Marisa Mantecon of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy won the 1500m at the FLYRA Middle School State Track and Field Championship in 2025 with a 4:49.31. She is ranked No. 4 in the state as a freshman in the 800m with a 2:09.18 and is just one of the freshmen boys and girls who are having an impact at the state level this spring.
Photo Credit: Danny Aguas
Florida's freshman class is already making noise on a statewide level-and if rankings are any indication as we head into postseason, the Class of 2029 has some exceptional talent. A scan of the Top 20 All-Division rankings reveals a clear developmental trend that has been well acknowledged in track & field: girls are impacting the leaderboard more broadly across events at younger ages, while boys show flashes of their potential and what one might expect as they physically mature.
Here's a breakdown of the top freshman standouts across Florida. They are our Future Stars.
20 Impactful Florida Freshmen at the State Level
Freshman Girls
100m (15th, 11.68)
200m (16th, 24.13)
Long Jump (5th, 5.92m)
Triple Jump (3rd, 12.63m)
Also in the 100m, Keviana Dickenson (Dillard) cracked the Top 20 at 11.73, with a Louie Bing Invitational win.
Another top headline performance belongs to Rellniyah Jones (Dillard), who currently sits #11 in the state in the 400m (55.13).
Another standout in the 400m is Jada Hawkins (Spruce Creek), who has run 55.68 (18th).
In distance running, the freshman girls are the most impressive, with standout performances across the 800, 1600, and 3200m.
In the field events, unlike the sprint and distance events, there is greater parity between the number of freshmen boys and girls in these skill and strength events. The jumps, especially long and triple, highlight how early-developing speed translates into early success for freshman girls and continual improvement as the techniques are developed. The Pole Vault is an exception where the top girls get involved young and continue to develop their speed, strength, and technique throughout their careers.
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High Jump:
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Triple Jump:
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Pole Vault:
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Javelin:
Freshman Boys
While fewer freshman boys have cracked the Top 20, the ones who have are posting marks that hint at the potential ahead. Only three young men have crept into the Top 20 All-Division rankings.
Kylen Monk (Largo) leads the way with a 21.23 (8th) in the 200m, and is one of the most impressive freshmen in the state. He has already demonstrated speed and strength, along with his No. 8 ranking in the 200m, and he has the fastest freshman boys times in the state in the 400m (48.21).
Michael McKenzie II (St. Thomas Aquinas) sits at 15th in the 110mH (14.39). To go along with his state-leading freshman mark in the hurdles, he sits atop the freshman leadeboard inthe 400mH with a fast 57.78.
In the Triple Jump, Kevin Carter Jr. (Stranahan) ranks 13th (14.25m) after a Fort Lauderdale City Championship win. He also has impressive marks in the 400m 53.68, 110mH 16.54, 400mH 1:01.58, High Jump 1.72m, and the Long Jump 5.09m.
