By: J. Daniel Pearson
For Positively Osceola
Using its depth in middle distance and field events, the Harmony Lady Longhorns followed up last week’s Orange Belt Conference championship by amassing 130 team points to win the FHSAA District 10 Track Championship on its home campus on Thursday.
The Lady Longhorns out-distanced 2nd place Vero Beach (109) and third place Viera (105) in the 10-team district; Osceola and St. Cloud tied for fourth with 86 points.
It was an impressive showing for Harmony, who posted individual champions by Brynn Magner in the
800 meter run and Drea Thompson in the high jump. Magner teamed with Shelby Fertic, Rebekah Wiles and Lailana Decker to blow away the field in the 4 x 800 meter relay by more than 30 seconds. But it was their superior depth –especially in field and middle distance events — that led to the victory. Harmony would place two athletes in the top four in four different events.
Hannah Vickers qualified for regionals in three different events, including second place finishes in the pole vault and triple jump to go with a third place finish in the javelin.
Other county District 10 champions on the girls side included Osceola’s Shannon Levy in the 100 and the Lady Kowboys 4 x100 relay team of Levy, Zanaya Bright, Quanaya Jenkins, and Kadreah Varnardo.
On boys’ District 10 meet, also hosted by Harmony, Vero Beach ran away with the team title with 185 points, Harmony was 4th (85) and Osceola 5th (80). Harmony’s Alex Tuyo was the county’s only individual district champion, as he won the 400 hurdles. He also qualified for regionals with a third place finish in the 110. Cross Country and distance standout Joel Jean will move on in both the 800 and 3200 meter runs.
Osceola’s Henly Placide qualified for regionals by virtue of third place finishes in both the 100 and 200 and the Kowboys’ 4 x 100 team moves on with a second place finish. Football star Taevion Swint, who was expected to be a factor in the sprints and long jump, was limited by a hamstring injury but did run a leg on the 4 x 100 relay. David Buggs (shot, discus) and Jalen Bell (triple jump and 400 hurdles) qualified for regionals in two events each.
St. Cloud’s Jahleek Lawrence turned in the state’s eighth best effort of the year in the high jump, as he moves on to regionals with a second place finish with a leap of 6’5 ½”.
The other five Osceola County schools participated in district meets in other locations last weekend.
In the Class 4A, District 9 meet at Boone, Tohopekaliga qualified 15 athletes for regionals, including individual district champions Javan Medina in the 1600-meter run (1:58.16) and three-sport standout Javon Andrew-Brown in the triple jump (38’-6 ¾”). Among the qualifiers on the girls’ side, Brianna Rodriguez (Pole Vault), Sofia Delgado (Shot Put) and Emily Martinez (Discus) all took silver medals with second place finishes.
Host Boone won the team titles on both the boys and girls meets; while the Tohopekaliga boys were fourth (80 points) in the loaded regional and the girls seventh.
Celebration boys (92 points), who finished fourth to George Jenkins (195 points) in the Class 4A, District 5 meet in Lakeland, saw three individual district champions as Evan Amaya won the 800 meters (2:02:11), Cooper James took the 1600 meters (4:36.67) and Jose Gonzalez was the javelin champion (134-‘-7”). The Storm 4 x800 relay team of Alexander Del Puerto, Amaya, James, Justin Quispe also were crowned district champions with a time of 8:36.47 – nearly three seconds faster than second place Plant City.
Other Storm highlights on the boys’ side include Gavin Konopka qualifying in both the discus and shot. Celebration almost went 1-2-3 in the 800, as James (2:03.70) was just behind Amaya for second and Quispe took fourth in (2:06.82).
The Storm girls’ team was led by Catalina Edwards, who had a hand in 26 of Celebration’s third place total of 95 points. Edwards won the 3200 meter run in 12:22.99, was second in both 800 and 1600 meters and ran a leg on the 4 x 400 relay team that finished third. Other top finishers for the Storm girls’ included the 4 x 800 relay team (2nd) and sophomore Makenna McBroom, who took 3rd in the 400 hurdles (1:11.16). George Jenkins High also won the girls district team title with 276 points.
Poinciana advanced a total of five events, including Zariah Burnham moving on in both the 100 and 400 hurdles on the girls’ side and Gabriel Arce advancing in the 3200-meter run (4th place) and the 4 x 800 relay (3rd).
Gateway had a solid outing in the Class 3A, District 8 championships at Eagle Lake High last Saturday, taking second (116.5 points) to Lakeland (150) on the boys side and third (77 points) to Lake Wales (140) in the girls team championship. The Liberty boys (8 points) and girls (33 points) were a distant 10th and 8th respectively. Gateway hurdler Levi Hill (110 Hurdles – 15.58) was lone county athlete to win a district championship at that meet. The Panthers will send eight boys to the regional meet including second place finishes from Jose Calderon (400 meters), Williams Martinez (Pole Vault), and Joshua Fuller (Triple Jump).
The Gateway girls advance five to regionals, including district champions Jazmin Brown (discus 101’-0”) and Molly Soukup in the pole vault (6’-11 ¾”). Double silver medalist Amela Johnson (100 and 200 meters) advances in a pair of events; while Aaliyah Rojas qualifies in three events for the Panthers, with a 2nd in the high jump, 3rd in the long jump and 4th in the triple jump.
In order to advance to regionals, individuals and relay teams had to finish in the top four in their district championship. A top-two finish in regionals earns an automatic berth to the state championships; while others can qualify for at-large bids by finishing in the top eight state wide with non-automatic qualifying times/distances. Overall Osceola County produced 11 individual district champions, three winning relay champions and will send more 100 athletes to regionals in two weeks.
Qualifying individual and relay teams from Harmony, St. Cloud, Osceola, Poinciana, Tohopekaliga, and Poinciana are scheduled for the Class 4A, Region 2 Championships at Sumner High School (Riverview) on May 4; with Liberty and Gateway participating in the Class 3A, Region 2 meet at Davenport High on May 4.In all, Osceola County will send more than 100 athletes to track regionals, including 11 individual district champions and three district relay championship teams.
Osceola County Regional Track Qualifiers
With Top 4 District Finishes (District Champions in Bold)
Class 4A, District 10 Meet (Harmony HS, 4/27)
Harmony (Girls): 800 Meters: Byrnn Magner (1st-2:24.82), Shelby Fertic (2nd-2:25.92); 1600 Meter: Magner (2nd-5:34.54), Lailana Decker (4th-5:35.19); 3200 Meter: Decker (2nd-12:11.54); 100 Hurdles: Alyssa Vargo (4th-16.88); 4 x 800 Relay: Magner, Fertic, Rebekkah Wiles, Decker (1st -10:12.05); High Jump: Drea Thompson (1st-5’-5 ¾”); Triple Jump: Hannah Vickers (2nd– 34’-5”); Pole Vault: Vickers (2nd -9’-0 ¼”), Lucy Eckholdt (4th – 7’-10 ½”); Javelin: Vickers (3rd-88’-11”); Shot: D’Vinity Cook (3rd-31’-8 ¾”), Chloe Barrett (4th-30’-01 ¾”)
Harmony (Boys): 400 Meters: Bryce Sanchez (3rd-50.04); 800 Meter: Joel Jean (4th-2:03.52); 3200 Meter: Jean (2nd-9:55.21); 110 Hurdles: Alex Tuyo (3rd-15.19); 400 Hurdles: Tuyo (55.26); 4 x 400 Relay: Adon Elienist, Connor Flaherty, Tuyo, Sanchez (3rd-3:30.04); Pole Vault: Angel Acevedo (2nd -10’-10”), Mason Shafer (3rd-10’-4”); Discus: Chris Wheeler (2nd– 134’-10”); Javelin: David Hunter (3rd-144’-5 ¾”)
St. Cloud (Girls): 400 Meters: Hannah Kline (4th-1:02.28); 100 Hurdles: Priscilla Rodriguez (2nd– 16.52); 400 Hurdles: Rodriguez (4th-1:09.35); 4 x 800 Relay: Kyla Perez, Isabelle Saice, Jada Schoyer, Jalissa Yarborough (3rd-10:48.38); Triple Jump: Sanaa Charles (3rd-34’-01 ½”), Xelyma Rodriguez (4th-33’-06 ¼”)
Pole Vault: Sofia Hauser (2nd-7’-10 ½”)
St. Cloud (Boys): High Jump: Jahleek Lawrence (2nd-6’-5 ½”); Triple Jump: Yadiel Rivera (4th-43’-01 ¾”)
Osceola (Girls): Shannon Levy (1st-12.18); Quanaya Jenkins (3rd-12.72); 200: Jenkins (2nd-25.96), Zanaya Bright (4th-26.56); 800 Meter: Mia Gonzalez (4th-2:29.02); 400 Hurdles: Aaliyah Strachen (3rd-1:07.72);
4 x 100 Relay: Bright, Jenkins, Kadreah Varnardo, Levy (1st– 48.04); 4 x 400 Relay: Aniyah Radcliff, Strachen, Tatiana George, Jenkins (3rd-4:09.86)
Osceola (Boys): 100 Meter: Henley Placide (3rd-11.23); 200 Meter: Placide (3rd-22.86); 110 Hurdles: Jordan Stynes (4th-1:00.30); 400 Hurdles: Jalen Bell (4th-1:00.30); 4 x 100 Relay: Taevion Swint, Alijah Jenkins, Jakyri Watson, Placide (2nd-42.74); Triple Jump: Bell (2nd– 43’-06”); Discus: David Buggs (4th-134’-7”); Shot Put: Buggs (2nd – 44’-7 ¾”); Jamarion McCrimon (4th-42’-7 ¼”)
Class 4A, District 9 Meet (Boone HS, Orlando 4/22)
Tohopekalia (Girls): Pole Vault: Brianna Rodriguez (2nd-8’10 ¼”), Shot Put: Sofia Delgado (2nd – 29’9 ¼”); Discus: Emily Martinez (2nd-83’)
Tohopekaliga (Boys): 800 Meters: Javan Medina (1st-1:58.16); 1600 Meters: Johan Comacho (2nd-4:28.07); Zaniel Lizardo (3rd-4:33.01); 3200 Meters: Comacho (3rd-10:20:15); 4 x 800 Relay: Josua Brito, Anthony Allen, Darwin Vega, and Joaquin Francis (4th-3:32.48); Pole Vault: Angel Mendoza (2nd-12’9 ½”; Pete DeAlmeda (3rd-12’-3 ½”); Triple Jump: Javon Andrew-Brown (1st-38’-6 ¾”); Discus: Jairo Beltran (4th-117’-1”); Javelin: Bryan Mendoza (3rd-124’-9”)
Class 4A, District 5 Meet (George Jenkins HS, Lakeland, 4/22)
Celebration (Boys): 800 Meters: Evan Amaya (1st-2:02:11), Cooper James (2nd-2:03.70); Justin Quispe (4th- 2:06.82); 1600 Meters: James (1st-4:36.67); 4 x 400 Relay: Alexander Del Puerto, Amaya; Mitchell Sparks, Aiyden Amaya (4th-3:32.16); 4 x 800 Relay: Alexander Del Puerto, Amaya, James, Quispe (1st-8:36.47); Pole Vault: Jakobe Vongphrachanh (4th-8’-10 ¼”); Shot Put: Gavin Konopka (4th-38’-4 ¾”); Discus: Konopka (4th-117’-8”); Javelin: Jose Gonzalez (1st-134’-7”)
Celebration (Girls): 800 Meters: Catalina Edwards (2nd-2:25.3); 1600 Meters: Edwards (2nd-5:41.83); 3200 Meters: Edwards (1st-12:22.94); 100 Hurdles: Chelsea Moore (4th – 17.19); 400 Hurdles: Makenna McBroom (3rd-1:11.16); 4 x 400 Relay: Anna Balba, Carly Robbins, McBroom, Edwards (3rd-4:14.32); 4 x 800 Relay: Haylee Schadt, Ayla Moffit, Gabriella DeCesare, Robbins (2nd-10:32.55); Pole Vault: DeCesare 7’-4 ¾”)
Poinciana (Girls): 100 Hurdles: Zaria Burnham (3rd-16.63); 400 Hurdles: Burnham (4th-1:14.39); Triple Jump: Natalie Calderon (4th-33’-2”)
Poinciana (Boys): 3200 Meters: Gabriel Arce (4th-10:49.09); 4 x 800 Relay: Felipe Torres, Xavier Barns, Arce, Levi Lee (3rd-8:40.92)
Class 3A, District 8 Meet (Eagle Lake High, Eagle Lake, FL, 4/22)
Liberty (Girls): 100 Hurdles: Bryanna Ragguette (2nd-17.60); 400 Hurdles: Denali Dauphin (4th-1:14.70); 4 x100 Relay: Asia Antenor, Dauphin, Nehmiah Ives, Ragguette (2nd-4:21.8)
Gateway (Boys): 400 Meters: Jose Calderon (2nd-50.79), Darius Young (3rd-50.81); 3200 Meters: Xavier Rivera-Melendez (3rd-11:09.7); 110 Hurdles: Levi Hill (1st-15.58); 4 x400 Relay: Darius Young, Calderon, Kaleb Hill, John Pagan (4th-3:31.58); 4 x 800 Relay: Rivera-Melendez, Dominic Briggs, Jovani Matos, Aiden Lake (3rd-8:43.31); Pole Vault: Williams Martinez (2nd-11’5 ¾”), Dalton Gould (3rd-9’-5 ¾”); Triple Jump: Joshua Fuller (2nd-40’-8 ¾”), Fahmi Goldston (4th-40’-6 ¼”)
Gateway (Girls): 200 Meters: Amela Johnson (2nd-25.64); 400 Meters: Johnson (2nd-59.23); High Jump: Victoria Silva, Aaliyah Rojas (T2nd- 4’-6”); Long Jump: Rojas (3rd-16’-5”); Pole Vault: Molly Soukup (1st-6’-11 ¾”); Triple Jump: Rojas (4th-32’-2 ¾”) Discus: Jazmin Brown (1st-101’-0”)
