Winter Springs gets title for coach Clark
Winter Springs cross country coach Octavius Clark, referred to by allwho know him well as either Ocky or coach Clark, celebrated his 60th birthday in grand style on Saturday morning.
Hewatched his team win its second consecutive Class 3A state championship in Tallahassee. Junior standout Caroline Wells put the icingonthe cakeby crossing the line first in a courserecord time of 17 minutes, 16.5 seconds at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. She won by almost 60 seconds.
“The team gave coach Clark a card and some presents. Obviously, the best present was us all winning and bringing home that state trophy,” Wells said.
She capped an undefeated Florida High School Athletic Association season with the first individual state title in her illustrious track and cross country career.
“That’s something I’ve always been working hard for,” Wells said. “It’s so rewarding to have done it whilemy team won as well. It’s the best thing anybody could ask for.”
Clark was a Seminole High grad who quit college to join the Navy. The veteran of the Iraq War has served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves whileworking as a dean of students forWinter Springs.
He returned to school and to running track at Santa Fe Community College after his initial military stint and became a threetime junior college national champion and then FSU’s longtime record holder for the 800- and 1,500-meter races. In 1991 Clark set an American indoor 800 record and won gold at the Pan American Games in Cuba.
Timber Creek junior Amber Schulzwas the winning runner in the girls 4A race in a time of 18:26.1. But she was not eligible to be recognized as the individual champion because FHSAA rules stipulate that only region qualifiers to the state meet are eligible for that prize.
Schulz did not run in Timber Creek’sMetro Conference, district and region races due to a leg injury.
She did count in Timber Creek’s team point total on Saturday and led the Wolves to a fourth-place finish that was tops for the area in 4A.
Girls Class 3A
Top teams: 1. Winter Springs 72; 2. Tallahassee Leon 86. Area team: 9. Harmony 226.
Individuals: 1. Caroline Wells (WS) 17:16.5. … 3. Alanie Rivera (H) 18:24.4. … 6. EvieMcIver (WS) 18:47.3. … 7. Brooke Mullins (H) 18:49.9. … 12. Jolynn Rodriguez (WS) 19:11.2.
Boys Class 3A
Top teams: 1. Miami Belen Jesuit 30; 2. Sunlake 123. Area teams: 12. Lake Minneola 303; 14. Winter Springs 332.
Individuals: 1. Javier Vento, Belen, 15:22.2. … 10. Aiden Arnold (WS) 15:59.4. … 32. Joel Jean (Harmony) 16:45.1.… 38. Lash Bradshaw (LM) 16:50.5.
Top teams: 1. Tampa Plant 79; 2. Newsome 92. Area teams: 4. Timber Creek 162; 13. Dr. Phillips 285; 14. Winter Park 290.
Girls Class 4A
Top teams: 1. Tampa Plant 79; 2. Newsome 92. Area teams: 4. Timber Creek 162; 13. Dr. Phillips 285; 14. Winter Park 290.
Individuals: 1. Amber Schulz (TC) 18:26.1. … 11. Emma Noel (WP) 19:18.0. … 22. Katie Ranck (Windermere) 19:46.5. … 30. Ella Klyce (West Orange) 20:03.7. … 36. Megan Dolan (Boone) 20:13.0.
Boys Class 4A
Top teams: 1. Miami Columbus 84, 2. Viera 89. Area teams: 11. Olympia 297. … 12. Hagerty 310. … 13. Celebration 315. … 14. West Orange 338. … 16. LakeMary 422
Individuals: 1. Rheinhardt Harrison, Nease, 15:26.9. … 7. Jared Falchook (Cel) 16:23.8. … 26. Kai Komatsu (O) 16:37.2. … 30. JulianPomales (Tohopekaliga) 16:43.1. … 33. Samuel Austin (Oviedo)16:47.4.… 37. Colton Berquist (WO) 16:52.0.