The Wrap Up
Kristin Sweeney - May 10, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
On April 30, the State Track and Field Series began at Showalter Field in Winter Park. That Friday, Tallahassee athletes who go to 1A schools set the stage for those who would follow in the 2A meet on Saturday (May 1) and the 3A meet the following Friday (May 6).
In the 1A competition, the ladies from Maclay finished seventh, and North Florida Christian's ladies tied for tenth. The guys' team from Maclay earned second place at the end of an exciting day! In order to rank so high in the state meet, these teams had to have athletes placing in the top eight; as is evident by the team rankings, Tallahassee's athletes accomplished this. In the running events, the day began with the 4x800. Both teams from Maclay finished fifth in this intense race. Even though he competed in four events throughout the course of the day, Maclay's Lee Williams brought home a gold in the 100 Meter dash (10.90). He also received fourth in the Long Jump (22'9.50"), third in the 200 (22.21), and first in the Triple Jump (46'4"). Williams earned a total of 31 points for the Marauders!
In the girls' 1600, Maclay's Kristin Sweeney finished fourth with a time of 5:11.84; she also ran the 2 mile, receiving sixth (11:34.88). The boys' 1600 was an extremely competitive race, but Patrick Swain ran a 4:33.16, which was sixth overall. Swain also earned points for Maclay with his seventh place finish in the 2-mile (9:58.36), and his teammate Austin Stevens was fifth (9:53.24). In one of the most exciting track races, the 4x100, Maclay's ladies finished seventh (51.47). For the third year in a row, Maclay's Stefanie Kurgatt dominated the open 800 with her 2:15.83. Scott Billings, also of Maclay, was fifth in the guys' 800 (2:00.39). Meanwhile, there was fierce competition in the field events too. Vaulting 14', Kyle Weaver, a Maclay sophomore, brought home a silver medal in the Pole Vault. In the ladies' Long Jump, North Florida Christian's freshman Darrielle McQueen won her first event of the day (18'4.25"). Maclay's Imoni McCorvey jumped (17'3"), finishing sixth. Later, the two ladies met again in the Triple Jump competition, and McQueen jumped 39'8" to earn gold. McCorvey finished second (38'2") by over two feet! As this busy but impressive day came to an end for the 1A teams, the 2A athletes were resting up for their chance to shine the following day.
As expected, the 2A meet was filled with great performances as well. Overall, Godby's ladies' team was fifteenth, Florida High's tied for twenty-seventh, and Rickards tied for forty-fifth. With sixty-five points and lots of medals, Godby's boys dominated the other teams by almost 20 points! Rickards tied for nineteenth, and Florida High tied for twenty-eighth. Brittany Corbett from Florida High was one of the point-earners of the day. By running the 100 Hurdles in 15.45, she received third. Her teammate, LaKetra McGee, was sixth (15.72) in this swift event. Godby's Quaniqua Hall did the 300 Hurdles in 45.51, which put her in fourth. The Cougar 4x100 was eighth in 48.77! In the High Jump, Jazmyn Evans, a freshman at Godby, finished third with her 5'4" jump. Hurling the shot put 36'10.50", Jennifer Berrian from Rickards finished eighth. During the boys' competition, Florida High's Albert Edwards received second place by merely a hundredth of a second in the 800 (1:55.02)! Then, Dieumy Duclos claimed second for Godby in the 3200 with a time of 9:34.93. In the 4x100, Rickards was seventh after prelims, but they returned and finished sixth with a time of 42.98.
Godby continued to rack up points in the field events. Brandon Hollifield jumped 6'8", and Traevis Livingston jumped 6'6" in the High Jump, which earned them third and sixth respectively. Adding to their team's points, Eddie Lloyd (14'6") and Billy Mueller (13'6") pole-vaulted themselves to second place and fifth place for Godby. Tallahassee was well represented in the Long Jump. Rickards' Ricky McGhee was second with his jump of 23'10'. Then, Godby's Quayshun Smith was third (23'7.25"), and his teammate Jamal Vickers was eighth (22'9.75"). Smith returned to win the Triple Jump (48'1.25"), and Vickers finished fifth (45'8.5"). Devin Screen threw 52'9" for fourth in the Shot Put, and then he won the Discus (183'10") by over seven inches! With all these points from the field events, the boys' team from Godby won by a huge margin. At the conclusion of the 2A state meet, only one more competition remained for Tallahassee's athletes: the 3A meet!
The Lady Timberwolves were third this year, and Lincoln tied for forty-fifth. In the guys' competition, Lincoln was tied for nineteenth, and Leon was tied for fortieth. Starting out the day with the 4x800, Chiles' ladies claimed seventh with their time of 9:35.89. Later, in the 1600, Lily Williams won by 2 seconds in a fast time of 4:56.20. She proceeded to dominate the 3200 as well, bringing home another gold medal with her 11:00.56. Her teammates also ran well in the mile and 2 mile. Rachel Givens broke a minute in the 1600 (4:59.89) and finished fourth; she was seventh in the 3200 (11:16.13) as well. Jodie McGuff was fourth in the 3200 (11:04.07), and Carly Thomas followed her in fifth (11:06.23). In the 400, Lincoln's Kendall Parker ran a 58.88, and she finished sixth. In the guys' 4x800, Lincoln's team finished sixth (8:00.76). Their 4x100 also did well, and they claimed fourth with a time of 42.03. Lincoln's Trevor Touchton was fifth in the mile (4:19.89), and he ran the fastest time in this event from Tallahassee. Riley Doherty of Leon finished fourth in the 3200 with his time of 9:24.60 (third place was 9:24.24 and fifth was 9:24.93!). Since there are not any 4A schools in Tallahassee, the conclusion of the 3A meet was the conclusion of high school Track and Field Season for local runners! With so much improvement, so many personal records, and so many impressive performances, the track teams of Tallahassee have been quite successful in 2011. Although it seems as if the 2012 track season is a long time away, many runners will pass the time by hitting the trails for cross country season!
More Post Season Track and Field
Kristin Sweeney - Apr 26, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Last week was a busy week for local track and field teams. On Wednesday, the 3A teams competed at Chiles in the District 2 meet. Then, on Thursday, both the 1A and the 2A competitors raced in the region competitions. Conveniently, the 1A teams were able to qualify for state while remaining in town for their meet, which was hosted by Maclay. A bit farther away, Bolles welcomed the 2A teams for the chance to qualify to compete at the state meet later this week in Winter Park. In all the post-season meets, the top 4 spots advance from districts to regions or regions to state.
1A
Both the Maclay girls and guys started the 1A region meet out with a win in the 4x800 relays. North Florida Christian's guys claimed second, which earns them a trip to state. The other track events followed later that afternoon. Meanwhile, there were some strong performances in the field events. NFC's Darrielle McQueen won the Long Jump (17'09") barely beating Maclay's Imoni McCorvey (17'2"). In the Triple Jump, however, the two ladies switched places when McCorvey took away the gold with her 36'6.75" jump, and McQueen earned second (35'2.75"). Lindsey Poole, an eighth grader from Maclay, also qualified for state with her 33'0.5" performance. In the boys' Pole Vault, Maclay sophomores Kyle Weaver (3rd- 13'6") and Matt Kim (4th – 12') both earned positions that enable them to compete at state. Maclay's Lee Williams won both the Triple (46'3.5") and the Long Jump (22'8.25"). Switching back to the running events, NFC's Darrielle McQueen received third in the 200 (26.27) and second in the 400 (1:01.08), which qualified her for state in a total of four events! Two ladies from Maclay, Tamani Wilson (1:01.08) and Kristen Fontela (1:01.20), claimed third and fourth respectively in the 400. Finishing in a 2:17.40, Stefanie Kurgatt of Maclay won the 800 and was followed by her teammate Elizabeth Santoro in second (2:26.06). In the 1600 and 3200 events, Kristin Sweeney qualified for the state meet from Maclay. Qualifying for her third event, Maclay's Imoni McCorvey received second in the 300 Hurdles with her 49.40. In the 4x100, Maclay's ladies earned their state ticket by receiving second, and Maclay finished out their day with a win in the 4x400. The ladies of Maclay finished first overall, and North Florida Christian was eighth. For the guys, Maclay's Lee Williams finished qualifying for his 4 events as he dominated in the 100 (10.83) and the 200 (21.78). With his diving finish, Maclay's Matt Antworth earned fourth in the 400 (52.13). His teammate Scott Billings broke two minutes in the 800, which placed him second. NFC'S freshman Luke Strickland also will make an appearance at state with his 2:00.01 800, which was third at this region meet. Claiming the top 3 spots in the 1600, Maclay had a strong showing. Travis Covert (4:37.79), Jacob Coates (4:38.97), and Patrick Swain (4:39.29) will all compete later this week. In the 3200, Austin Stevens (10:25.09) and Patrick Swain (10:25.11) went 1-2, earning 18 more points for the Maclay team. FAMU's Andre Williams earned second in the 300 Hurdles with his time of 42.59, and his team's 4x100 also finished second. FAMU's 4x400 (3:33.42) barely beat Maclay's (3:33.77) at the end of the day, but Maclay's team still ended up winning overall. FAMU was twelfth, and NFC was thirteenth in the region.
2A
Meanwhile, over in Jacksonville, the 2A Region 1 competition was taking place. Godby's Brandon Hollifield won the High Jump (6'8"), and his teammate Traevis Livingston will also join him at the state meet (6'6"). In the Pole Vault, Godby continued to dominate with Billy Mueller and Eddie Lloyd bringing home silver and bronze as they both vaulted 13'6". Once again, Godby did well in the boys' Long Jump. Jamal Vickers (23'1.5") beat his teammate Quayshun Smith (23'1") by half an inch. Ricky McGhee was third with his jump of 22'10". Smith later won the Triple Jump (46'3"), and Vickers received third (44'7.5"). Godby's thrower, Devin Screen, threw 178'1.5" in the Discus event, and he won by a margin of almost sixteen feet! Screen also won the Shot Put (51'7.75"). Thrower Jennifer Berrian earned some points in the field events for the Rickards' ladies in the Shot Put (3rd – 36'11.25"). The local runners continued to perform well in the running events. Freshman Caitlin Wilson finished second in the 100 (by 0.006!- 12.238) and first in the 200 (24.92). In the boys' race, Jonathan Butler received fourth with his 10.86 and third in the 200 (22.13). During the 400, Marrhea Everheart from Florida High finished third, breaking a minute with a 59.47. Tallahassee was well represented in the 100/110 Hurdle events! With Godby's Jazmyn Evans in first, Florida High's Brittany Corbett and LaKetra McGee followed her in second and third in the 100 Hurdles. Then, Davis Thurston from Godby received second in the 110 Hurdles. Quaniqua Hall from Godby then won the 300 Hurdles (45.46), and her teammate Montavious Williams was third in his race (39.60). Both the ladies and guys from Godby were third in their 4x100s, and the guys from Rickards won with their 4x100 team. Later in the longer events, Albert Edwards form Florida High won the 800 with his fast time of 1:53.38. Godby's Dieumy Duclos finished second in the 1600 (4:28.48) and first in the 3200 (9:54.71). Finally, in the 4x800, Florida High's ladies were fourth, and they will be the only Tallahassee team to compete in the 2A state meet. Overall, Godby was third, Florida High was seventh, and Rickards was eighteenth in the ladies' meet. Godby won the guys' competition, and was followed by Rickards in eighth. Florida High as fourteenth.
3A
Finally, the remaining Tallahassee track and field athletes competed at Chiles in the 3A District 2 competition. Lincoln's ladies did well in the sprint events with Brianna Watts-Pittman claiming third in the 100 (12.91), Raven Diggs second in the 200 (25.53), and Kendall Parker third in the 200 (26.34). Parker proceeded to win the 400 as well (1:00.05). Chiles dominated in the longer races. In the 800, Kelley Bahn was fourth (2:24.14). Lily Williams (5:09.88), Rachel Givens (5:09.89), Carly Thomas (5:10.92), and Jodie McGuff (5:11.16) finished first through fourth in the 1600. These same four ladies also claimed the top four spots in the 2-mile as well. Jessica Danforth from Chiles, Deanne Roberts from Lincoln, and her teammate Lakeshia Rains received second, third, and fourth respectively in the 100 Hurdles. Danforth also qualified for the region meet by claiming third in the 300 Hurdles and second in the Triple Jump (33'10.5"). Lincoln's ladies won the 4x100. Chiles was fourth in the 4x400 and third in the 4x800. In the field events, Deanne Roberts of Lincoln won the High Jump (5'), and she was followed by Leon's Brooke Eubanks (4'8") who also received fourth in the Triple Jump (31'10.75"). Chiles senior Haley Watts won the Pole Vault with her nine-foot vault. Later, Raven Diggs from Lincoln finished third in the Long Jump after also qualifying in the 100. Brianna Watts-Pittman also qualified for her second event by winning the Triple Jump (35'8.25"). Representing Lincoln in the Shot Put, Kystena Hutchings threw 30' which was good for fourth place. Overall, Chiles won the competition, Lincoln was third, and Leon was eighth. In the boys' meet, Lincoln runners Roshard Williams (10.85) and Davis Reggie (11.07) sandwiched Juan Neloms from Leon (10.88) in the 100. Williams and Davis also will compete again in the 200 due to their 2nd (22.26) and 3rd (22.55) place finishes. Jordan Davis will represent Leon in the 400 this week because he earned fourth with his 52.12. In the 800, Lincoln's Alex Close won (1:59.87), beating out Leon's John Hazelton (2:01.22). Earning ten points for Lincoln with his win, Trevor Touchton (4:26.30) barely beat Taylor Buzzard (4:27.45) of Chiles in the 1600. Lincoln's Jacob Slupecki will also compete at the region meet since he received fourth (4:28.73). In the 3200, Riley Doherty was the only local competitor to qualify with his 9:47.95 second-place finish. William Moore from Chiles qualified in both the 110 and the 300 Hurdles, and his teammate Andrew Washington qualified in the 300 as well. In the relays, Lincoln won the 4x100 while Leon was fourth. Lincoln and Chiles received second and third respectively in the 4x400, and Lincoln won the 4x800 with Chiles in fourth. Meanwhile, in the field events, Chris Garye (6'2") and Kendall Randolph (5'10") from Lincoln earned first and fourth. Pole Vaulting 11'6", Matt Boone of Chiles finished third. Lincoln's Ronald Butler was second in the Long Jump (21'3"). His teammates Joshua Gilmore (43'5") and Trevon Huff (43'0.5") were 1-2 in the Shot Put, and Gilmore proceeded to win the discus with his throw of 137'9". Lake Meadows of Leon also qualified in the Discus with his 115'11", and he tied for third. Lincoln's guys received second; Chiles followed them in fifth and Leon in sixth.
On Thursday, the 3A teams will venture to Pensacola to compete in the 3A Region 1 meet. The next day, the 1A teams will toe the line at the 1A State Meet on the track of Showalter Field in Winter Park. Saturday, the 2A teams will be presented with the same opportunity. For all the schools, the days of the 2011 track season are dwindling. Hopefully, these remaining days will be filled with excitement and success as local athletes represent Tallahassee with their talent and hard work.
Kristin’s Post Season Look
Kristin Sweeney - Apr 17, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
The post-season has begun! Last Thursday, Maclay hosted the 1A District 3 competition. At the same time, 2A District 2 competitors gathered at Florida High to vie for a spot at the regional competition, which will be held later this week.
4x800 – Both Maclay (1A) and Florida High (2A) started out their competitions with winning relays. Maclay was followed by NFC in second, and Florida High was followed by Godby in third. Maclay's guys also took home the gold, and NFC received second too. Both Florida High and Rickards qualified for the region meet this week in the 2A meet.
100/110 hurdles – While none of the 1A competitors were from Tallahassee, Brittany Corbett won the 2A competition for Florida High with a 15.07. Godby's Jazmyn Evan was second (15.10), and Florida High's LaKetra McGee was third (15.62). Although none of the local 1A runners advanced, Godby will be represented by Davis Thurston (15.08), Montavious Williams (15.10), Eddie St. Hilaire (15.32), and Jacquacy Shaw (15.38) who claimed all four advancing positions.
100 meter dash – Two ladies from Godby will race again this week! Coming in first, Caitlin Wilson (12.48) beat out her teammate Azarya Evans-Jenkins (3rd - 12.91). Maclay's Lee Williams will be the sole representative of Tallahassee in the 1A meet. He was first in 10.94. Jonathan (10.98) and Joseph (11.24) Butler will both advance in the 2A competition for Rickards, and they received 2nd and 4th.
1600 – With their 1-2-3-4 sweep, Kristin Sweeney (5:18.28), Stefanie Kurgatt (5:28.08), Emma Harrelson (6:11.32), and Brittany Scanameo (6:23.74) earned Maclay 29 points. Florida High's Brionnah Kreps (5:49.43) and Langlee Toothman (5:53.61) will compete again this week due to their second and third finishes. All the advancing spots were taken by Maclay. With the pack led by Jacob Coates (4:57.30), Travis Covert, Patrick Swain, and Connor Daughton will also compete Thursday. Godby's Dieumy Duclos (4:44.00) ran a strong race in the 2A competition, and he was followed by Florida High's Joseph Garcia (4:47.09) and Walker Toothman (5:03.55) who will also advance.
4x100 – Maclay won this event at the 1A meet. Meanwhile, Godby and Rickards finished first and second in the 2A meet which will advance them to regionals. Both FAMU and Maclay will partake in the region 1A race this week; Rickards and Godby will also have the opportunity to proceed to state based upon their performance in the 2A competition.
400 meter dash – Four ladies will represent Tallahassee in both the 1A and 2A competition this week: Darrielle McQueen (1:01.10) of North Florida Christian was first, Tamani Wilson (1:01.21) was second, Kristen Fontela (1:02.60) was third, and Lindsey Poole (1:06.10) was fourth and the third girl from Maclay. Similarly, Godby's Caitlin Wilson (59.08) claimed her second gold of the day, and she was followed by 3 Florida High competitors – Marrhea Everheart (59.91), Shantel Ardley (1:03.16), and Ahtina Allen (1:03.20). In the 1A meet, Maclay's Matthew Antworth (1st-52.51) was followed by FAMU's Jake Bryant (2nd – 53.30) and Cameron Walker (3rd - 54.37). None of the local guys will compete in the 2A meet this week.
300 Hurdles – Maclay's Imoni McCorvey and Caroline Willis finished first and third in the 1A meet. At the 2A, Quaniqua Hall and Jazmyn Evans earned first and fourth for Godby while LaKetra McGee and Brittany Corbett claimed second and third for Florida High. FAMU's Andre Williams took 2nd in the 1A meet with a 45.85. Godby's Montavious Williams and Eddie St. Hilaire received 2nd and 3rd, and they will advance as well as Malchom Ford from Rickards.
800 – Stefanie Kurgatt (2:30.67) won in the 1A race, and Elizabeth Santoro, Beeta Akhavan, and Nicole McClemore also qualified for the next race. In 2A, Savana Osterbye (2:29.40) and Sydney Earp (2:35.07) placed second and third for Florida High. Local runners claimed the four advancing positions in the 1A race. NFC brothers Luke (2:02.82) and Blair (2:03.99) Strickland brought home the gold and silver. Maclay's Scott Billings (2:05.36) and Alex Artecona (2:10.00) received third and fourth. Around the same time, 3 other competitors advanced in the 2A meet. Florida High's Albert Edwards (2:00.79) and Joseph Garcia (2:04.22) claimed 1-2, while Kaytron Coker of Godby was third with his 2:07.76.
200 – At the 1A meet, North Florida Christian's Darrielle McQueen finished third (27.07), which gives her the chance to claim a state bound place this week. Godby's Caitlin Wilson (25.69) won her third event at the 2A competition, and Florida High's Marrhea Everheart (26.76) and Ahtina Allen (27.33) finished third and fourth. Maclay's Lee Williams won his second running event of the day with his time of 22.33 in the 1A meet. After qualifying in the 100, Jonathan Butler of Rickards claimed 2nd (22.51).
3200 - With another first through fourth sweep, Kristin Sweeney, Linsdsey Poole, Emma Harrelson, and Brittany Scanameo competed in this event for Maclay. After they both competed in the 1600, Langlee Toothman claimed first with her 12:59.78, and Brionnah Kreps finished fourth with a 13:25.96. Maclay's guys swept the 4 advancing spots in their race as well, with Austin Stevens, Patrick Swain, Travis Covert, and Connor Daughton taking 1-4. At the 2A race, Dieumy Duclos from Godby won his second race of the day, and his teammate Jarod Hoffman also qualified by finishing fourth.
4x400 – Maclay fielded a winning relay to finish out the 1A meet, and NFC came in third. Just as in the 4x400, Florida High won and Godby was third at the 2A race. Maclay's guys concluded their day with a win, and FAMU was second. Godby finished the day with a second place finish, and Florida High also qualified in fourth.
Discus – While none of the 1A contenders qualified, Tallahassee will be represented in the 2A region meet by four ladies: Godby's Bernicia Holifield, Rickards' Jennifer Berrian, Florida High's Symone Holliday, and Godby's Ashley Martin in 1-4 respectively. Both from NFC, Hunter Lastinger (2nd) and Jacob Klees (4th) threw over 100'. Devin Screen won this event for Godby, earning his team 10 points.
Shot – Shannon Owens and Jennifer Berrian received first and second for Rickards, and Bernicia Hollifield claimed fourth for Godby. These ladies will compete next week in the 2A meet. NFC'S Josh Crow received fourth, which enables him to advance to the regional 1A meet. Devin Screen from Godby won his second event of the day!
Long Jump – NFC's Darrielle McQueen earned first, beating Maclay's second place Imoni McCorvey. Caitlin Wilson earned gold for the fourth time in one day for Godby. Brittany Corbett from Florida High and Sharzay Thomas of Godby will also jump again this week. Maclay's Lee Williams won his third even tof the day, and another local athlete, Jake Bryan from FAMU, received fourth. Godby's Jamal Vickers and Quayshun Smith went 1-2, and they were followed by Rickard's Ricky McGee in third.
Triple Jump – Imoni McCorvey (1st) and Darrielle McQueen (2nd) switched spots in this event after the long jump, but both will proceed to the next competition. They will be accompanied by Maclay's Lindsey Poole who finished fourth. Only one girl qualified in the 2A meet. Sharzay Thomas finished fourth. Lee Williams earned his fourth individual gold of the day, and he will be the only local runner in the 1A meet. Godby claimed the top 3 places with Quayshun Smith, Bakarri Harris, and Jamal Vickers respectively. Florida High's Devin Odom was able to claim fourth in this 2A event.
High Jump – Maclay had one girl qualify for regionals: Nikki Anico with her 4'2" jump. Two girls, Brittany Corbett (1st) of Florida High and Jazmyn Evans (2nd) of Godby qualified in 2A. Shelby Collins from NFC received 2nd, and Brett Landau of Maclay grabbed fourth which enables them to compete in the regional meet this week. Three guys from Godby (Brandon Hollifield, Traevis Livingston, and Andrews Dennis) as well as Florida High's Devin Odom will all compete again later this week in the 2A meet.
Pole Vault – There were not any 1A competitors this year for the pole vault. In 2A, Mariah Kill earned second for Florida High, and Godby's Mikela Melton and Dominique Gillings finished third and fourth. Maclay's Kyle Weaver won the event, and his teammate Matt Kim received third in the 1A competition. In the 2A event, Billy Mueller, Joseph Westberry, and Eddie Lloyd from Godby claimed 1-3. Darrel Grandison of Rickards was fourth.
Clearly, Tallahassee will be well represented this week as all of these local athletes compete to claim a ride to the state competition. While the 1A Region 1 meet will be hosted by Maclay Thursday, the 2A Region 1 meet will be held in Jacksonville. On Wednesday, Chiles will host the 3A District 2 competition, which will be the kick-off of the post-season for the remaining Tallahassee teams. In these final days of the 2011 season, athletes are starting to peak. Be on the lookout for some great performances this week!
Kristin Doubles - City Championships and Capital City Track and Field Championships
Kristin Sweeney - Apr 14, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Two meets were held in Tallahassee last week! On Tuesday, the Tallahassee City Championships at FSU's Mike Long Track served as the venue for a battle amongst all the local teams. Saturday, the Timberwolves hosted the Chiles Capital City Track and Field Championship. Between these two community competitions, the majority of the local competitors have had the opportunity to run, jump, or throw in the past week. With the upcoming IA and IIA Districts this week (next week for 3A and 4A), these meets produced results competitive throughout the state of Florida.
4x800 – At City Champs, Jodie McGuff, Kelly Bahn, Carly Thomas, and Lily Williams ran a speedy 9:31.90, earning first place for Chiles. Lincoln started out City Champs with 10 points for their boys (Jacob Slupecki, Trevor Touchton, Cameron Joseph, and Alex Close), who won the event in 8:14.25.
100/110 hurdles – Florida High's LaKetra McGee (15.13) prevailed in this quick race at Chiles, and her teammate Brittany Corbett came in second at both Chiles (15.48) and FSU (15.43). Jazymn Evans from Godby won the event at the City Champs (15.21). Godby's Davis Thurston (15.02) barely beat out his teammate, Jacquacy Shaw (15.05), for the gold medal in the same competition.
100 meter dash – Lincoln's Raven Diggs posted a 12.49 at the City Champs, beating out Godby's Caitlin Wilson by 0.05. Lee Williams from Maclay sprinted an impressive 10.76, winning City Champs by four tenths.
1600 – Not only did Lily Williams win the 800 at her home meet, but she also sped past the competition in the mile in a time of 5:18.30. At FSU's track, Trevor Touchton of Lincoln took merely 4:25.52 to finish his 4 laps.
4x100 – Earlier in the week Lincoln's ladies won at City Champs (51.52), and they continued this trend at Chiles with a 49.73. Rickards posted the fastest time in the area for the boys at City champs with their time of 42.65.
400 meter dash – Breaking a minute in 59.09, Lincoln's Raven Diggs sprinted to victory at the City Champs. Florida High's Albert Edwards completed this lap-long race in 50.72 at Chiles winning that competition by almost 2 seconds!
300 Hurdles – Quaniqua Hall from Godby posted the week's fastest time in this event with her 47.30. Her teammate, Eddie St. Hilaire, finished in 40.88, one tenth ahead of Jacquacy Shaw (40.98) who also attends Godby.
800 – With her 2:19.23, junior Lily Williams from Chiles won her event at home. With 3 of the competitors under 2 minutes, Albert Edwards won this race at City Champs for Florida High in 1:57.25. John Hazelton was second in 1:57.71, and Alex Close was third in 1:57.90.
200 – Caitlin Wilson from Godby claimed this title with her 25.57, and although she did not participate in this event at Chiles, her time would have won the event there as well. Maclay's Lee Williams not only dominated the 100-meter dash, but he also added a gold to his collection in the 200 (21.89) at City Champs.
3200 – In 11:37.32, Kristin Sweeney claimed the 2-mile race at the City Championships. In the next heat, Riley Doherty from Leon won by 11 seconds with a 9:48.93.
4x400 – At the end of the meet, Florida High claimed the title at City Champs in 4:09.35. Lincoln's athletes finished the meet just as they started it: with 10 points for their time of 3:26.37.
Discus – At City Champs, Jennifer Berrian from Rickards threw 102', which was the best in the city. Devin Screen from Godby was the victor in this event due to his throw of 170'7".
Shot – Berrian continued her winning streak in the Shot Put when she threw 32'4.50". Another gold for Godby, Screen hurled the shot put 51'0.50" at City Champs.
Long Jump – North Florida Christian's Darrielle McQueen continued her impressive season with her victory jump of 17'10". With his lengthy landing at 22'10", Quayshun Smith brought home a gold for Godby at City Champs.
Triple Jump – McQueen also won this event with 37'2.5". In his fourth event of the evening, Lee Williams of Maclay received his third gold at City Champs with his 46'10".
High Jump – Florida High's Brittany Corbett did well in both the hurdles and the high jump. She won this event at City Champs by jumping 5'2". Chris Garye from Lincoln jumped the highest (6'4") in the area for the week at Chiles.
Pole Vault – With a vault of 10'6", Haley Watts received first place for Chiles at the City Champs. Godby's Billy Mueller and Maclay's Kyle Weaver tied for first with their final vault of 13'.
At City Champs, the ladies from Florida High and the guys from Godby brought home first place. On Saturday at Chiles, the both squads of Timberwolves dominated. With all the local competitors competing in their respective events either at City Champs, Chiles, or both, Tallahassee teams are gearing up for the post season!
Closing out March
Kristin Sweeney - Mar 28, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Last weekend, local runners had the luxury of competing at home! Even though the competition from all over Florida was stiff, Tallahassee was well represented by athletes with impressive performances from its many schools. Although this summary does not do the fast competition justice, here is a brief glimpse of the high school highlights from FSU's Mike Long Track.
Track Events:
4x800 – The only team to represent Tally in this race, the ladies of Florida High School ran a time of 10:55.80! With a speedy time of 8:04.55, Lincoln received fourth place for the boys.
100/110 hurdles – Teammates Brittany Corbett (15.86) and LaKetra McGee (15.88) were merely two one-hundredths apart as they claimed ninth and tenth for Florida High. Later, Montavious Williams from Godby finished fourth in a time of 15.58.
100 meter dash – Sophomore Raven Diggs from Lincoln posted a speedy 12.72; junior Lee Williams from Maclay sprinted a 10.70 taking second in this brief but thrilling event.
1600 – Winning this race in 4:57.60, Lily Williams of Chiles was 0.29 off her personal record despite racing the 3200 the previous evening. Lincoln's Trevor Touchton also returned after a notable 800 the night before, and he ran a time of 4:27.69.
4x100 – Just four one-hundredths apart, Godby (49.80) and Lincoln (48.84) battled out for sixth and seventh place in this exciting race. In the boys' race, Lincoln also beat out the fourth place team by four one-hundredths, claiming their bronze medal with a 42.54.
400 meter dash – Breaking a minute with her 58.46, Raven Diggs from Lincoln finished fourth in her second race (she also ran the 100). Lincoln Charles from Chiles was the fastest Tallahassee competitor with his 53.10.
300 Hurdles – Godby's Quaniqua Hall finished tenth with a 47.25, and Chiles's William Moore claimed ninth with a personal record of 41.00.
800 – Stefanie Kurgatt of Maclay finished strong with her fourth place 2:20.22. Taking bronze, Trevor Touchton from Lincoln ran a rapid 1:56.57.
3200 – This race was stacked with fierce competitors for both the girls and the boys, but Lily Williams of Chiles completed her eight laps in 10:87.82. Leon's Riley Doherty ran his circles around the track in 9:31.10.
4x400 – Florida High began the meet with a good 4x800 relay, and closed the meet for both the girls and the guys in the same way. Both teams ran season best times with the girls finishing in 4:12.81, and the boys finishing in 3:39.41.
Field Events:
Discus- Godby's Bernicia Holifield threw the discus 101'1" which put her in fifth overall. Her teammate Devin Screen won the competition for the boys with his throw of 171'6".
Shot Put – While the competition for the girls lacked any Tallahassee representatives, Godby's Devin Screen threw a 51'8.5" which added a silver medal to his collection for the meet!
Long Jump- Only in ninth grade, North Florida Christian's Darrielle McQueen came in fifth place, making her mark at 16'7.75". Jama Vickers (22'0.25") and Quayshun Smith (21'11.75") racked up some points for Godby with their third and fourth place finishes.
Triple Jump – NFC's Darrielle McQueen did even better in the triple jump than the long jump. She brought home a silver medal with her 36'11.75". Jakarri Thomas (42'6.5") form Godby jumped farther than he ever has before which put him in sixth overall.
High Jump – Freshman Brittany Corbett tied a senior for sixth by jumping 4'1". Even though teams traveled from near and far to compete in this meet, Brandon Hollifield of Godby still brought home gold by jumping 6'8".
Pole Vault – Although Tallahassee ladies did not place in this event, Maclay's Kyle Weaver earned second vaulting 13'6".
Following a school-free week of spring break, many of the athletes from Tallahassee had lots to celebrate after this competition! It seems as if this season has just begun, yet City Championships are rapidly approaching (Tuesday, 4/5). After that, the post-season fun begins…be sure to keep an eye out for exciting news from the track as the 2011 season progresses!
Another Weekend of Track
Kristin Sweeney - Mar 13, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Last Friday, the Chiles Timberwolves, the Florida High Seminoles, and the Maclay Marauders ventured to Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida to compete in the Bolles Bulldog Classic. With sunny, blue skies and a perfect running temperature, Tallahassee was represented well by its athletes. The next day, North Florida Christian and Rickards traveled to Bainbridge, Georgia for the Larry Clark Track and Field Invitational. Here are the best performances from the area this past weekend.
Track Events:
4x800 – Maclay posted the quickest times in this event with the girls in third (10:00.49) and the boys in seventh (8:26.79).
100/110 hurdles – Seminole Brittany Corbett earned second (16.20), even though she is only a freshman! Andrew Washington of Chiles came in sixth with a time of 16.04.
100 meter dash – North Florida Christian's Darrielle McQueen sprinted the fastest in this event, finishing ninth in 13.27. Jonathan Butler from Rickards also claimed ninth with his 11.37.
1600 – With a new personal record of 4:57.31, Lily Williams from Chiles won this race by almost ten seconds! Patrick Swain ran a time of 4:28.32 earning Maclay four points in fifth place.
4x100 – Rickards posted the fastest times in this event for both the girls (53.34) and boys (43.34).
400 meter dash – Rickards posted the fastest times in this event with Delysia Davis speeding around the track in 1:05.38 and Kentron James in 56.20.
300 Hurdles – LaKetra McGee finished in a time of 49.97, bringing home the bronze for Florida High. Claiming second in this event, Andrew Washington from Chiles ran a personal record of 40.92.
800 – Lily Williams from Chiles won her second event of the day in a time of 2:18.44. Florida High's Albert Edwards posted a speedy 1:59.90 just a short while later.
200 – Finishing third, Darrielle McQueen from North Florida Christian ran a 26.57, scoring in her third event of the day. Jonathan Butler of Rickards ran a 23.19, earning his team 2 points in seventh place.
3200 – Carly Thomas of Chiles dominated in the 2 mile, running a personal record of 11:04.35. Her teammate Cade Zimmerman finished in only 10:06.50, also earning a PR.
4x400 – The Timberwolves triumphed in the 4x4 with the girls finishing in 4:20.10 for third and the boys in 3:41.51 for ninth.
Field Events:
Discus Throw – Earning a new personal record and a gold medal, Jennifer Berrian of Rickards threw 102'4". Cleveland Richardson from Chiles finished with 93'7" for the day.
Shot Put – Jennifer Berrian came in third in this event with her mark of 30'3". Reginal Griggs from Rickards threw 41'3.5" putting him in tenth place.
Long Jump – In Bainbridge, Darrielle McQueen from North Florida Christian jumped 17' 3.25" earning her second place. Finishing twenty-seventh overall, Anthony Medeuhue from Florida High landed at 18' 2".
Triple Jump – Taking home her second silver of the day, Darrielle McQueen triple jumped 16' 7.25". Darrel Grandison of Rickards brought home a new personal record with his 40'5" tying him for tenth.
High Jump – Ninth grader Brittany Corbett jumped 5-00.00 feet, earning Florida High two points with her seventh place finish. Her teammate, Devin Odem jumped 6-00.00 ffet, coming in sixth place. Ricky McGhee of Rickards also jumped 6-00.00 feet.
Pole Vault – Haley Watts from Chiles vaulted 10 feet in Jacksonville, placing her in second. Maclay's Kyle Weaver also claimed second, vaulting 13 feet, 6 inches.
In the competition for the ladies in Jacksonville, Chiles came in third, Florida High finished eleventh, and Maclay was thirteenth. For the boys, Florida High earned fourteenth, and Chiles and Maclay tied for fifteenth. Saturday in Bainbridge, the ladies of Rickards were twelfth followed by North Florida Christian in thirteenth. Rickards was the only guys team to place in tenth overall. Marks continue to get better, and times continue to drop as the 2011 track season continues!
A Big Weekend for Track
Kristin Sweeney - Mar 7, 2011
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Although some local schools have already competed in track meets thus far, last Saturday marked the first day of the 2011 track and field season when all the area teams displayed their talents. Two Tallahassee high schools hosted two competitive competitions.
The Timberwolves welcomed many schools to their battleground including Florida High, Leon, and North Florida Christian. Representing Florida High, Ahtinna Allen won the 200 Meter Dash in 28.08. Her teammates, LaKetra McGee and Brittany Corbett also received gold medals in the 300 Meter Hurdles and the High Jump respectively. These first place finishes along with strong performances by the rest of the Florida High girls' squad led the team to second place overall! Leading the Lady Lions to sixth, Jada Morgan won the 400 Meter Dash with her 1:04.04. The ladies of Chiles also posted many impressive times throughout the day. In the 800, Lily Williams (2:19.47), Jodie McGuff (2:30.39), Kelley Bahn (2:30.57), and Carly Thomas (2:34.59) swept the top four places. These same ladies claimed four of the top five spots in the 1600 as well, with Williams taking gold in a time of 5:05.13. During the longest event of the day, the 3200, Rachel Givens (12:10.63) led four other Timberwolves who also claimed first through fourth. The Chiles 4x800 relay also won in a time of 10:18.89. Due to this hard work, Chiles finished the competition in third place. North Florida Christian came in ninth.
In the boys' competition, Florida High's Joseph Garcia (2:08.21) barely beat out Sam Sutton of Chiles (2:08.50) for first place in the 800 Meter race. Garcia's contribution to the team helped Florida High to claim fourth in the day's festivities, and Chiles was fifth. Leon's John Hazleton won the mile (4:40.19), almost matching his personal record. His teammates Riley Doherty (9:51.81) and Will Stanford (10.07.92) claimed 1-2 in the 3200. The Lions finished sixth for the day; North Florida Christian was ninth.
A few miles away on its blue track, Godby hosted the Jesse Forbes Invitational with a middle school meet on Friday followed by the high school competition Saturday. Raven Diggs (59.30) and Kendall Parker (1:00.69) of Lincoln received first and third in the 400 Meter Dash, with Godby's Caitlin Wilson (59.95) bettering her personal record by over two seconds coming in second. Elizabeth Santoro (800 – 2:30.32), Stefanie Kurgatt (1600 – 5:43.28), and Kristin Sweeney (3200 -12:12.28) all won first in their events for Maclay, assisting their team to tie for a third place finish with Lincoln. In the 100 Meter Hurdles, Godby's Jazmyn Evans took home a gold with her 15.76. Her teammate, Quaniqua Hall, also won the 300 Meter Hurdles in 48.50. Godby's 4x100 (49.90) also won. Bernicia Holifield grabbed another individual gold in the shot put for Godby, helping to secure her team's first place. North Florida Christian's Darielle McQueen earned her team 20 points by winning both the Long Jump and the Triple Jump. North Florida Christian placed eighth, and Rickards was ninth. Taj Williams (51.97) and Alex Close (52.31), both from Lincoln, finished first and second in the 400. Their teammate Trevor Touchton was the victor in both the 800 (1:56.17) and the 1600 (4:29.81). These three along with Jacob Slupecki (2nd in 3200 – 9:55.66) dominated the 4x800 as well. Lincoln placed second at the end of the day. Patrick Swain won the 3200 in 9:53.10, and Lee Williams jump the farthest in both the Long Jump and the Triple Jump. The boys' of Maclay earned third. Godby's team came in first, with several first place finishes. Thurston Davis led the pack in the 110 Meter Hurdles (14.58). Brandon Hollifield won the High Jump, and Devin Screen triumphed in the Discus. FAMU High participated and finished nineteenth.
With this busy weekend behind the Tallahassee track and field athletes, some teams will compete again on Friday in Jacksonville. All the local teams have started off with admirable performances this season, and they will continue to improve with time and training.
State Championships
Kristin Sweeney - Nov 24, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
The state cross country competition marked the conclusion of the season for many of the area teams last Saturday at Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City, Florida. Remarkably, the ladies of Chiles defended their state title for the third consecutive year with three of their runners in the top ten: Lily Williams was the runner-up for the second year in a row with a time of 17:58; Carly Thomas took fourth in 17:59; Jodie McGuff (18:49) was tenth. Kelley Bahn (19:32) finished twenty-first, and Sara Lane ran a time of 20:04 for thirty-sixth. This impressive team will compete later this week in the Nike Southeast Regional Championship in North Carolina. Riley Doherty (15:47) of Leon received fourth in the boys' 3A competition. His teammates John Hazelton (7th -15:54), Benjamin McMahon (27th – 16:25), and William Henderson (38th – 16:36) helped the Lions to third. Jacob Slupecki (16:28) was Lincoln's lead runner in twenty-eighth, and the Trojans earned ninth overall. In thirty-fourth with a time of 16:34, Taylor Buzzard led the Timberwolves to thirteenth.
For the 2A competition, Dieumy Duclos from Godby ran a time of 16:19 taking eleventh. Florida High was also represented by Joseph Garcia (63rd - 17:14). Even with a young team, the ladies of Maclay finished ninth in the 1A race led by Kristin Sweeney in seventh with a personal record of 18:30. Seniors Patrick Swain (15:44) and Austin Stevens (16:35) came in fourth and seventeenth respectively in the competitive boys' 1A race. Also helping the Marauders to their third place finish were Travis Covert (16:47) in twenty-first, Jacob Coates (16:48) in twenty-second, and Dennis Keane (17:22) in forty-first. Although a few runners and teams will venture out of state for more post-season competition, the 2010 cross-country season was wrapped up for most runners last Saturday. Thankfully, Tallahassee was well represented at the Ranch by athletes groomed on the plethora of trails our town has to offer. Only nine more months until the fun of cross-country begins again in 2011!
Post Season on the Run
Kristin Sweeney - Nov 8, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
The post-season has begun! The first district competition was the 1A race held on Thursday at Maclay. In the girls' race, Kristin Sweeney and Stefanie Kurgatt of Maclay led the pack. Their teammates Lindsey Poole (21:37) in eighth, Elizabeth Santoro (21:56) in eleventh, and Emma Harrelson (22:15) in fourteenth helped the Maruaders win the meet. John Paul II was led by Aileen Kadzis who finished ninth with a time of 21:47. The Panthers received ninth overall. For the boys, Patrick Swain took first, followed by Austin Stevens (17:20) in third, Travis Covert (17:25) in fourth, Jacob Coates (17:29) in fifth, and Matt Antworth (18:08) in eighth. With merely twenty points, the Marauders won by over fifty. North Florida Christian finished seventh led by Jonathan Strickland (19:16) in twenty-fourth.
Saturday, the 2A competition occurred in Marianna. Sydney Earp of Florida High ran a 20:55, and her teammate Allision Murray (21:15) finished twelfth. Their team finished third. Godby's Dieumy Duclos ran a 16:23 to win the boys' race and helping his team to place eighth. The Florida High boys were led by Albert Edwards who finished seventh in a 17:05. Joseph Garcia (17:32) placed thirteenth, assisting the Seminoles to their fourth place finish.
The 3A competition was also held on Saturday, but the Tallahassee teams ventured to Pace, Florida for the festivitities. Lily Williams paved the way for the victorious Timberwolves with her winning time of 18:26. Carly Thomas (18:43) was third, Jodie Mcguff (19:24) was eighth, Kelley Bahn (19:44) was thirteenth, and Stephanie Reynolds (19:47) was fourteenth. Leon brought home sixth, and their first finisher was Brooke Eubanks in twelfth with a time of 19:43. The Trojans received twelfth place. John Hazelton (15:43) and Riley Doherty (15:52) grabbed first and second for Leon in the boys' competition, helping the Lions to second place. Jacob Slupecki of Lincoln ran 16:00, and his teammate Trevor Touchton stopped the clock at 16:30. Their sixth and twelfth place finishes enabled the Trojans to come in fourth. With his seventh place time of 16:13, Taylor Buzzard helped Chiles to receive sixth overall.
Yet another successful week of cross country is over, and most of the area competitors look forward to another exciting week as they hopefully perform well at the regional level.
Panhandle Championships
Kristin Sweeney - Oct 23, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Early Saturday morning, most of the Tallahassee competitors meandered to Marianna for the Panhandle Cross Country Championships. First, the varsity boys raced. Patrick Swain dominated the race by twelve seconds with his personal record of 15:37, earning the first spot on the All Panhandle Team. He, along with the eleventh place finish of Austin Stevens (16:24) and Travis Covert's (16:39) nineteenth, helped Maclay receive fourth. Finishing fourth individually in a best time of 15:57, Taylor Buzzard of Chiles led his team to fifth overall. His teammate, Sam Sutton, also qualified for the All Panhandle Team in seventh place with a time of 16:13. With Jacob Slupecki (16:11) in sixth, Trevor Touchton (16:22) in tenth, and Alex Close (16:42) in twentieth, Lincoln brought home the third place trophy. Other area teams that competed include FSU High School in ninth place, Godby in fifteenth, North Florida Christian in nineteenth, and Rickards in twenty-second.
After the conclusion of the boys' competition, the girls toed the line. Establishing a new course record, Lily Williams of Chiles led the ladies with her 17:46. Her teammates Carly Thomas (18:01) and Jodie McGuff (19:05) also qualified for the All Panhandle Team. The final two scoring members of the winning Chiles squad were Kelly Bahn who came in fifteenth with a 19:45, and Stephanie Reynolds who finished in nineteenth with a 19:59. In second, Maclay's Stefanie Kurgatt ran the course in 17:59, and her teammate Kristin Sweeney (18:54) finished fifth. The Marauders placed sixth overall, and Leon followed them in seventh. FSU High School earned tenth, Lincoln placed twelfth, and John Paul II finished twenty-first. As is seen in the results, the Panhandle Cross Country Championships offered a quick course with gorgeous weather and lots of personal records. Only two weeks away from the post-season fun, the runners of Tallahassee continue to improve.
PreState and More
Kristin Sweeney - Oct 18, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
While some teams such as FSU High School, JPII, Lincoln, Maclay, and North Florida Christian remained in town this past weekend to train and prepare for the end of the season, other teams generated speedy times on the road. Both Chiles and Leon entered the competition at the Little Everglades Pre-State Invitational held on the state course in Dade City.
The girls of Chiles had impressive performances in the elite race. Lily Williams completed the course in a quick time of 17:44, earning her second place. Teammate Carly Thomas dropped below the eighteen-minute barrier for the first time with her fourth place 17:55. Jodie McGuff ran an eighteenth place 18:44 helping to secure the team's third place. The Leon ladies participated in the large schools competition, and Brooke Eubanks finished in 20:36 for twenty-fourth place. Autumn Wable (20:51) earned thirty-seventh, and their team placed fifteenth. In the elite competition for the boys, Riley Dougherty ran a time of 15:36 which put him in fifteenth. Twenty seconds later, his teammate John Hazelton stopped the clock at 15:56. About a second later, Taylor Buzzard (15:57) of Chiles finished in thirty-second. In this race of over two hundred competitors, the Lions claimed sixth place and the Timberwolves came in twenty-fourth.
At the 2nd Annual Mosley Dolphin Dash in Lynn Haven, Astrid Martinez (27:10) of Godby was the first finisher for her team in thirty-second. Godby's Dieumy Duclos crushed the competition by over forty seconds with his 16:54. In thirteenth place, George Stoney, also of Godby, ran an 18:24. Two Godby freshmen, Jarod Hoffman (20:04) and Josh Colvin (20:22), received thirty-second and thirty-sixth respectively. Overall, Godby earned fifth place. Rickards was led by Malchom Ford (20:55), and the team was eleventh. A little closer to Tallahassee, the Panhandle Cross Country Championships will be held in Marianna this Saturday. Expect some fast times and close races, especially after the times posted this weekend!
An Invite to the ARP
Kristin Sweeney - Oct 10, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
As the sun was rising Saturday morning, runners from near and far prepared to race locally at the Apalachee Regional Park, more commonly known as the ARP. Around 7:45, the boys' race of the FSU Invitational began with contestants from over twenty-four teams. The highest scoring Tallahassee competitor was Patrick Swain in fifth place with a time of 15:50. This, along with the finishes of Austin Stevens (16:44) in twentieth place and Travis Covert (16:56) in twenty-ninth place helped the Marauders secure fifth place. Trevor Touchton of Lincoln ran a seventeenth place time of 16:40, leading the Trojans to eighth place. Finishing twenty-second, Diuemy Duclos (16:40) contributed to Godby's nineteenth place. Other Tallahassee teams that raced Saturday are FSU High School in seventeenth, North Florida Christian in twenty-second, and Rickards in twenty-fourth.
About a half hour later, the gun went off again signaling the start of the girls' race, which also fielded twenty-three plus teams. Stefanie Kurgatt ran a time of 18:42 dropping over a minute from last year, and her teammate Kristin Sweeney (19:56) received twentieth place. The girls from Maclay received seventh. Led by Autumn Wable (21:11) in thirty-seventh, Leon's ladies placed twentieth; they were followed by Lincoln in twenty-first and FSU High School in twenty-second. This year's FSU Invitational boasted a fantastic venue, magnificent weather, and some swift times!
Times and Temperatures Drop
Kristin Sweeney - Oct 3, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
In addition to the falling temperatures this weekend, times produced by Tallahassee runners also dropped. Chiles traveled to Jacksonville for the Bale-n-Trail race held at Bartram Trail High School. With their top five placing in the top twenty-five, the girls triumphed over the other twenty-eight teams. Lily Williams came in first (17:54), followed by Carly Thomas (18:14), and Jodie McGuff placed fifth (19:18). Taylor Buzzard's fifth place finish (16:09) contributed to the boys' team taking home fourth place.
Here in Tallahassee, Godby High School hosted the Cougar XC Challenge at Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park on Saturday morning. FSU High School, John Paul II, Lincoln, Maclay, North Florida Christian, and Rickards competed. Maclay received third overall with Stefanie Kurgatt dominating the field in a time of 19:22, and Kristin Sweeney (20:17) coming in second. FSU High placed sixth with their squad led by senior Allie Murray (22:02) in sixteenth place. Lincoln followed in seventh place, and John Paul II earned twelfth.
In the boys' competition, Lincoln obtained first place due to sophomore Jacob Slupecki's first (16:09) and Trevor Touchton's third (16:35). Patrick Swain (16:39) received fourth helping to put Maclay in fifth place. Earning fourth overall, FSU High was led by Trey Edwards's ninth place time of 17:06. Godby was in ninth, and North Florida Christian was in tenth.
Next weekend, many of these teams are planning on racing in Tallahassee at Apalachee Regional Park in the FSU Invitational. Hopefully, these teams will once again produce speedy times after yet another great week!
Invitation to Weekend Racing
Kristin Sweeney - Sept 18, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
Tallahassee cross-country teams continued to produce some swift, early-season times this weekend. Saturday morning, many local teams participated in the Lincoln Invitational held at Tom Brown Park. The new course this year consisted of two loops up and down a grueling hill, exacerbated by the day's heat. Brooke Eubanks, a senior at Leon, won the race in a time of 21:16. Langlee Toothman of FSU High School followed her at 21:36, and Autumn Wable (21:57) of Leon finished in third. The Leon ladies received second place behind Aucilla Christian. FSU High School came in third, Lincoln in sixth, John Paul II in tenth, and Rickards in seventeenth.
In the boys' race, Leon's Riley Doherty's first place (16:19) and John Hazelton's third place finish (16:49) led the Lions to a team win. The Maclay team followed in second led by Patrick Swain's second place finish (16:29). Lincoln also had a strong showing and finished third. Other area teams that participated included FSU High School (5th), Godby (9th), North Florida Christian (10th), and Rickards (19th).
Later Saturday evening, two of Tallahassee's teams competed at the Katie Caples Invitational at Bishop Kenney High School in Jacksonville. Tallahassee runners dominated in the girls' race. Stefanie Kurgatt of Maclay was first with a time of 18:16, and Lily Williams of Chiles (18:29) claimed second with her teammate Carly Thomas (18:44) in fourth. Out of twenty-nine teams, the Timberwolves were second, and the Marauders were thirteenth. Chiles' boys earned fifth place led by Taylor Buzzard (16:28) in tenth. Merely two weeks into the season, cross-country teams from Tallahassee continue to improve and to show promise for a spectacular season.
The Torch Passes
GWTC Editor's Note
It is cross country time again. We have been lucky over the past couple years to have the Stoltz report to keep us informed. Jana has moved on to the great college in the West and we are lucky to have Kristin Sweeney ready and willing to step in and keep us informed. Kristin runs for Maclay and is part of the class of 2013. She ran a 19:30 in the State finals last year to place 14th. Here is her first report of 2010.
Kristin Sweeney - Sept 12, 2010
(special to gulfwinds.org)
The 2010 high school cross-country season is off and running! Traveling to various venues, area teams began the season on the right foot. Claiming five of the top ten spots, the Chiles girls made an excellent showing at the Carollton Orthopaedic XC Invitational in Carollton, Georgia. Junior Lily Williams led the Timberwolves in a time of 18:56 and was followed by teammates Carly Thomas in second (19:18) and Jodie McGuff in third (19:56.) Not only did the ladies win their meet, but the boys also dominated their competition. With their top five in the top fifteen, Taylor Buzzard (16:40) and Sam Sutton (17:20) took first and second respectively for Chiles. Leon also fared well at this competition with the boys claiming second in the Championship race. Riley Doherty ran a time of 16:33 for fifth place followed closely by John Hazelton in sixth with a time of 16:38.
Farther south in Marianna, Florida, other Tallahassee teams competed in the Panhandle XC Jamboree. Godby, Maclay, and North Florida Christian completed the course despite the stifling heat. Patrick Swain of Maclay led the men's field in 16:34, and his team received fourth. Stefanie Kurgatt, also from Maclay, took over the girls' field early in the race and finished in 18:59. She also led her team to a fourth place finish. On the boys' side, Godby came in twelfth place, and North Florida Christian followed in thirteenth overall. Neither of these two teams had enough girls to compose a team. Only one week into the season, area runners are already showing their dominance outside of Tallahassee.