Aquinas girls secure third consecutive state crown
A team score of 98 points is often enough for a comfortable win at the state track-and-field meet.
Not on Saturday night in Jacksonville when St. Thomas Aquinas’ girls’ track-and-field team needed all the points it could get to win the Class 4A state championship.
Led by senior Eddiyah Frye, who won two events and was part of a winning 400-meter relay, the Raiders held off a strong challenge from Niceville by three points to secure their third consecutive title.
Aquinas won its 14th state title overall, which ranks second all-time to Miami Northwestern, which won its 17th one night earlier.
Led by their winning 1,600-meter relay team of freshman Christopher Adams III, sophomore Shamar Morgan, junior Raynell Chambers and sophomore King Mack, which ran a time of 3:16.51, Aquinas was the top finisher on the boys’ side. The Raiders placed third with 36.5 points — well behind champion Niceville’s 67 points.
Frye, a North Carolina signee, set the tone for Aquinas’ girls victory from the outset by winning the long jump (19-4 1⁄4). Aquinas made it a pair of field event state titles when freshman Lauren Thomas won the discus with a throw of 147 feet, 4 inches.
But teammate Alexis Glasco, a Coastal Carolina signee, suffered a setback when she false-started in the 100 meters and was disqualified.
Glasco would get a chance at redemption in the anticipated hurdles battles between her, Frye, and North Miami’s Amanda Kinloch — three of the highest-ranked competitors in the nation this season in those events. Kinloch’s efforts led a strong showing for North Miami’s girls, who finished fourth with 41 points.
Frye recorded a time of 13.53 seconds to win the 100 hurdles, edging Kinloch (13.62) and Glasco (13.87).
In the 300 hurdles, it was Glasco’s turn to shine as she won with a time of 41.58 seconds to finish over a second ahead of Kinloch’s 43.05 seconds and fourth-place Frye’s 44.29 seconds.
DOING IT FOR COACH
Two-time defending state champion Columbus finished eighth overall, but secured one championship from its 3,200 relay team. Seniors Adrian Bichara, Malcolm Brown, Alvaro Canarte and Christian Ivonnet ran a winning time of 7:51.52.
The Explorers persevered through a difficult finish to their season, which they dedicated to longtime coach Fred Foyo, who died suddenly at age 64 during the week of districts.
Foyo’s family made the trip to Jacksonville to support the Explorers over the weekend.
“These guys turned a horrible situation into something positive,” Columbus coach Danny Areces said. “The mindset changed after districts and everybody put their all into it.”
MORE HIGHLIGHTS
Flanagan junior Jassani ●
Carter was another double champion when she secured her first state titles in the 100 meters in 11.98 seconds and the 200 meters in 24.10 seconds.
Coral Park junior Penelope
● Sosa made school history by becoming the school’s first track and field state champion when she won the 3,200 meters in 10:41.30.
North Broward Prep’s
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girls finished fifth overall in Class 2A led by a pair of individual champions. Junior Morgan King won the high jump state title in Class 2A with a jump of 5-feet, 7 3⁄4 inches and senior Mackenzie Osher won the 200-meter dash in 24.38 seconds.
Calvary Christian
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placed sixth on the boys’ side as senior Jack Garey won the javelin with a throw of 191 feet, 5 inches. Senior Kennedy Sauder, the top seed in the state in the high jump, won that event with a jump of seven feet and half an inch.
RESULTS
Note: Only listing events where a Dade or
●
Broward athlete scored.
Class 4A team scores — Boys: 1. Niceville
●
67, 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 36.5; Girls: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 98, 4. North Miami 41.
Class 4A girls’ individuals (winner and/or
●
top Dade/Broward finisher) – 3,200 relay: Orlando Evans 9:14.24; 4. St. Thomas Aquinas 9:22.65; Long jump: Eddiyah Frye (STA) 19-4¼; High jump: Natalia Madison (Dwyer) 5-5¾; 3. Jolie Dormus (MB) 5-3¾; Triple jump: Natalia Madison (Dwyer) 39-6¾; 2. Kouraje Johnson (NM) 38-2¾; Discus: Lauren Thomas (STA) 147-4; 100 hurdles: Eddiyah Frye (STA) 13.53; 100: Jassani Carter (Flan) 11.98; 1600: Hailey Thornton (Palm Harbor) 4:50.27, 5. Krystal Rodriguez (CR) 5:00.38; 400 relay: St. Thomas Aquinas 46.54; 400: Kylah Buckle (North Port) 54.09, 3. Kynah Isaac (Flan) 55.75; 300 hurdles: Alexis Glasco (STA) 41.58; 800: Cha’iel Johnson (STA) 2:11.42; 200: Jassani Carter (Flan) 24.10; 3200: Penelope Sosa (CP) 10:41.30; 1600 relay: Orlando Evans 3:46.15, 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 3:51.17.
Class 4A boys’ individuals (winner and/or
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top Dade/Broward finisher) – 3,200 relay: Columbus 7:51.52; Long jump: 1. Jimmy Horn (Seminole) 233⁄4; 2. Claude Campbell (STA) 22-7¾; Discus: Gabriel Dindy (Lakeland) 169-9; 6. Kendly Raymond (FTL) 150-3; Triple Jump: Justin Campbell (Orlando University) 47-8; 2. Isaiah Shaw (Doug) 47-6½; High jump: Kendell Moseley (Niceville) 6-7½; 2. Zayne Palomino (Mon) 6-5½; Pole vault: Dillon Dechristopher (Lake Mary) 15-3, 7. Jason Olivera Jr. (STA) 13-9¼; 110 hurdles: Ethan Exilhomme (Timber Creek) 13.77, 6. Jeremy Oms (Mon) 14.96; 100: Tayler Gant (Lakeland) 10.72; 3. Ken Moore (Col) 10.79; 1600: Rheinhardt Harrison (Nease) 4:08.14, 2. Michael Fiore (Ftl) 4:13.38; 400 relay: Seminole 41.12; 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 41.68; 400: Markevus Jackson (Osceola) 46.99; 2. Sean Watkins (STA) 47.00; 300 hurdles: Kevin Davis Jr. (Atlantic Coast) 37.95, 6. Jeremy Oms (Mon) 38.86; 800: Samuel Austin (Oviedo) 1:51.06, 2. Sheldon McCullum (Doug) 1:52.06; 200: Zak Sedaros (Viera) 21.13, 5. Nathan Metellus (DB) 21.97; 3200: Rheinhardt Harrison (Nease) 9:02.26, 7. Humberto Ramirez (FTL) 9:17.43; 1600 relay: St. Thomas Aquinas 3:16.51.
Class 2A team scores – Boys: 1. Orlando
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Bishop Moore 64; Top Dade/Broward finisher: 6. Calvary Christian 28.5; Girls: 1. Jacksonville Bolles 62; Top Dade/Broward: 5. North Broward Prep 33.
Class 2A girls’ individuals (winner and/or
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top Dade/Broward finisher) – Long jump: A’Reginae White 17-9¾; 5. Isis Lewis (CG) 17-3½; High jump: Morgan King (NBP) 5-7¾; Javelin: Meredith Adams (CCC) 120-3; 4. Hannah Fowler (PC) 110-4; Shot put: Torryence
Poole (Palatka) 42-2¼; 3. Anaya Holloway (HALL) 39-5¼; Triple jump: Chelsi Williams (McKeel) 37-10½, 2. Simone Eloi (Calvary)
37-3; Discus: Carla Salsberry (Som. Canyons) 158-3; 6. Anaya Holloway (HALL); 100 hurdles: Chelsi Williams (McKeel) 14.15, 2. Akerah
Jones (CG) 14.96; 100: Liana Tyson (Cocoa) 12.03, 4. Mackenzie Osher (NBP) 12.14; 400: Maisha Atkinson (FAU) 54.24, 2. Mackenzie Osher (NBP) 55.01; 300 hurdles: Zuriel Reed (PKYonge) 44.15, 3. Akerah Jones (CG) 45.17; 800: Reece Knowlton (S. Walton) 2:18.41, 3. Sabrina Gomez (Sun) 2:18.87; 200: Mackenzie Osher (NBP) 24.38; 3200: Eleanor Tymorek
(St. Andrews) 11:00.90, 5. Emma Hencock (StB) 11:15.78; 1,600 relay: Paxon 3:56.36, 4. Cardinal Gibbons 3:59.62.
200 ambulatory: Sofia Ella (Pal) 38.62,
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Vanessa Chery (Ed) 46.26; 800 ambulatory: Sofia Ella (Pal) 4:00.63; Javelin ambulatory: Sofia Ella (Pal) 33-9; Shot put ambulatory:
Sofia Ella (Pal) 201⁄4, Vanessa Cherry (Ed)
17-4¼.
Class 2A boys’ individuals (winner and/or
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top Dade/Broward finisher) – 3,200 relay: Satellite 7:58.86, 4. Pine Crest 8:14.07; Triple jump: Jahaz Morgan (Florida High) 46-7½; 3. Christian Dohler (NBP) 46-2; Javelin: Jack Garey (Calvary) 191-5; Shot put: Emile Aime (US) 54-6½; High jump: Kennedy Sauder (Calvary) 71⁄2; Pole vault: Alex Georgiev (Montverde)
15-3, 3. Sam Mrky (CG) 14-9; 100: Chandler Smith (Bishop Moore) 10.50, 5. Michael Stroup (US) 10.73; 400 relay: Andrew Jackson 41.55, 3. University 42.12; 400: Weston Baptiste (Montverde) 47.00, 2. Torrie Cox (CM) 47.05; 800: Joe Wester (Satellite) 1:54.99, 5. Gabriel Bendix (GP) 1:59.63; 200: Chandler Smith (Bishop Moore) 21.01, 6. Daniel Harris (GP) 21.80; 1,600 relay: Raines 3:17.60, 2. Chaminade 3:21.37.
200 wheelchair: Zacharey Holman (Frostproof)
● 36.27; 3. Syrus Dawkins (Hom) 50.08; 200 ambulatory: Andreas Schulz (Orlando
Univ.) 24.05, Radley Jean-Jacques (Ed) 29.39; 800 wheelchair: Zacharey Holman (Frostproof) 2:36.99; 3. Syrus Dawkins (Hom) 4:02.04; 800 ambulatory: Edwin Forgue-Luders (Lincoln Park) 2:51.38, Radley Jean-Jacques (Ed) 2:58.57; Shot put wheelchair: Zacharey Holman (Frostproof) 25-5½, Syrus Dawkins (Hom) 18-1¾; Javelin wheelchair: Zacharey Holman (Frostproof) 62-0, 2. Syrus Dawkins (Hom) 31-2; Shot put ambulatory: Radley JeanJacques (Ed) 24-3½.