GIRLS WINNER: Daesha Rogers - 7th Grader @ Plantation American Heritage
Daesha Rogers has been running under the direction of her father Dave since she was five years old. Seven years later the American Heritage seventh grader is still running and ranks amongst the top nationwide regardless of age. Coach Mike Rumph was surprised at the youngsters’ gift at first, but after a year of coaching her, nothing surprises him anymore.
“She’s a phenomenal athlete and I don’t use the word phenom very often. I have 40 some great athletes on my track team. She’s probably the best and she is only twelve years old.”
Rogers finished third at last year’s 2A State Finals in the 800 and 1600 as a sixth grader. She followed that up with a runner-up at the FHSAA Cross country Finals to kick off the school year. Now, Rogers is looking for her a state championship and is well on her way. She is undefeated in every race she has run this year including an incredible double at the Pepsi Florida Relays where she kicked off the event with a 2:09.12 in the 800 and anchored the teams record setting 4x800 relay. Rumph says her 800 was the best he has seen from her all year.
“Obviously the time shows that, but what actually happened is that she was pushed pretty hard from the beginning by Tanisha Coppin from Boyd Anderson. At about 500 meters Coppin passed her which was unlikely and I’d never seen that all year. The thing that impressed me was that Daesha stayed relaxed even though she was behind and kicked the last 150 to 200 meters and passed her. I think that push was what got Daesha from a 2:11 to a 2:09 .”
Roger’s time of 2:09.12 was #1 in Florida, #4 all-time in the state, and #2 nationally for 2012. She told Coach Rumph afterwards that she felt like it was pretty easy and had more in her. So what does the American Heritage star do for an encore? She anchors the 4x800 meter relay team to a time of 9:13.77 which is the best in the state, fourth in the nation for 2012, and #5 all-time in Florida. Rumph knows when his squad has a lead leading into the final exchange with Rogers, they are in pretty good shape.
“She’s been our backbone in that run and I have two excellent first and second legs and a good third leg. They went 2:16, 2:16, 2:29, and then Daesha ran a 2:11. Our game plan is to get the baton in Daesha’s hands. The girls all ran excellent and it’s an excellent relay team, but we know if we can get the baton in her hand and be in the top three spots, she has an excellent chance to win the race.”
Rumph doesn’t see Rogers slowing down anytime soon. He notes the athletic genes that run in her family, hard work, dedication and the way she takes great care of her body as reasons the future is bright for the Rogers. His praise for the seventh grader is high and well deserving.
“She has a tremendous respect for track and field and she has a tremendous competitive nature about her. I think she knows how hard she works for things and that you have to be relaxed to push yourself hard. She has all that inside of her and that is why she runs so relaxed. They say the good ones make things look easy and that is typical of her. That’s what greatness is about.”
Luckily for track and field fans across the state, greatness will be on display for many years to come. The first stop for Rogers is achieving an individual state title. Coach Rumph and Rogers have similar goals; to get faster and stay healthy in the process.
“I always tell them what happens in previous meets in the season doesn’t count anymore. We have three more weeks in the season and I predict her to get faster in districts, regionals, and state. I’d like her to run her overall best time of the season on April 28th at the state track meet.”
BOYS WINNER: Levonte Whitfield - Junior @ Jones
10.9. That was the first clock reading the Jones’ coaching staff saw on Levonte Whitfield. When “Kermit” stepped onto the track as a freshman he was already running eye opening times. After winning the 2A state championship in the 100 meters as a sophomore, Whitfield went onto win the Golden South Classic and was invited to the prestigious Dream 100. Now in his junior year, the Jones standout is continuing his success running in national meets and competing against top level competition. Coach Fred Ray says those events like the Brooks PR Invitational where Whitfield won the 60 meter dash have helped him grow as an athlete.
“I think that was one of the biggest things was him going out to Seattle and winning the 60. It propelled him with a lot more confidence going into the season and being on the national level. He went to North Carolina where he finished third in 100 to be an All-American last year. I think he is ready to get on that stage and he’s been running against these national ranked guys and that has kept him to be all business on the track and handle that business.
The junior was looking forward to racing his cousin Marvin Bracy and a star studded 100 meter field at the UF Pepsi Relays. It is one of the meets Whitfield had circled on his calendar all year long. Coach Ray says he always knew his pupil had a special gift, but was surprised when he ran a wind aided time of 10.21.
“I always knew Kermit was special, but the difference is you never know how special until he runs something like that and you think oh my gosh. This young man has put it together. I knew he ran 10.3 last year and I was hoping he’d repeat that and drop his times a little. I didn’t expect at this time of year and at this moment he’d run 10.21, but I should have because of the way he practices. He has a different focus than most and it’s infectious with others.”
Whitfield’s time currently ranks (all-conditions) as the second best in the state behind Bracy, third nationally, and sixth all-time in the state of Florida. Jones Sprint coach “Z” Walden viewed the race over 20 times and broke down the race for the junior. Ray says Walden told Whitfield it was a race that looked great from start to finish.
“His sprint coach told him he did everything that looked great and that it was probably the first race he put everything together since he ran 10.31 at Golden South last year. His start, drive phase, and the way he finished all were solid. Coach Walden told him he was very proud of him. I think it’s scary because there is lot of room for improvement. Kermit gets it right he drops great times like that I think he’s got it going.”
The Tigers' postseason starts this week with district competition. It’s also the beginning of the road where all the hard work Whitfield has accomplished in the past two months will culminate. Coach Ray says the two have talked and his role will be to more of a manager the next couple of rounds en route to the end goal of defending a state championship in the 100 meters and grab one in the 200 as well.
“The sky is the limit for him so there is no telling where he will finish. There is no real time go. Everything with us is a progression. We coach one philosophy and that is to drop times and get personal bests at meets. He wants to run 10.1, 10 flat, those are in his goals, but for me I just want him to run well and injury free.”