The Torch Passes
Jana Stolting, May 8, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Though the 3A State Championship Meet took place on Friday and results were up within hours of the completion of the 4x400m, I have been putting off typing this Stoltz Report, as it is the last Stoltz Report I will have the privilege of writing. The show must go on, however, and Tallahassee’s 3A superstars certainly gave me plenty to write about in this finale.
On the girls’ side, Chiles made quite a STATEment (sorry, I couldn’t resist), placing fourth overall. Haley Watts tied for second in the pole vault, bringing away seven points with her height of 11-00.00. The 4x100m relay team took fifth place, with a time of 48.61. In the distance events, Lily Williams dominated, taking first in both the 1600m (4:58.56) and the 3200m (11:11.46). Her teammate, Carly Thomas, finished eighth in the 1600m (5:14.78) and fifth in the 3200m (11:22.77). All in all, it was a highly successful day for the Lady Timberwolves.
The male Timberwolves did not fair quite as well as their female counterparts, but they still had some strong performances in the throws to land them in twentieth place overall. Stargell Williams placed fourth in the discus throw (161-03) and third in the shot put (52-03.75). The top finishing local team was Leon, which took home fifth place. The Lions were led by distance standout, Matt Mizereck, who completed his high school career by winning both the 1600m (4:15.13) and the 3200m (9:18.76). Teammate, Riley Doherty, finished fifth in the 3200m, with a time of 9:28.98. For Lincoln’s boys, who finished tenth overall, it was all about the relays. Their 4x400m team ran a blazing 3:17.53 to earn fourth place in one of the fastest 4x400m races in Florida this year. The Trojan’s also broke their school record in the 4x800m (for the third time this season!), running a stellar time of 7:58.35 and taking third place.
It has been a great week to be a fan of track and field in the Big Bend. Once again, our athletes have brought pride and recognition to the Tallahassee area. I know that I am happy to conclude my reporting on such a high note, and I also know there will be many more high notes in the future of Tallahassee cross country and track. Luckily, these shining moments will not go unrecognized in my absence. Soon, I will be naming my successor, and passing the Stoltz Report on to the next generation. I thank David Yon and Fred Deckert for giving me this opportunity, and the entire Tallahassee running community for actually reading my mindless musings. Next year, I too will become a reader, and I cannot wait to see what golden (hint hint) touches the new author adds.
Editor's Note
So this is my first time being sad posting Jana's column as it is her last as our special high school correspondent. She has been terrific. While she is winding up her high school career she is off to college in San Francisco and I am counting on hearing from her now and again with more great Stoltzing! All the best, Jana and thanks for all the great writing (and running)!
Telling the Story of a Winner
Jana Stolting, May 1, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Mother Nature did not smile upon Tallahassee this past Friday. Severe rain forced meet officials to halt the 3A Region 1 Meet and postpone the remaining events until Monday. I hear there were some strong performances (word on the street is Leon’s Matt Mizereck ran a solo 4:11 1600m!), but the full story will be out next Stoltz Report, along with the scoop on the 3A State Meet.
The weather in Winter Park, on the other hand, was beautiful (if a little on the hot side) for both the 1A and 2A State Meets. The 1A competition took place on Friday. I am pleased to announce that Maclay faired quite well, with the Marauder men winning the overall team title and the girls coming in fourth. Lee Williams led the boys, earning 34 points with his third place long jump (23-02.50), first place triple jump (47-04.00), first place 100m dash (10.99), and second place 200m dash (22.32). Other top male performers included a sick Patrick Swain, who ignored his fever and cough to gut out the dreaded triple. He anchored the second place 4x800m team (8:11.28) and finished third in both the 1600m (4:28.16) and 3200m (9:56.01). Scott Billings ran the first leg of the 4x800, took fifth in the 800m (2:01.07), and ran a leg of the sixth place 4x400m relay (3:30.76). The Marauder women also ran some impressive triples. Stefanie Kurgatt anchored the first place 4x800m relay team (9:27.01), took fifth in the 1600m (5:04.13), and won the 800m (2:14.99). Jana Stolting ran a leg of the 4x800 and took third in both the 1600m (4:58.02) and 3200m (10:44.38).
On Saturday, Godby’s boys proved, once again, that they are true champions. The Cougars took home the overall title in quite a dominant fashion, besting their closest competitor by thirty-three points. Top performers included Brandon Hollifield (second in the high jump with 6-08.00), Lavorrie Johnson (first in the long jump with 23-02.00 and fourth in the 200m in 21.77), Terrell Bryant (first in the 800m in 1:54.93), and Dieumy Duclos, who took eighth in the 1600m (4:28.24) and seventh in the 3200m (10:02.77). The Cougar women finished fifteenth. Their top performer was Christine Poole, who took sixth in the 200m (25.20) and fifth in the 400m (56.94).
Florida High’s girls took home fourth place overall, bolstered by strong performances in the sprints and relays. Elizabeth Ichite finished seventh in the 200m (25.38) and second in the 400m (55.19). Ana Detorres took second in the 300m hurdles (behind Rickards athlete Brittany Jones) in 44.24. Both girls were also legs of the second place 4x400m relay team, which ran a blazing time of 3:56.32.
Overall, the Big Bend took home plenty of hardware from Winter Park. As I was unpacking, however, I realized that I had taken home much more than a few medals. When I look back, I will not define my high school career by a time on the clock or a spot on the podium, I will define it by the connections I have made both with my teammates and the entire Tallahassee running community. This place and these people have become a part of me, and I know their influence will continue to be a strong force in my life, even from across the country. They say you should always focus straight ahead in a race, but no matter how far I leave this place behind me, I will always remember that sometimes it’s okay to look back.
Next-to-Last Step - On the Way to State
Jana Stolting, April 24, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
This past week marked the beginning of District competition for local 3A athletes and the last hurdle (pun intended) before State for 1A and 2A tracksters. When the dust had cleared, the Big Bend emerged, once again, as a force to be reckoned with.
On Tuesday, Chiles, Leon, and Lincoln competed in the 3A District 2 Meet. On the boys’ side, Lincoln finished second overall, Chiles third, and Leon fifth. Top performances included Lincoln’s Adrian Fooshe (second in the 400m in 51.38), Taylor Buzzard, of Chiles, who finished fourth in the 800m in 2:02.32 and third in the 1600m in 4:28.54, Leon’s Matt Mizereck (first in the 1600m in 4:15.12 and first in the 3200m in 9:17.12), and Lincoln’s 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams, who both finished second in times of 3:25.67 and 8:02.87 respectively.
Chiles dominated the girls’ competition. They were led by Ashton Gallaher (first in the 100m in 12.55 and second in the triple jump with 31-10.75), Lily Williams (first in the 800m in 2:22.90, first in the 1600m in 5:08.48, and second in the 3200m in 11:41.62), and Meisha Holton (second in the 100m hurdles in 15.03 and second in the 300m hurdles in 47.08). Lincoln’s girls finished fifth overall, bolstered by strong performances from Raven Diggs (first in the 200m in 26.44 and first in the 400m in 59.28) and Kendall Parker (second in the 400m in 59.92). Leon’s girls placed sixth.
On Friday, local 1A and 2A teams made the trek to Bolles High School, in Jacksonville, for a combined 1A-2A Region 1 Meet. Maclay’s boys destroyed the 1A competition by almost ninety points. Their top scoring athlete was sophomore sensation, Lee Williams, who took third in the long jump in 21-09.00, first in the triple jump in 45-07.00, first in the 100m in 10.97, and first in the 200m in 22.54. Patrick Swain took top spot in the 1600 and 3200. Maclay’s girls placed second overall, joining their male teammates in advancing numerous Marauders to State. They grabbed the top three spots in the 1600 and the top two spots in the 3200.
In 2A competition, Florida High’s girls placed second and their boys took fourteenth. Godby’s girls finished fifth and their boys asserted their dominance, once again, taking the top spot. Rickards placed tenth among the girls and fourteenth among the guys. Highlights of the meet included Florida High’s boys’ 4x800m squad, squeaking out a fourth place finish (in 8:24.21), fellow female Seminole, Elizabeth Ichite taking second in the 400m in 55.95, Rickards hurdler, Brittany Jones taking third in the 300m hurdles in 44.85, and a fight to the finish in the girls’ 4x400m between Florida High and Godby, with Florida High prevailing in 4:00.07 to Godby’s 4:02.57.
The end is near for the Big Bend’s best. This coming weekend, Winter Park will play host to the 1A State Championship on Friday and the 2A State Championship on Saturday. On top of that, 3A Regional competition will begin. So much happening in such a short span of time! The quickness of the post season calendar is rivaled only by the swiftness of the competition. And the competition is chomping at the bit, ready charge around that ring of fire, and into history.
District Meets
Jana Stolting, April 18, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Last week marked the beginning of post season competition for local 1A and 2A schools. With the 2A District 2 meet on Tuesday and the 1A District 3 meet on Friday, it was a busy week for Tallahassee trackies.
On Tuesday, Florida High, Rickards, and Godby were the Big Bend’s representatives for the 2A District 2 meet. Though the internet seems to have swallowed the overall team scores (and I am too lazy to add up all the points), it is still safe to say these three schools did quite well for themselves. On the girls’ side, the sprints were dominated by Godby athletes, with Sharzay Thomas winning the 100m in 12.74 and Christine Poole winning both the 200m (25.07) and 400m (56.25). Florida High was right on Godby’s heels though, with Elizabeth Ichite taking second in both the 200m (25.55) and 400m (56.28) and Marrhea Everheart coming in third in the 200m (26.62) and 400m (59.29). Florida High went on to take all four qualifying spots in the 800m, with a sweep consisting of Marissa Sheals (2:32.61), Allison Murray (2:33.71), Sydney Earp (2:34.18), and Tifara Clark (2:38.73). Where Godby took the sprints, and Florida High dominated distance, Rickards found its niche in the hurdles. Haley Austin won the 100m hurdles in 14.56 and Brittany Jones claimed first in the 300m hurdles in 44.52. In relay news, Florida High took the top spot in the 4x400m with an impressive time of 4:02.89. They were followed by Godby, claiming second in 4:10.43.
On the boys’ side, though the overall results are missing, it is safe to say Godby took the win. The Cougars were led by a mix of distance junkies and sprinters. Lavorrie Johnson took second in both the 100m (10.91) and the 200m (21.88), Bertran Brinson won the 400m in 52.55, Terrell Bryant won the 800m in 1:58.40, and Dieumy Duclos pulled off the double victory in both the 1600m (4:33.23) and the 3200m (10:09.35). Other notable athletes of the day included Trey Edwards, of Florida High, who finished second in both the 800m (2:02.18) and the 1600m (4:34.58) and his teammate, Robert Abellera, who took third in the 1600m (4:54.10) and second in the 3200m (10:44.74).
The 1A District Meet on Saturday proved a little thinner, in terms of competition. Maclay’s boys easily took the overall win and the girls were runner-up and only one point out of first. Notable athletes included Maclay’s Lee Williams (first in both the 100m in 11.16 and the 200m in 22.77), Lincoln Lewis (first in the 400m in 51.92), and Stefanie Kurgatt (first in the 800m in 2:19.48).
With District competition wrapped up for the small schools, the all-mighty State Meet is drawing ever-closer. Before that dream becomes a reality, however, one more obstacle lies in the way: the Region Meet. Hosted by Bolles, it will take place this Friday. In the meantime, local 3A schools will have their District Meet on Tuesday. So many meets and so little time until State! What an exciting time to be involved with Tallahassee track and field!
Blazing on the West Coast
Jana Stolting, April 12, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
On the other side of the country (California) at the prestigious Arcadia Meet, Leon’s Matt Mizereck was part of a record breaking show as he blazed to a fourth place finish in the 3200m in an astounding time of 8:55.75! This is a school and county record, the fifth fastest time ever run by a Floridian, and the fourth fastest time in the nation this year! Exclamation points to you, Matt!!!! The 3200 had an amazing 16 runners break 9:00 minutes, beating the previous record of 11. It took an 8:49.76 (byJake Hurysz) to win the event. As the winner said "If you want to run fast, come to this [Arcadia] meet."
Back home last week, Chiles high school played host to two different meets: the City Championship and the Chiles Capital City Classic. Despite the apparently “enhanced” atmosphere, the City Championship was largely lackluster. Godby ran away with the boys’ victory (no pun intended), and Florida High dominated the girls’ side.
On Saturday, local athletes laced up their spikes again for what proved to be a much more impressive meet, performance-wise. On the boys’ side, the top finishing local team was Chiles, in third. They were led by Taylor Buzzard (4:32.98 for third in the 1600m and 2:03.40 for fourth in the 800m), Brandon Lingerfelt (4:36.44 for fourth in the 1600m and 10:12.22 for third in the 3200m), Winston Ogletree (third in the 300m hurdles in 40.98), and Stargell Williams (first in the shot put with 50-08.75 and second in the discus with 156-04). Leon’s boys took fourth and Lincoln came in sixth. Other performances of note included Leon Lion, Riley Doherty’s, distance double (second in the 1600m in 4:31.15 and first in the 3200m in 9:59.91) and Lincoln Trojan, Adrian Foushe’s, fourth place performance in the 400m (in 50.40).
On the girls’ side, Chiles took the win, with Lincoln in third and Leon in fifth. The Timberwolves were led by Lily Williams (first in the 1600m in 5:03.55 and first in the 800m in 2:19.60), Kendall Andrews (second in the 1600m in 5:31.89 and fourth in the 800m in 2:31.45), Jodie McGuff (third in the 1600m in 5:36.28 and third in the 3200m in 11:44.94), Carly Thomas (fourth in the 1600m in 5:36.29 and first in the 3200m in 11:24.01), Raven Otway (first in the shot put with 36-01.25 and second in the discus with 106-08).
Next up on the radar are each division’s respective district meets. With less than a month until State, it is time to buckle down and grind out those final races. If things continue the way they’ve been going, the Big Bend will make quite a splash down in Winter Park, come State-time.
Stoltz goes to Gatorland (in less than 5 minutes)
Jana Stolting, April 3, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
This past weekend, a handful of local athletes followed up the previous weekend’s FSU Relays with another college-high school hybrid meet, this time, in Gator Country. The UF Relays provided an excellent book-end for spring break, delivering both strong competition and outstanding performances.
The fun began on Friday night, with the high school distance carnival. Jana Stolting, the lone Maclay competitor, ran a 4:57.64 in the girls’ 1600m to take third place. Chiles runners, Carly Thomas (5:22.05) and Jodie McGuff (5:23.30) finished fifteenth and twenty-first respectively. In the boys’ 1600, Branden Lingerfelt, of Chiles, ran 4:37.98, for thirty-fourth place. Later that night, in the girls’ 3200m, Chiles phenom, Lily Williams, made her comeback from bronchitis with a sixth place showing in a time of 11:05.05. Teammate, Taylor Buzzard ran a 9:57.93 to take twenty-first place in the boys’ 3200m. Fellow Timberwolf, Raven Otway, made a statement in Friday’s discus throw, taking third place with a distance of 119-01.
Otway returned on Saturday to take eighth in the shot put (35-08.00). Her teammate, Haley Watts, vaulted a height of 10-00.00, good enough for ninth place in the girls’ pole vault. Chiles also had strong showings in Saturday’s relays (it is the UF Relays, after all!). Their girls’ 4x800m team ran a 10:07.95, finishing in sixteenth place. Their boys’ 4x800m team ran a time of 8:28.13, finishing in twenty-first place. In the 4x100m relay, their girls finished twenty-fourth overall in 50.32. Their boys took thirty-sixth in 44.38.
With spring break drawing to a close, it is almost time to head into post-season competition. Before the quest for State glory begins, however, local runners, jumpers, throwers, and vaulters will be on the hunt for City glory. The City Championship Meet will take place this Tuesday at 5 P.M. at its new home, the Chiles track. With the change in venue comes a change in atmosphere as well; in order to enjoy this apparently “enhanced” atmosphere, you will have to pay admission, unlike in years past when the meet was held at FSU. So, say “so-long” to Mike Long (and five dollars) and “hello” to Chiles. Enjoy the change in scenery and cheer on the Big Bend’s best as they go head-to-head one last time.
FSU Relays - Serious Competition
Jana Stolting, March 28, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
What a weekend for Tallahassee track and field! At the FSU Relays, local runners, jumpers, and throwers got the chance to rub elbows with some of the nation’s top collegiate athletes, and these prepsters proved that they will carry on the tradition of track and field excellence set by their predecessors.
The action kicked off on Friday, with the 4x800m relay. Lincoln posted an impressive school record time of 8:06.20 to take third place. Next up were the girls 100m hurdles. Florida High’s LaKetra McGee finished in second with a time of 14.88. Moving into the 400m dash, Florida High’s Elizabeth Ichite narrowly edged out Godby’s Christine Poole to take the win- 55.61 to 56.85. On the boys’ side, Lincoln’s Jabriel Giddins out-dashed his 400m competitors, winning in a time of 49.16. Keeping in the sprinting spirit, Godby’s boys won the 4x100m relay in 42.64, with Lincoln taking third in 43.08.
As the skies grew dark and the track lights came on, Friday night’s distance carnival began. First up was the 800m run. Maclay’s Stefanie Kurgatt won in a meet record performance of 2:15.33. Godby’s Terrell Bryant took third with a 1:54.99. The grand finale of Friday night was the 3200m run. Maclay’s Jana Stolting won the girls’ race with a meet record of 10:41.54. Carly Thomas, of Chiles, placed fifth in 11:12.23. In the boys’ race, one which saw ten competitors dip under 9:20 and six go below 9:10, Leon’s Matt Mizereck outkicked his nearest competitor to take the win in a meet record of 9:02.87. His teammate, Will Stanford finished twelfth in 9:31.69.
The record-setting performances continued on Saturday. Dorian Corbett, of Florida High, took third in the girls’ high jump (5-02.00). In the girls’ pole vault, Chiles’s Haley Watts and Maclay’s Lilly VanWinkle finished fourth and fifth respectively, each one vaulting 10-00.00. North Florida Christian’s Darielle McQueen claimed second in the girls’ triple jump (36-09.75). Godby athletes took three of the top four spots in the boys’ triple jump, with Quayshun Smith jumping 46-09.25 for first, Jamar Cull going 44-04.25 for third, and Treavis Livingston jumping 43-07.50 for fourth. The Godby streak was broken up by Maclay’s Lee Williams, who went 45-08.25 for second. Chiles thrower, Stargell William, won the boys’ shot put with a meet record of 53-10.00. Florida High’s Ana DeTorres won the girls’ 300m hurdles in 44.76. Maclay’s Stefanie Kurgatt returned from her record-setting 800m to set another record, this time in the 1600m, winning in 5:03.82. Leon’s Matt Mizereck also followed a Friday night victory with another victory in the 1600m, in a time of 4:16.60. Maclay’s Lee Williams finished third in the 100m dash in 10.97. In the 4x400m relays, Florida High’s girls claimed second in 3:58.08. Lincoln’s boys also finished second, in 3:18.02.
After all the points were totaled up, Florida High was the top local girls’ team, taking third overall. Chiles finished in fifth, Maclay in sixth, and Godby in tenth. On the boys’ side, Godby triumphed, taking the overall win. Lincoln took fourth, Leon and Chiles tied for eighth, and Maclay finished in eleventh. It was a successful meet all around, and an excellent kick-off to a well-deserved Spring Break for the trackies of the Big Bend.
Bolles Bulldog Classic
Jana Stolting, March 14, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
This past Friday, athletes from Chiles and Maclay skipped out on a school day to compete in the Bolles Bulldog Classic in Jacksonville. As always, the performances more than justified the day off from academic pursuits, and the Big Bend looked strong even amongst the state’s top teams.
On the girls’ side, Chiles took the overall win. Ashton Gallaher won the long jump in 17-06.50. She followed that up with a win in the 100m (in 12.56) and a fifth place showing in the 200m (in a devilishly fast 26.66). Raven Otway won the discus (with 112-01) and placed second in the shot put (with 35-07). Meisha Holton won both the 100m hurdles (in 15.34) and the 300m hurdles (in 48.05). In the distance events, Lily Williams took the win in the 1600m (in 5:00.92) and finished second in the 800m (in 2:17.44). Carly Thomas finished second in the 3200m, in a time of 11:32.85.
Maclay’s girls placed ninth overall. Imoni McCorvey took second in the triple jump (with 32-03.50), Stefanie Kurgatt won the 800m (in 2:15.69), and Jana Stolting placed fourth in the 1600m (in 5:06.72).
On the boys’ side, Chiles finished twelfth overall. Stevie Adams and Stargell Williams placed fourth and fifth respectively in the discus throw (with 138-07 and 134-02). Stargell Williams followed up that performance with a win in the shot put, throwing 53-01.00. Branden Lingerfelt ran a 9:58.68 in the 3200m, to claim seventh place.
Maclay’s boys finished twenty-first overall. Kyle Weaver placed fifth in the pole vault (with 12-06.00). Lee Williams jumped 21-08.00 in the long jump, good enough for fifth place. Alden Enlow placed seventh in the 300m hurdles, with a time of 42.92. Patrick Swain finished fifth in the 1600m, running a solid 4:27.19.
Although initial forecasts called for storms, the running gods must have smiled upon the Bolles meet and its participants, bestowing unto them a beautiful day and impressive speed, strength, and stamina. One could not have asked for a better way to spend a Friday afternoon, and we will certainly be rubbing it in the faces of all our non-track friends come Monday morning.
The Stoltz Report is Back on Track
Jana Stolting, March 7, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Track season got its official start this past weekend, with two local meets being contested on Saturday. Though it is early in the season, there were plenty of awe-inspiring performances from Tallahassee’s trackies.
At the Chiles Track and Field Championships, the Timberwolves dominated the girls’ competition, taking first overall with a score of 169 points. They were led by Ashton Gallaher (first in the 100m in 12.38, sixth in the 200m in 27.15, and second in the long jump with 16-10.00), Lily Williams (first in the 800m in 2:18.20 and first in the 1600m in 5:07.21), Jodie McGuff (fourth in the 800m in 2:33.52 and second in the 1600m in 5:23.99), and Meisha Holton (third in the 100m hurdles in 15.56 and second in the 300m hurdles in 46.87). Florida High took third overall, bolstered by a winning distance medley relay team (13:49.99), and Leon finished in fifth, boasting a 4x800m relay win (10:17.45).
On the boys’ side, Leon took the win with 124 points. They were led by Matt Mizereck’s impressive triple (first in the 800m in 1:55.86, first in the 1600m in 4:24.10, and first in the 3200m in 9:30.67). Teammate, Riley Doherty, took second in both the 1600m and 3200m, with times of 4:35.99 and 10:03.41. Chiles took fourth overall, and Florida High brought home sixth place.
Across town, at Godby High School, the Jesse Forbes Invitational provided another venue for local athletes to strut their stuff. Godby handily won both the boys’ and girls’ competitions, with Maclay’s girls in second and boys in fourth and Lincoln’s girls in fourth and boys in second. Notable Godby athletes included Chris St. Hilaire (first in the high jump with 6-02.00), Lavorrie Johnson (first in the 100m in 10.90), and Christine Poole (first in the 400m in 59.51). From Maclay, Lee Williams (first in the triple jump in 47-03.50, sixth in the 400m in 54.58, and second in the 200m in 22.82), Patrick Swain (first in the 3200m in 10:01.96), and Stefanie Kurgatt (first in the 800m in 2:26.96, first in the 1600m in 5:13.04, and first in the 3200m in 12:07.53) represented the Marauders with style. The Trojans relied on the strength of Raven Diggs (first in the 100m in 12.80 and second in the 200m in 26.37), Adrian Fushee (second in the 400m in 51.05), and two winning 4x400m relay teams (in 4:10.51 and 3:23.46) to secure their positions on the podium.
At the close of the kickoff weekend of track and field, the season looks bright for the Big Bend. With the mercury beginning to rise, the times will only continue to drop, as area athlete’s thaw out their winter weary muscles and toe the line with the state’s hottest competition.
Carnes Indoor Meet January 2010
Jana Stolting, February 5, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
This past weekend, we got a taste of what the upcoming track season has in store for us at the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Invitational in Gainesville. True to their resilient nature, the Big Bend’s finest proved that they can get the job done just as well in Gator Country.
In the pole vault, Maclay’s Lillian VanWinkle won her age group with a height of 9-06.25. Fellow Marauder, Kyle Weaver, placed second in his age group with a height of 12-05.50. Other top ten age-group performances by Maclay trackies included Lindsey Poole (4th in the long jump with 13-07.50), Lee Williams (5th in the 200m in 23.56 and 9th in the 400m in 54.85), Stefanie Kurgatt (1st in the mile in 5:14.35), Travis Covert (6th in the mile in 5:01.87), Patrick Swain (10th in the mile in 4:36.56), and Jana Stolting (1st in the 3000m in 10:01.78).
Tallahassee’s other top performers included Leon’s Matt Mizereck (3rd in the mile in 4:26.78 and 1st in the 3000m in 8:42.65), Godby’s Christine Poole (5th in the 400m in 1:01.20), and fellow Cougar, Dieumy Duclos (5th in the 800m in 2:04.68). Chiles athletes showed their field event strength, with outstanding outcomes from Ashton Gallaher (5th in the long jump with 15-09.50), Percy Griffin (1st in the shot put with 41-07.00), and Stargell Williams (3rd in the shot put with 45-11.25).
Overall, this meet proved to be a great pre-season fitness assessment and confidence booster for local prepsters. With fast times, big throws, and jumps both long and high already being posted, it appears as though this Spring will truly be one to remember. Hold on to your seats, folks, this is going to be quite a ride.