Fleming, Creekside, BK tops at Hayes meet
In the second Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet at the home of the University of North Florida’s Ospreys, the First Coast’s leaders came from a different bird mascot.
Fleming Island’s Golden Eagles captured three event titles and Jacksonville-area athletes displayed their talents on the track against high school contenders from the Sunshine State and beyond in Saturday’s Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet at Hodges Stadium.
The annual meet marked 60 years since Jacksonville native Hayes raced to the title of World’s Fastest Man, winning the 100-meter dash and the 4x100 relay at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
While top overall honors went to traditional superpower Miami Northwestern in the girls standings and Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes in the boys events, Northeast Florida — and particularly Fleming Island — had plenty to celebrate.
Roman Mollicone ran 1:54.74 to win the boys 800-meter run, John Keester IV dominated in 9:42.36 for the boys 3,200 and sophomore Mikayla Shavers added the girls triple jump to her list of titles with a leap of 38 feet, 5 inches. The
Fleming Island boys placed fifth in the team standings, leading all locals.
Top among the area girls teams was overall runner-up Creekside, which picked up one individual title when Camille Andrews cleared 10 feet, 11 inches to lead Bartram Trail’s Ava Myers in a St. Johns County 1-2 finish. Brittney Jennings (100 hurdles), Janay Moorer (200) and Alyson Johnson (1,600) came in second in their girls events.
Creekside sprint star Christian Miller, the nation’s No. 1-ranked high school recruit, ran away with the boys 200 to win in 20.51.
Bishop Kenny brought home a pair of titles when Emily Wheldon (11:18.29) and Davis Johnson went 1-2 in the girls 3,200 and the combination of Alejandro Vinas, Jack Liuzzo, Cooper Thorson and
Juan Pablo Castillo-Zima took the boys 4x800 relay in 8:06.84.
Gateway Conference schools ended with three victories: Andrew Marello of Wolfson ran 4:19.14 in the boys 1,600, Zyaire Thomas of Fletcher ran 55.03 to win the girls 400 and Kennedy Hill of Jackson recorded a 2:16.98 in the girls 800.
Area schools also won several other field events: Bartram Trail’s Ezra Huber (14 feet, 2 1/2 inches) in the boys pole vault, Oakleaf ’s Takoda Brown (47 feet, 3 3/4 inches) in the boys triple jump and Suwannee’s Will Wainwright (166 feet, 10 inches) in the boys discus.