NSAF On-Site at Fla. State Meet: Weekend Preview

by Steve Underwood

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FHSAA Home Page (includes LIVE RESULTS links) | NSAF Facebook page (Video interviews)
Schedule | 1A/2A Heat Sheets | 3A/4A Heat Sheets | State Series Results Index
Live Webcasts: 1A2A Prelims | 1A2A Finals | 3A4A Prelims | 3A4A Finals

DyeStat Florida coverage (Dr. Bob’s team with Herb Wills’ previews) | flrunners.com coverage (with Ricky Quintana previews)

 

Some top storylines

(More will be added)

Epic year in Miami NW reign

It’s been seven years since the Miami Northwestern girls hauled off anything less than the team championship trophy from the Florida state meet under great coach Carmen Jackson, whether it was in Class 4A or in 3A, where they have resided since 2012.  The question isn’t whether they’ll win again, but if they can surpass their own lofty standards.  Last year they set an all-time team scoring record with 154 points, which they could beat this weekend.  And how low can they go in those relays?  They don’t contest 4x200 here at state, where Miami NW is US#1, but their US#3 45.67 4x1 best suggests they could beat the FHSAA mark of 45.71 (Boyd Anderson, 2012) and they have a shot at St. Thomas Aquinas’ 3:41.01 4x4 mark from last year, coming in with their own 3:44.38 best.  There’s also the 4x8, where they have a 9:12.90 best against their own 9:05.90 record from 2007.  Also look for names like Twanisha Terry, La’Kayla Harris, Daesha Rogers, Kaylah Clark and Timetria Mitchell on top of the medal stand, individually.

How will Teahna Daniels close out her FHSAA career?

Teahna Daniels (First Academy senior) has been the state’s – and arguable the nation’s – top short sprinter in 2015, not just because World Junior 200 champ Kaylin Whitney turned pro but because of Daniels’ continued progress and maturity.  She took off this winter and early spring with a series of races that culminated in the NBNI 60m title, then continued with some major outdoor performances that included triumphs in the Texas Relays (11.27w, +4.4), Florida Relays (11.61, -2.8w) and the NTC meet (11.15w, +2.4).  She’s won impressively, but hasn’t had ideal conditions for a fast, wind-legal time.  Daniels, the only U.S. prep to beat Whitney last year, would love to repeat her 1A 100/200 sweep.  The 100 should be no problem (though some hamstring soreness has been reported), but Tamani Wilson (Maclay senior) may make things tough in the 200 as she seeks her own long sprint double.

Can Hallandale sweep 2A?

After dropping down to 2A last year, Hallandale won the girls’ title and was 2nd in the boys’ meet.  Led by multiple title threat Kimani Rushing, they seem a great bet to repeat on the girls’ side.  She leads the state (2A) in both hurdles and horizontal jumps events (she won the 300H and TJ last year), Lamisha Simmons is the discus leader (and double hurdle scoring threat) and Hallandale has the top 4x4 time.  For the boys, Antwuan Musgrove is the state’s top 2A hurdler at both 110H and 300H and Oliver Alexandre is #1 at 400.  But defending champ Miami Washington and American Heritage – 2nd and 3rd behind Hallandale in Region 4, will have something to say about that.

Will Gardner back up those big sprints?

Among the biggest revelations of last week’s regional meets was Chauncey Gardner ascending to the national stage as a sprinter.  Yes, he had very strong legal 100 and 200 PRs of 10.66 and 21.37 coming in, but the Cocoa junior at the 2A Region 4 meet suddenly dropped to US#4 10.51 and #3 21.02.  Those are some heady times and Gardner is now the top overall 100/200 guy in the state.  It will be interesting to see how he backs that up this weekend.

How high can they go?

There are a couple of pole vaulters and a high jumper that will be chasing after a spot in the state meet record book this weekend.  In the girls’ 2A pole vault, Nati Sheppard (Ransom Everglades senior) has been consistent at 12-6, but has a best of 13-0 – two inches beyond the all-class meet record of 12-10.  She was 2nd in 2A last year and was also 7th at NBNI in March.  In the boys’ 1A vault, Drew McMichael (Evangelical Christian senior) has a 16-5 best, within 3 inches of the 16-8 mark set by Mike Vani in 2009.  He was also 2nd at state last year and then 8th at NBNO.  Then in the girls’ high jump, Nicole Greene (Ponte Verde senior) will shoot for her 3rd 3A title and to finally have a big mark in the state meet.  She has become very consistent at 6-0 this year, which is the all-class meet best shared by two other athletes.  She hit her career best of 6-0.5 in winning NBNI in March. Another high jumper has a shot at that FHSAA mark: Stacey Destin.  The Santaluces senior has a 6-0 PR from last year, has been consistent over 5-10, and is out to defend her 4A title.

Who will be the 4A sprint queen this year?

With 2014 100/200 champ Kaylin Whitney moving on to the pro ranks and 400 veteran star Kendall Ellis graduating, all three girls’ sprints in 4A have been there for the taking in 2015.  In the 400, Sharrika Barnett – 2nd in 4A last year, but then 2nd at NBNO, too – was considered the heir apparent, and indeed the Oak Ridge senior laid down a 53.32 at Bob Hayes in March that’s still the national leader.  She’s the clear favorite, though Lenysse Dyer (American HS senior) is getting closer at 54.24.  In the 200, Symone Mason (Miami Southridge soph) was just 6th last year (though otherwise having a great 2014) and is down to 23.57 in 2015 after regionals, and is the girl to beat.  The 100, however, is more wide open.  Barnett is going for an interesting 100/400 double and Mason is entered there, too.  But there’s also St. Thomas Aquinas teammates Krystal Sparling and Diamond Spaulding, as well as Atlantic Coast’s Chelsea Francis to contend with.  Can anyone get a double here, or will the honors be spread out?

Can Sukhi return to form?

In 2014, Sukhi Khosla (Leon HS senior) was THE story in Florida distance running and one of the best in the nation as he broke 9:00 for 3,200 and had a 4:05.96 1,600/9:05.75 3,200 double at 3A state.  This year, however, after a good start early (9:03.57 3,200) he’s been struggling in April and well off his best times.  Still, he’s made it here in both events and is a top contender, even if only in 4:15/9:30 form.  Teammate Hunter Scott is the fastest in 3A this year in the 3,200 at 9:20.38, while Avery Bartlett (Chiles HS junior) at 4:14.98 is best at 1,600.

CSI Cuba connection

Three athletes competing this weekend at these state meets are members of the 28-strong Team NSAF, bound for Havana, Cuba for this year’s Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in June.  The aforementioned Nicole Greene is one of four seniors on the squad, clearly a leader and the nation’s 2nd-best high jumper.  She will also score high in the horizontal jumps.  Then there’s Twanisha Terry, the Miami Northwestern super soph who is a top contender in the 100 and 200, and a major cog on their 4x100 favorites.  Finally, there’s Rasheed Tatham, the defending 4A 400 champ who missed qualifying in that event this year, but will be long jumping and on St. Thomas Aquinas 4x400 podium hopefuls.  He’s had some injury issues but hopes to be back at full steam down the road soon.

The Weather

Yes, the weather forecast is a story in itself.  Remember the chill and rain of 2014?  Remember the frequent storms that have seemed to be present much more often than not during recent Florida state meet weekends?  You could hardly ask for more in 2015 … highs in the upper 70s and low 80s, no rain in the forecast and (hopefully) no more than moderate winds.  Hopefully warm enough for the sprinters and cool enough for the distance runners.

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