The Ellis Elite 16 Invitational delivered one of the fastest early-season sprint showcases in Florida, highlighted by a breakout performance from Cardinal Newman senior Zamarii Sanders, who stamped himself as one of the nation's premier sprinters.
Sanders, ranked U.S. No. 3, electrified the meet with a dominant sprint double, headlining a deep boys 100-meter final that featured seven athletes under 10.50 seconds.
Sanders Leads Blazing 100m Field
Sanders opened his day with a statement victory in the 100 meters, clocking 10.08 (+1.5) to move to Florida No. 1 and U.S. No. 3 this season. The Cardinal Newman senior separated himself winning a race that produced several of the fastest marks in the state this spring.
Rickards junior Davion Crumitie followed with 10.22, good for Florida No. 2, while American Heritage senior Braylen Bennett ran 10.33 for Florida No. 3.
Raines senior Owen Kaye crossed in 10.36 (Florida No. 4), with Columbus senior Alec Cruz running 10.43 (T-No. 6) and St. Thomas Aquinas junior Tyler Reid finishing in 10.48.
The race's depth underscored the meet's elite billing, as seven competitors dipped under 10.50.
Sanders Completes Sprint Double
Sanders returned later in the meet to dominate the 200 meters, posting 20.46 (+0.5) to secure another victory and move ahead of David Crumitie to Florida No. 1 in the event.
Bennett finished runner-up again in 20.65, while Crumitie placed third in 20.66.
Cardinal Newman's Distance Strength
Sanders wasn't the only standout from Cardinal Newman. Senior Joe Licata delivered a strong run in the 800 meters, clocking 1:52.74, which ranks Florida No. 2 this season.
State-Leading Marks Across the Meet
Several other athletes produced Florida No. 1 performances across the Ellis Elite 16.
Rickards junior Jeremy Mango surged to the top of the state list in the 110-meter hurdles, winning in 13.92 (+1.8).
Miramar senior Ka'Nard Boucard ran 47.76 to claim Florida No. 1 in the 400 meters, while Niceville junior Charlie Perkins launched a huge 18.55m (60-10.25) throw to move to Florida No. 1 in the shot put.
In the field events, Park Vista junior Jeremiah Lysius cleared 2.07m (6-9.5) in the high jump, also topping the Florida leaderboard.
Flanagan Relay Squad Shines
The Flanagan boys continued their impressive relay campaign.
Their 4x100 team of Raymond Hawkins, Allan Harris, Ronald Daniels, and Jacob Thomas won in 40.37, just off their current Florida-leading 40.13.
Flanagan also impressed in the 4x800 relay, where Malcolm Spence IV, Jeremiah Holassie, Brayden Hall, and Ashton Mitchell combined for 8:00.20, good for Florida No. 2.
Girls Highlights
On the girls' side, Dillard senior Ariyanna Griggs swept the short sprints, running 11.56 (+3.2) in the 100 and 23.81 (+1.5) in the 200, both ranking Florida No. 3.
The 100-meter hurdles featured a tight three-way battle led by Miami Northwestern senior Janeya Jones, who ran 14.04 to move to Florida No. 1. She was followed closely by Dillard junior Alexis Sutton (14.05) and Pompano Beach senior Idorenyin Essiet (14.07).
Miami Northwestern's 4x400 relay squad of Antionna Ford, Danariah Hall, Arihonna Starks, and Ennge Dugue clocked 3:49.36, ranking Florida No. 2.
In the field events, St. Thomas Aquinas senior Jasmin Morgan threw 45.62m (149-8) for Florida No. 2 in the discus, while teammate Gabrielle Pridgen jumped 11.92m (39-1.25) in the triple jump, also Florida No. 2.
