National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

4A and 3A team champs crowned

• 4A Boys and Girls: St. Thomas Aquinas got the sweep, dominating on the boys’ side and really dominating in the girls’ battle.  Despite star sprinter Krystal Sparling being slowed by injury, the defending champ Raider girls scored 109.5 – the 5th highest point total ever – followed by Northeast (Oakland Park) 50, Miami Southridge 39 and Lake Mary 35.5.  The STA boys tallied 76, capturing their 6th title in seven years (including 1st two in 3A).  American was 2nd with 44 and Dr. Phillips 3rd with 43.
• 3A Girls: Miami Northwestern prevailed by an even bigger margin, scoring a mind-blowing, FHSAA girls’ all-class record 154 points, more than the 2nd-6th place teams combined.  It was the 8th state title (including 4A crowns earlier) in 9 years for the school.  Carol City got the runner-up spot with 37 and Lakewood Ranch was 3rd with 35.
• 3A Boys: With many more schools scoring, the totals at the top were much lower as Chiles notched 38 and just prevented a Miami Northwestern sweep as the Bulls scored 35 in 2nd.  It was Chiles’ first title since 2003.  Boyd Anderson was 3rd with 29 as just four points separated the next five teams.

Top national class performances: Khosla, Ellis, Whitney, Williams, STA girls, American boys

• US#1 state meet record 4:05.96 1,600, 9:05.75 boys’ 3A distance double for Sukhi Khosla (Leon junior), improving his US#2 mark in the former (4:06.45) from the regional meet a week earlier and again holding off Nicholas Morken (Niceville senior) at 4:07.85 in a hard, evenly-paced race.  The 3,200 saw a fast finish off a modest pace as Khosla closed in about 60 to pull away from Morken’s Niceville teammate, Thomas Howell at 9:11.07.
• US#1 52.95 girls’ 4A 400m dash by Kendall Ellis (St. Thomas Aquinas senior), completing a career sweep (4 wins) with the #4 time in state meet history – 0.44 away from Sanya Richards-Ross’s record.  She also anchored STA’s winning 4x400.  Ellis was trailed by Sharrika Barnett Oak Ridge junior) at US#4 53.86 and Destiny Washington (West Orange senior) at 54.93.
• US#3 11.48(+1.5w) 100m dash, 23.69 200(-0.6w) girls’ 4A sprint double by Kaylin Whitney (East Ridge soph), duplicating her feat from Class 3A last year.  In the 100, she outsprinted the St. Thomas Aquinas duo of junior and US#1 Krystal Sparling at 11.64, plus soph Khalifa St. Fort at 11.67.  In the 200, Whitney (just off her PR 23.58) was trailed by three STA runners: junior Diamond Spaulding at 24.09, St. Fort at 24.10 and US#1 Sparling at 24.31.
• 10.33(+1.4w) 100m dash, US#3 20.96 200(-0.4w) boys’ 3A sprint double by Kendal Williams (Stanton Prep senior).  That gave Williams a career sweep in the 200 – achieved previously by only Walter Watkins and Houston McTear – and it was his 2nd 100 title.  He was just off his US#1 10.28 100.  Williams won by big margins in each, with Javaris Davis (Ed White junior) at 10.58 and Anthony Rhynes (Middleton junior) at 10.65 following in the 100, and Kenric Young (Gainesville senior) at 21.30 getting 2nd in the 200.
• 46.18 4x100m, state meet record 3:41.01 4x400m and 9:15.65 4x800m girls’ 4A relay triple by St. Thomas Aquinas.  In the 4x1, the team of Khalifa St. Fort, Diamond Spaulding, Kristen Laidlaw and Krystal Sparling (already US#3 45.50) won by a huge 1.76 over American HS.  In the 4x4, it was Alon Lewis taking over for an injured Sparling, and joining Spaulding, Narinah Jean-Baptiste and 400 champ Kendall Ellis  – prevailing by 7-plus seconds over Northeast (Oakland Park) 3:48.64 (4th title in 5 years).  Already US#1 at 3:38.26, STA owns the top four performances in the country this year.  Earlier, the 4x8 team of Lewis, Jean-Baptiste, Alexa Cruz and Christina Kalis defended their crown, topping John A. Ferguson’s 9:16.67, with the rest of the field more than 10 seconds back.
• 7:48.22 4x800m, =US#4 3:14.25 4x400m boys’ 4A relay double by American HS.  In the morning 4x8, it was the team of Dawun Hylton, Ari Cogdell, Yohance Haynes and Brandon Damon pulling away from St. Thomas Aquinas 7:52.51, with Bloomingdale 3rd at 7:54.07.  In the 4x4, it was Darius Fortune, Hylton, Shammond Williams and Cogdell – who outran St. Thomas Aquinas at 3:15.29 and their anchor, 400 champ Rasheed Tathum (Miramar 3rd at 3:17.45).  The victories were American’s first state titles.

More great doubles and triples

• 47.16 4x100m, 3:50.64 4x400, 9:13.10 4x800 relay triple by Miami Northwestern.  For the 4x1, it was Robyn Jones, Twanisha Terry, Valencia Rolle and Alexis Harrell; the 4x4 quartet was La’Kayla Harris, Asja Baker, Lenneshia Gilbert and Timetria Mitchell; and the 4x8 foursome was Ricardia Cooper, DeAndreah Young, Baker and Gilbert.  In the 4x8, Estero was 2nd at 9:25.94; in the 4x4 it was Carol City at 3:53.19 in the runner-up spot; and in the 4x1 Lake Weir was 2nd at 48.05.  Miami NW was already US#5 45.66, #3 3:43.16 and #6 9:06.76.
• 160-3 discus (already US#2 166-8), 46-8 shot put girls’ 3A double by Lloydricia Cameron (Miami Northwestern senior) – giving her five career throws titles and the 3rd best discus performance in state meet history.  In both events, she led a Miami NW 1-2-3 sweep.  It was fellow seniors Jontavia Dykes 149-9 and 40-7 for 2nd in each, and Akassja White 145-9 and 38-11.5 for 3rd in each. 
• 13.88(+0.2w) 100m hurdles, 42.15 300m hurdles double by Daeshon Gordon (Northeast senior), just off her US#5 (41.45) and #9 (13.77) bests and giving her 4 career titles.  In the 100H, she was followed by Domonique Turner (Lake Mary soph) at 14.21 and Stacey Destin (Santaluces junior) at 14.76.  In the 300H, it was Colonial junior Lyric Schmalz 2nd at 43.20 and her teammate Keturah Smith 3rd at 43.81.
• 10.51(+0.8w) 100m dash, 21.39(-0.4w) 4A boys’ sprint double for Terry Jernigan (East Ridge senior) – already US#3 in the 100 (10.35).  Second in both races was Andre Ewers (Piper senior), running 10.67 and 21.59, and 3rd in both was Brandon Reddick (Boone senior) at 10.77 (with 3 more within .02) and 21.84.
• 4:11.86 1,600m run, 9:20.35 3,200 boys’ 4A distance double for Jack Guyton (HB Plant junior)  In the 1,600, he ran away from the field with Nick Diaz (Miami Sunset junior) edging Kurt Convey (Coral Reef junior) for 2nd, 4:16.11 to 4:16.32.  In the 3,200, he rallied late for a surprising win with 9:20.35 – followed by Andrew Llewellen (Countryside senior) 9:22.27 and three more in the 9:23s.
• 11.78(+0.6w) 100m dash, 24.59 200(-0.9w) girls’ 3A sprint double by Jadzia Beasley (Lincoln junior).  In both races, she was followed by the Northwestern junior/frosh duo of La’Kayla Harris (11.97 and 24.61) and Twanisha Terry (12.12 and 24.83). 
• 5:01.49 1,600m run, 2:12.30 800 girls’ 4A distance double for Sinclaire Johnson (Lake Brantley soph).  She nipped Katherine MacNeal (Cypress Bay senior) at 5:01.80 in the former, with 3rd more than three seconds further back.  In the 800, Johnson outran Maddie Beaubien (Wellington soph) at 2:13.41 and Alon Lewis (St. Thomas Aquinas junior) at 2:13.78.
• 5-8 high jump, 18-10.75(nwi) long jump girls’ 3A jumps double for Stacey Destin (Santaluces junior).  She was also 3rd in the 100H and 4th in the 300H.  In the HJ, Destin was followed by Alyssa Young (South Plantation senior) at 5-6 and two more at 5-4.  In the LJ, Dominique Bullock (Miami Southridge senior) was 2nd at 18-6.25 and Brittany Bowald (Atlantic Coast junior) 3rd at 18-5.25.
• 38-2(nwi) triple jump, 5-6 high jump girls’ 3A double for Talia Falco (Lakewood Ranch junior).  She won the HJ on misses over Clarissa Cutliff (Edgewater junior) and Nicole Greene (Ponte Verde junior) (each also 5-6).  In the TJ, Bri Watts-Pittman (Lincoln senior) was 2nd in the TJ with 37-4.5.
• 58-0.5 shot put, 186-4 discus boys’ 3A throws double by Freddick Jones (Miami Central senior).  In the discus, Jobi Finau (Pine Forest senior) at 182-3 and Brandon Tirado (Gulf Coast senior) at 176-5 followed in 2nd and 3rd.  In the shot put, Jones led a Central 1-2 finish as junior Aaron Hanna was 2nd at 56-1.5.
• 23-8.75(nwi) long jump, 47-9.75 triple jump boys’ 4A jumps double for Leon Boyd (Evans senior).  He won the LJ by more than a foot ahead of Roderick Proctor (Dr. Phillips senior) at 22-7(nwi) and the TJ by nearly a foot over Armani Wallace (Colonial junior) at 46-10.25(nwi).

More top performances

• 3:14.71 boys’ 3A 4x400m relay (already US#4 3:14.25 PR) by Miami Northwestern team of Chris Othelot, Jeffery Green, Deandre Baker and Cordell Lamb – winning their first title since the move to 3A in 2011 (they won their last 4 in 4A).  They finished nearly four seconds ahead of Boyd Anderson’s 3:18.63, with Gainesville 3:20.43 nipping Lake Nona 3:20.48 for 3rd.
• 47.22 boys’ 4A 400m dash for Rasheed Tatham (St. Thomas Aquinas junior), just off his US#2 46.79, but avenging his Region 4 loss to Ari Cogdell (4th).  Jabari Hill (Miramar senior) was 2nd at 47.71 and Todd Jackson (Newsome senior) 3rd at 48.03.
• 47.44 boys’ 3A 400m dash for Jeffery Green (Miami Northwestern senior), just off his US#8 47.27 and nipping teammate and fellow senior Cordell Lamb at 47.49.  They were more than 1.5 seconds up on the field.
• US#8 13.97(+0.0w) boys’ 300m hurdles by Justin Cromartie (Chiles senior), a scant .01 ahead of John Burt (Lincoln junior) at 13.98.  Jonathan Hayden (PB Lakes senior) was 3rd at 14.19.
• 1:52.27 boys’ 3A 800m run for Avery Bartlett (Chiles junior), outkicking state leader Javon Patterson (Boyd Anderson junior) at 1:52.89.  Rayford James (Robert E. Lee senior) captured 3rd with 1:53.57.
• 41.33 boys’ 3A 4x100m relay for Liberty team of Justin Winkler, Kyle Sharman, Joshua Wilson and Devarius Turner. 
• 42.29 girls’ 3A 300m hurdles for Kimani Austin-Reese (Miami Norland senior), reversing her 100mH finish with Timetria Mitchell (Miami Northwestern soph), who ran 43.00 for 2nd.  Reese was already US#10 41.95.  Michelle Atherley (Port Charlotte junior) was 3rd at 43.08.
• 37.59 boys’ 300m hurdles for Brandon Cachon (Barron Collier soph), ahead of Jonathan Hayden (PB Lakes senior) 38.14 and 110mH champ Justin Cromartie (Chiles senior) 38.40.
• 7:50.56 boys’ 3A 4x800m relay by Niceville team of Jack Massey, Thomas Howell, Tripp Davis and Nicholas Morten.  They outlegged Lake Nona 7:51.76, with Chiles 7:54.82 coming in 3rd.
• 14.16(+0.1w) girls’ 3A 100m hurdles for Timetria Mitchell (Miami Northwestern soph), nipping Kimani Austin-Reese (Miami Norland senior) at 14.19, with Michelle Atherley (Port Charlotte junior) again in 3rd at 14.32.  Mitchell ran 14.09(+1.4w) in qualifying.
• 59-6 boys’ 4A shot put by Jamal Whittaker (Apopka senior), triumphing by more than two feet over Ryan Crozier (St. Thomas Aquinas senior), who threw 57-2.25.
• 10:52.44 girls’ 4A 3,200m run by Alexa Cruz (St. Thomas Aquinas soph), pulling away from the field mid-race.  Katrina Santiago (Ferguson senior) was 2nd at 11:08.11.  Cruz also ran a leg on the winning 4x800 and was 4th in the 1,600.
• 39-3.5(nwi) girls’ 4A triple jump for Brittany Bowald (Atlantic Coast junior), beating Ebony Luster (Lake Mary junior) at 39-0 and Deja Hillman (Haines City senior) at 38-6.75 (both nwi).
• 23-7.5(nwi) boys’ 3A long jump for soph Tyler Byrd (Naples), holding off Deiondre Porter (Tampa Jefferson senior) 23-6(nwi).
• 47-6.75(nwi) boys’ 3A triple jump for Dwayne Lawson (Hillsborough junior), winning by more than two feet.
• 12-0 girls’ 4A pole vault for Erica Sergeant (Lake Mary senior), winning by a foot over Summer Schafers (Olympia soph).  It was Sergeant’s 3rd straight title.
• 6-8 boys’ 3A high jump for Chris Rogers (Pine Forest senior), beating three others at 6-6.
• 55.50 girls’ 3A 400m dash for Janae Caldwell (Spoto soph), with Terneka Gibson (Carol City soph) at 55.95 and Hallie Grimes (Land O Lakes senior) at 56.08 trailing.

More champions: The best of the rest

Class 4A Boys

• PV: Soph Sean Clarke (Lyman) scaled 14-3, ahead of three others at 13-9.

Class 4A Girls

• DT: Camora Sanders (Northeast junior) threw 132-9 to win by almost a foot.
• SP: Epiphany Thompson (Miami Southridge senior) hit 41-04 to edge discus champ Camora Sanders (Northeast junior), at 41-3.5, by a half inch.

Class 3A Boys

• HJ: Christian Williams (American HS senior) cleared 6-6, with Rasheed Kennion (First Coast senior) 6-4 getting the runner-up spot.
• PV: Devon Jerothe (River Ridge senior) cleared 14-0 for the win, six inches up on Roman Spear (Navarre senior).
• DT: Ryan Crozier (St. Thomas Aquinas senior) threw 164-0, beating shot put champ Jamal Whittaker (Apopka senior) at 160-0.

Class 3A Girls

• PV: Taylor Anderson (Mitchell junior) went 11-6, topping Jennifer Kistemaker (Osceola junior) at the same height on misses.
• LJ: BeJai Fray (Lake Weir senior) spanned 18-11(nwi), with Wilena Little (Springstead senior) following at 18-1.25(nwi).