Wells nears finish line of stellar career
Winter Springs senior Caroline Wells looks to complete her illustrious Florida high school running career with two more state championships this week.
The Stanford signee is passing on the 4x800 relay and will focus on her individual efforts as the heavy favorite to repeat her 1,600- and 3,200-meter championships at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state meet on Friday at the University of Florida.
Wells ran the fastest girls 3,200 in state history (10 minutes, 8.77 seconds) as a junior. She ranks third on the all-time 1,600 list with the 4:44.90 she clocked last spring. That metric mile time is only a few tenths of a second off the state record of 4:44.51.
If Wells again sweeps the two distance events it would give her seven FHSAA championships in two years. That includes back-toback fall cross country titles and anchoring the Bears’ winning 4x800 a year ago.
Two of the area’s best will be absent. DeLand’s Kevar Williams, the 4A frontrunner in the boys 100 (10.37), failed to qualify after being hospitalized due to illness for three nights before his regional meet.
Trinity Prep senior Nick Carpenter shut his season down because of injury after running a state No. 1 boys 3,200 time of 8:57.92 to win at the FSU Relays in March.
“The decision was made to hold him out the rest of the year so that he will be ready for fall training at the University of Pennsylvania,” said Saints athletic director David Langdon.
Montverde Academy’s boys, led by state all-classes leaders Zyaire Nuriddin and Micah Larry, are the favorites to win the class 2A team title Thursday. The Eagles girls team is a dark-horse contender.
Sanford Seminole, led by its favored foursome of 4x100 relay members, could make a run at a top three finish in the boys 4A team race on Saturday. Niceville and Miami Columbus are the heavy favorites.
Seminole junior Amari Turner was the top qualifier in the 200 with a 20.86-second regional win and he is a threat to win in the 100 and as anchor for both of the sprint relays. The Seminole’s
40.71 best in the 4x100 is No. 1 across all four classifications.
Other Orlando area 4A top seeds are Boone junior Hannah Foley in the girls 3,200; Tohopekaliga senior Orlando Descartes in the boys high jump; and Evans in the girls 4x400 relay.
Hagerty junior Brayden Seymour owns 4A’s best boys times in the 1,600 (4:11.92) and 3,200 (8:59.72). And Boone junior football standout Aidan Mizell has the top 4A 400 time, 46.99.
Competition begins Wednesday with the 1A meet at Percy Beard Track. Geneva School eighth-grader D’Asia Duncan had the leading regional time in the girls 100 hurdles (14.88) and The First Academy junior Emily Powelson is top qualifier in the girls long jump (18 feet, 3 ¼ inches).
Mount Dora Christian Academy football, basketball and track standout Reggie Virgil is top seed in the boys long jump (22-7), just ahead of 2021 state champ William Richards (22-5) of TFA. And Orangewood Christian senior Noah Gammichia, another multisport athlete, is top seed in the javelin throw with an area-best 181-1.
Lake Minneola junior Valentino Rudolph is top seed in the 3A boys 100 (10.60) and was the
second fastest qualifier in the 200 (21.09).
Field events kick off each meet at 1 p.m. The 4x800 relays start at 3. The race finals, with two heats for most, are set to run from 6:30 to approximately 9:30.
Admission is $11, which includes $2 for parking. Traffic could be a challenge as UF also is hosting the SEC softball tournament through Saturday and has three NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament first round games on Friday.