Defending champion Southridge bests St. Thomas for girls title
MIRAMAR — Sidelined for last fall’s state cross country meet with an injured ankle, Ali Del Re looked healthy and flawless as she blazed to the girls high school Region 3-4A 1600-meter title Thursday at Ansin Sports Complex.
The freshman torched the field with a personalbest 5:08.49, four seconds faster than runner-up Rylee Pustilnik of Spanish River.
Del Re couldn’t force the same result in the 3,200. Despite leading for a majority of the race, she was overtaken by Pustilnik in the final hundred meters. The Palm Beach County rivals went 1-2 in the race, clocking 10:57.31and11:00.52.
“I felt a little tight because of the 1600-meters before that, but I tried to stay focused and push through to the end,” Del Re said of her 3,200 performance.
Senior sprinter Karimah Davis earned three individual regional titles to lead Palm Beach Central in scoring. The senior Florida State commit took gold in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter runs. Davis repeats as 100 and 400 champ, but last year fell short of the regional title in the 200. The two-time Sun Sentinel track athlete of the year also this year holds the fourth-best time in the nation in the event. Davis will look to defend her first and only state title in the 400 to close out her senior season at the Class 4A championship at IMG Academy on May 5.
Host St. Thomas Aquinas took second-place honors in the Region 4-4A championship, falling to defending champion Miami Southridge.
Vero Beach’s girls team won the 3-4A title, while Palm Beach Gardens’ sprinters led the Gator girls to a second-place finish.
Douglas and Flanagan finished in third place in their regions.
Junior Imani Christian earned the first individual title of the night for the Raiders in the 300 hurdles with a time of 42.51.
Freshman Zatoria Thompson and junior Kendal Kereks added two more individual titles for St. Thomas, taking top honors in the high jump and pole vault, respectively.