Eccles, a junior at Pensacola HS, representing Golden Elite Track, cleared 2.05 meters (6-8.75) to take the title. He headlined another strong day for Florida athletes that also featured a runner-up hurdle finish from Christian Florence, a runner-up javelin performance from Harmoni Mason, and three Florida sprinters advancing through the 100-meter semifinals to Saturday's finals.
Khylen Eccles, however, delivered Florida's biggest performance of the day.
The 17-year-old Golden Elite Track athlete cleared 2.05m (6-8.75) to win the 17-18 boys high jump national championship. Eccles' victory gave Florida a national title on a Thursday filled with top-ten performances.
The Westchase Cheetahs had a strong showing in the boys hurdle finals, led by Christian Florence in the 11-year-old 80-meter hurdles. Florence clocked a PR of 12.42 into a 1.5 m/s headwind to finish second. Teammate Khai Hodges also earned a top-ten finish, taking seventh in 13.56.
In the 12-year-old boys' 80-meter hurdles, another Westchase Cheetahs athlete reached the podium as Octavion Lillie finished seventh in 12.53 while running into a 0.7 m/s headwind.
Florida will have three athletes to watch when the 100-meter finals arrive Saturday.
Kenneth Crawford Jr. of South Dade Express Track Club secured an automatic qualifying position in the 10-year-old boys semifinals, running 13.32 into a 0.5 m/s headwind to finish fifth overall.
On the girls' side, London Lee of Run It Sports ran a PR 12.76 in the 11-year-old semifinals. Lee finished fourth overall and earned an automatic spot in Saturday's championship race.
In the 17-18 women's division, FSG (Five Star General Athletics) Malikah Mais advanced on time after clocking 11.92 into a 1.4 m/s headwind. Her performance ranked eighth among the semifinalists, securing the final qualifying position.
Florida athletes stood out in the girls' javelin competitions.
Harmoni Mason of 813 Elite Track and Field came within one spot of a national championship in the 15-16 girls 600-gram javelin, throwing 35.85m (117-7) to finish second.
Fort Lauderdale Elite's Cariyah Kelly added another podium performance in the 14-year-old girls' javelin. Kelly threw a PR 32.00m (105-0) to take third.
Mason's 813 Elite teammate Torrie Mason placed eighth in the 12-year-old girls turbo javelin with a throw of 23.03m (75-6).
Trinity Shields of Velocity Elite Track Club also earned a top-ten finish, taking seventh in the 9-year-old girls turbo javelin with a throw of 15.81m (51-10).
Florida's youngest distance runners delivered three impressive performances in the 1,500-meter finals.
Velocity Elite Track Club's Alita Page, just 7 years old, finished third nationally in the 8-and-under girls 1,500m with a time of 5:43.28.
Boca Warriors Track Club's Brody Milek followed with another podium finish in the 9-year-old boys' race. Milek ran a PR 5:05.78 to finish second.
Miami PAL's Maximus Morin added a seventh-place finish in the 10-year-old boys 1,500m, finishing in 5:07.43.
