Bronaugh has the fastest seed of 21.14.  Bronaugh is the only one under 21.30 with a 1A State leading 21.14.  Bronaugh should get the 100-200 double.

 In the 400m, just .23 seconds separate the #1 & 2 ranked boys in the State in the 400.  Jupiter Christian So. Joe Licata has the fastest seed time of 48.93.  Jr. Michael Winfield of the Benjamin School has a seed time of 50.30.  However, Winfield has the 1A #1 ranking with a 48.70. The other sub-50 ranked boys are Dakota Brower of Oak Hall (49.08), and Anthony Wright of Hamilton County  (49.84).  This should be a close one.  Will a sub-48 win it?

 The 400mH gets faster every year. Sr. Joshua Luiz of the Benjamin School was on the podium last year in the 400mH with a 5th place 57.22.  He has run 55.01 this season.  His So. brother, Julian Luiz is faster.  He has gone 54.88.  Will the Luiz brothers go 1-2 or will Chaminade-Madonna Sr. Tyson Waters and Sr. Arkylless Acevedo of Moore Haven take the win.  Waters has run 54.92 and Acevedo 56.56.  


DISTANCE RACES 

Of the 18 qualifiers in the 800m, 13 are under 2:00.  Only three are under 1:56.00. Two return from last year's State finals.    Trinity Catholic Sr. Cedric McFadden was 2nd last year in 1:56.21.  Cambridge Christian Jr. Kai Martin was 3rd in 1:57.00.  Martin is the1 A #1 ranked runner with a 1:53.70.  McFadden is the #2 ranked runner with a 1:54.21.  Add foundation Academy Sr. Tyler Cannon the 3rd boy under 1:56 to the mix.  Cannon is ranked 1A #5 a 1:55.28.  The winner should come from this trio with Martin getting my nod.

The 1600m  and the 3200m the favorite is  Palmer Trinity Jr. Henry Stark'.  Stark is the only one under 4:20 with a 1A State leading 4:18.02.  Stark did not run in the 3200 at State last year.  This year however he has run 9:15.22. Two others who may challenge Stark are So. Mark Meister of Cambridge Christian who has run  9:20.77 and Indian Rocks Jr. Blake Young. Young has run 9:21.91.  Stark, Meister and Young are all scheduled to run in the 1600 and the 3200 may be a question of who has the freshest legs after they battle in the 1600.  Based upon PR's alone, Stark should pull off the 1600-3200 double.


FIELDS EVENTS 
In the boy's Pole Vault throw away the seed heights from Regionals.  The defending State Champion returns to defend his title.  Sr. Therron Percival of Pensacola Christian Academy won last year with a vault of 13-09.25 and has gone 4.55 (14.11.25) this season and is 1A #2.  Jr. Jack Demo of The Geneva School was 2nd last year with a 13-03.50.  He has gone 4.27 (14.00) this season.  Sr. Robert Letsche was third last year with a 12-09.50 and is ranked 1A #1 this year with a 4.80m (15-09.00) vault.  Jr. James Bernatek of the South Florida heat returns.  He was 6th last year and is ranked #3 with a 4.35 (14-03.25).  Geneva School Sr. Campbell Hendrix  has gone 4.05 (13-03.50) this season.  Those are the qualifiers who have gone over 4.0m (13-01.50).  A very competitive field and it will come down to who is on next Wednesday.  

Ten jumpers qualified at Regionals in the High Jump with jumps of 1.82 (5-11.50).  Six at 1.87m (6-01.50). Fr. Samuel Enamorado is the sole jumper from Regionals over 1.90 with a 1.95m (6-04.75) jump. He is ranked 1A #3.  1A #1 is Jr. Tanner Schick of Mount Dora Christian Academy.  Shick has gone 2m this season (6-06.75).   Also in the field is Jr. Dwayne Wimbley of Westminster Academy who was 4th last year with a jump of 6-01.50.  He went 1.87m (6-02.50) at Regionals.  If Shick is on, he should take his first State championship, but don't rule the Fr. Enamorado out.  

In the Long Jump, two boys come in with jumps over 23'.  Fr. Candler Johnson of Bradenton Christian is 1A #3 with a jump of 7.06 (23-02.00) and Jr. Justin Woulard of Melbourne Central Catholic is ranked #1 with a leap of 7.35 (24-01.50).  Woulard is the defending 1A State Champion and should repeat this year.

In Flight 2 of the Triple Jump, seven of the nine are returners from last year's State Meet.  It should be a very competitive final.

1st Jr. Ahmad Crumity of Shorecrest Prep 44-08.25
3rd Jr. Andrew Azungue of First Baptist Academy 44-03.50
5th So. Seth Fitchett of Indian Rocks 44-00.75
9th Jr. Justin Woulard of Melbourne Central Catholic 43-08.50
10th  Sr. Jae Spellman of Faith Christian Academy 43-06.00
13th Jr. Atreyu Bryant of Liberty County 41-07.75
14th Jr. CJ Hall of Hilliard 41-06.50

Here is how they are ranked in 1A this season:
1   14.62m Jae Spellman of Faith Christian Academy
2   14.5m Andrew Azungue of First Baptist Academy
4   14.04m Justin Woulard of Melbourne Central Catholic 
5   13.87m Seth Fitchett of Indian Rocks Christian
8   13.67m 0.5 Ahmad Crumity of Shorecrest Prep
11 13.35m Atreyu Bryant of Liberty County
12 13.24m CJ Hall of Hilliard HS

Jackson Hamilton is one of the State's premier throwers.   He is the defending State Champion in the Shot Put and the defending State Champion in the Discus.  He is ranked FL #3 All Divisions in the Shot Put with a toss of 17.59 (57-08.50).  Hamilton is ranked #3 All Divisions in the Discuss with a throw of 55.14 (177-07.50). In the Discus he should be challenged by Indian Rocks Fr. Anthony Cavallaro-Howard.  Cavallaro-Howard is ranked #4 All Divisions with a throw of 54.10 (177-06.00).

In the Javelin, three boys come in with throws over 170.  They are ranked 1A #1-3.  Jr. Judson Nichols of Wildwood has thrown 58.72 (192-07.75), Sr. Lucky Baldwin of North Florida Christian has thrown 53.12 (174-03.25) and Wewahitchka So. Bailey Cox has thrown 52.12 (171-00.00).  Nichols was 4th last year, Baldwin 7th and Cox 11th.  If Nichols is on, he should take the title.

RELAYS


4x800

Three teams come out of Regionals with seed times under 8:05,  Oak Hall (8:04.74), Westminster Academy (8:03.86) and Holy Trinity (8:03.37).  All three teams ran their seed times in their Regionals. Their Regional times ranked them 1A #2, 3 and 4.  Watch out however for Cambridge Christian. They come in with a seed time of  8:07.11, but they are on top of the 1A rankings with a 7:54.16.  Cambridge is the defending champion and should repeat.

4x100

In the 4x100 so much depends upon the exchanges and anything can happen. Just .79 seconds separates the 5 teams with seed times under 43.00  in Heat 2. The defending 1A State Champion is the Foundation Academy.  They won in 41.45 last year and lead the 1A rankings this year with a 41.80.  They have the fastest seed time of 42.00.   Chaminade-Madonna is ranked 1A #2 with a 41.95 and has the #2 seed time of 42.09.  Jefferson County comes in with a time of 42.68, Blountstown 42.78 and Pahokee 42.79.

4x400
Indian Rocks was 2nd last year and the Benjamin School 3rd.  They will go at it again this year.  In the 1A rankings, the Benjamin School is ranked #1 with a 3:21.90 and Indian Rocks #2 with a 3:23.76.  According to the seed times from Regionals, only three teams come into the Finals with seed times at 3:25 or better.  Indian Rocks is in with a 3:23.76, Southwest Florida Christian with a 3:24.33, and the Benjamin School with a 3:25.14.  Southwest Florida Christian is the #3 1A-ranked team.  It should be an interesting way to finish the State meet and a Team title for Benjamin may be on the line.