By Ricky Quintana
Last year’s Golden South had a smattering of top performances. This year’s should be no different as some of the best in the nation gather on the speedy Payne Stewart Complex’s MONDO track in Orlando, FL.
Girls Highlights
100m
Frosh Bianca Knight (Ridgeland, MS) was just nipped at the line at last year’s champs by senior Juanita Broaddus( William Penn, Philadelphia, PA). On May 7-8, Knight claimed her 8th individual state titles by posting an impressive 11.56, 23.98, and 55.63 for her new school, Ridgeland and helped them win the Mississippi 4A state team championship.
Local, Lauren Austin(Orlando, Oak Ridge) will provide a challenge after winning the FL state title in the 100m in a personal best of 11.68. She also tripled at state posting marks of 24.20(2nd) and 54.36(1st).
400m dasher, Natasha Hastings(Randolph, NY), and BAYTF winner (11.86) Tianna Fisher(FL Elite) should also complete a solid field.
200m
Junior Britney Wilson(Orlando, Oak Ridge) blasted to the only sub 24 performance of the Florida State meets with her 23.98 to win the 4A state title. UM bound teammate, Lauren Austin(Orlando, Oak Ridge) has improved her speed this season and managed a PR of 24.20; possibly the result of her 5th place finish(145 pound bench/175 pound clean) in 154 pound class at the state weightlifting championships, February 7. 3A FL state champion and sophomore, Galyn Iloka (Rockledge,FL) posted a quick 24.39 into a 1.0m headwind and should be even quicker on the ultra quick Payne Stewart track.
400m
Some young guns, froshes Bianca Knight (Ridgeland, MS) and Devon Williams (Towson Catholic, Baltimore, MD) will challenge USA World Indoor Team member, and University of South Carolina signee, Natasha Hastings(AP Randolph, NY) in the 400m. Hastings posted a best of 52.09 at the USATF Junior Champs in 2003 to finish 3rd.
Bianca Knight’s best is 53.81 set last summer . Wunderkind, Devon Williams ran a national indoor record of 1:11.53 for 500m this past indoor season and as well as a US #1 in the 800m(2:06.48), and a US #2 in the mile, 4:50.76 for the mile. Williams also beat Hastings in setting the 500m record.
This should be an amazing competition.
800m
Arcadia Invite winner and sophomore, Latavia Thomas (West Catholic, PA) posted an outdoor season best of 2:07.21, the US#3 time. Devon Williams’ ran a 2:06.48 indoors;a US#1.
Lavera Morris(Orlando Oak Ridge) ran a FL state meet record setting time of 2:09.90 to win the state championships. She preceeded that with a 5:03.76, 1600m 2nd place finish. The additional rest should help her in her quest to repeat as champion.
5A GA state champion, SW Deklab’s (Powder Springs, GA)Brittany Robbins(2:12.41PR), 1A FL State Champion, soph, Danielle Bradley(King’s Academy), 2A 1600m/3200m FL State Champion, junior Nicole Schappert(Boca Raton, Pope John Paul II), 2:10.89 performer, senior Alondra Cooper( Suncoast, FL), 2:13.54 performer, and Jessica Smith( Harrison, Powder Springs, GA) complete a very deep fast field.
400mH
Nicole Leach( AP Randolph, NY) is the class of the field after setting the Penn relays record and US#11 time of 57.84 on April 22. Two others could also challenge the sub 60-second barrier; Holly Hardy (Anderson, SC) 1:04.35 and Rokesha Williams( Towson Catholic, Batlimor,e MD), 62.
3000m
Jenny Barringer(Oviedo, FL) will tune up for AOC championships with a 3000m effort. Barringer posted a US#2 time, 4:49.01, in the mile on May 22. Her best this season in the 3200m, 10:35.21, a FL state meet record setting time, came after a 4:48.90 FL state meet record time in the 1600m. She should be fresh and she’ll need it to get the national leading 9:27.4 run by Nicole Blood in the NY sectionals last week. Barringer’s 3200m best, 10:18.84, is equivalent to the 9:37.60.
Anissa Angeosante(Kingsland, TX ), Jacy Kruzel(Cooper City, FL) and Amanda Hahn(Gainesville, FL) should also make for a fairly deep competition.
LJ
Four 18+ footers will be looking to g beyond 19 feet. Surprise 4A FL state champion(18-07.75), Zurina Suluki Drakes( Colonial, Orlando, FL) will get challenge from 3A FL state champion(18-06.75) Deandra Doyley ( Ft. Lauderdale, FL), 18-08.5 performer, Jenna Utecht(St. Thomas Aquinas, Ft. Luaderdale, FL) and unknown quantity, Taniesha Brangman (Pembroke Pines, FL) who has entered at 18-8.
100mH
Clemson signee, Polly Hardy has posted a quick 13.77 at her region meet. Her next best times are 14.02, 14.23, and 14.41. 3A FL state champion, Jenna Utrecht(St. Thomas Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, FL). 14.18 performer, Simone Clark (Rickards, Tallahassee, FL), and Holly Hardy9Anderson, SC), a 14.58 performer and Wallace State signee will make the field very competitive.
SP Discus
Senior Misti Barber( Miami,Carol City) set a state meet record of 49-09.75 to break Olympian Seilala Sua’s 1996 state meet mark of 49-05.25 May 8. She also came back to win the discus with a platter toss of 152-05. She’ll be the favorite in both events.
Boys Higlights
100m
Chris Johnson (Olympia, FL) ran a fast 10.66/21.30 behind then US#1 Walter Dix(Coral Springs, FL) at the 4A state championships.
400m
4A FL state champ, Eddie Beckwith ‘s (West Orange, FL), best is 47.49. No one else entered has run under 49.
400m H
It will be a repeat of the 4A State 300m H state championship final. Champion, Senatus Peterson( Plantation, FL), sped to a US #7 time of 37.12 on May 8 to win. Runner-up, Andre Reid(Flanagan, FL) and teammate Eric Alejandro will make for a very fast field which is wide open with an additional 100m added.
400m Relay Olympia’s 41.11 won the 4A state championship easily.
TJ
6A Alabama state champion, Andre Black(McGill-Toolen, Mobile, AL) jumped 47-00.25 to win the title. His best is 48--04.75 set at the Mobile County Championships.
800m
After last year’s duel saw Florida sensational seniors and now stellar college freshman, Sam Vazquez( Arkansas, NCAA 1500m qualifier) and Paul Cross( TN, SEC Champion and NCAA 800m qualifier) cruise to a fantastic 1:50.54 and 1:51.42, one thought that it would be a long time we saw that happen again.
But, this year’s boy’s 800m field is one of the deepest and fastest ever.
Leading the line-up is US#2, Tim Harris(Booker T. Washington, Miami, FL). Harris soloed to a state meet record setting time of 1:49.75 8 at the 3A FL state championships May 7.
Chris Patrick(Smith Station, AL) will be his strongest challenger. Patrick ran a 1:51.76 to finish a close second at the Dekalb International Prep Classic, May 22. That was good for a US#11 ranking.
2A FL state champion and 1:53.85 undercover performer, Sam Secord(St. Pete Catholic, FL), 1:54.66 performer and 3rd 4A FL state champs, Jordan Bradshaw( Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, FL), 1:55.58 performer and 5th at 4A FL state champs,Willie Calloway(Deland, FL), 1:55.75 performer and 6th 3A FL state champs, Jordan Peleaz(Middleton, FL), 4:21.9 1600m performer, Frederick Cameron(Pope, Marietta, GA)and 4:16.14 miler, Bryan Sharkey(Miami, Gulliver Prep) round out a very fast field.
Harris and Patrick both like to lead and typically hit the 400m in 53. Harris has not been challenged since his 1:50.36 3rd place finish against collegians at the Miami Gatorade Classic so expect a very fast time.
HJ
4A Mississippi State champ, Raymond Newell (Pearl, MS) has scaled 7-00 this year.
PV
Ben Dickens (Stoneman Douglas) broke the state meet record with a 15-09.5 at the 4A state championships on May 8. He’ll be challenged by FL’s second best pole vaulter and 2A state champion, Casey McGinn (Lake Highland Prep, FL) who boast a PR of 15-05.
110m H
Westside(Anderson, SC) teammates, Brandon and Martez Brown and Dennis Martin set the national record of 56.32 in the 4 x110m hurdles on May 17 to break the 8 year old record held by Jacksonville Wolfson. They will split up their team to race against FL’s best hurdler, Andre Reid of Flanagan (Ft. Lauderdale, FL).
Martin is the fastest in the field with his 13.96 at the Dekalb International Prep Classic (also a MONDO track) with Reid’s 14.02 from the state championships next best. This should be a tight finish in a very deep field.
SP/discus
Beau Burroughs (Tampa Jesuit) heaved a 63-02 throw to win he 2A state championships. The FSU signee followed that up with a 178-02 personal best in the discus. He’s looking to better his 63-02 throw in his best event.
Scott Clayman (Nease), a UF signee, finished 3rd to Burroughs at the state championships, but owns a best of 184-05. Rabun Fox(Ruston, LA) won the 4A LA state meet with a toss of 176-09. His best, 180-11, is also better than Burroughs. This should also be a great competition.
Mile
Wallace Campbell (Montgomery, AL) comes in with the fastest time of the field; a 4:18.85 3rd place finish at the Mountain Brook Invitational 4:20.12 performer, Nick Ferrer (New Port Richey, Mitchell) and 1A FL state 1600m/800m champ(4:12.53/1:59.43) and wicked kicker,Justin Taylor (St. Joseph’s, Jacksonville, FL) will be in the hunt.
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