In a year that featured several outstanding performers, Gateway senior Aniyah Radcliff stood above the rest and is the Osceola News Gazette Girls Track Athlete of the Year.
Radcliff displayed her incredible versatility at this year’s Orange Belt Conference track championship. She won the 100-meter hurdles, the long jump, the triple jump and also took third place in the high jump. In all, she was the only girl to win four individual medals and was solely responsible for almost half (36) of Gateway’s team points (83.5).
The Panther standout went on to advance through districts before posting a pair of silver-medal performances at regionals in the long jump and triple jump to qualify for the Class 3A State Championship. She was the only girl athlete from Osceola County to qualify for multiple individual state meet events.
The outgoing senior heads on to compete for Bethune-Cookman University in the fall after a terrific season and career for the Panthers. She is the first track athlete in Gateway to average more than 30 points per meet and score 300 points in a season.
“Aniyah is certainly a deserving choice for the award. Having her on the team meant we could juggle our lineup in order to maximize our team points in meets,” Gateway Coach Tane Crossley said. “Her pure athleticism would have allowed her to win just about any event except the distance races. On top of everything, she is a great, kind person and a tremendous teammate,” Although she did not have her best day at states (finishing 16th in the long jump and 13th in the triple jump), Radcliff said she was extremely pleased with the season.
“Maybe the nerves got to me a little bit, but I was honored to get to the state championship in two events,” she said. “Overall, I was able to set several personal bests in multiple events and was happy with how things went. I can’t thank my coaches enough because they played a huge part in my success.”
Radcliff said she will most likely continue as a multiple event athlete at Bethune-Cookman.
“At least that’s the plan right now,” she noted. “My favorite event is the triple jump but I’m looking forward to competing in wherever they need me.”
Radcliff was selected for the top honor over several other outstanding county athletes, including Osceola’s Zanaya Bright and Aaliyah Strachen, Kyla Perez and Xelymar Rodriguez (St. Cloud) and Sanaa Charles and Sofia Delgado (Tohopekaliga).
All-County Girls Track Key: (O)-Osceola; (SC)St. Cloud; (G)-Gateway; (P)Poinciana; (C)-Celebration; (H)-Harmony; (L)-Liberty; (T)Tohopekaliga; (OBC)-Orange Belt Confernce.
100 meters: Zanaya Bright (O), Xelymar Rodriguez (SC), Sofia Houser (SC) Rodriguez was second at OBC championships before winning 400 hurdles.
200: Bright (O), Asia Antenor (L), Nicole Oliveira (H) Bright doubled in the sprint events
400: Norelena Forde (O), Anna Balba (C), Antenor (L) Just a freshman, Forde was only athlete to break a minute at OBCs (59.96).
800: Kyla Perez (SC), Mia Gonzalez (O), Evelyn Juden (C) Another young star, sophomore Perez scored 28 points in individual events at the OBCs, including two golds.
1600: Lailana Decker (H), Perez (SC), Gonzalez (O) Decker, a junior, captured the 1600 after finishing third as a freshman and sophomore.
3200: Perez (SC), Decker (H), Claire Reburn (C) Perez completes rare double at OBCs, winning both 800 and 3200 meters.
100 Meter Hurdles: Radcliff (G), Priscilla Rodriguez (SC), Zaria Burnham (P) Radcliff came within less of a second of breaking the school record.
400 Meter Hurdles: Rodriguez (SC), Aaliyah Strachen (O), Decker (H) Rodriguez, a junior, collected gold and silver in the hurdles and will be the county’s top returning hurdler next season.
High Jump: Sanaa Charles (T), Hannah Kline (SC), Radcliff (G) Both Charles and Kline qualified for state championships with Charles, a sophomore, earning top spot with a 10th at 4A meet.
Long Jump: Radcliff (G), Strachen (O), Nicole Oliveria (H) Radcliff (16’-4 ½”) edged Oliveria (16’-1 ¾”) with Strachen in sixth; but the Osceola junior rallied to qualify for the 4A state meet.
Triple Jump: Radcliff (G), Ivyana Shelton (O), Korbyn Jones (O) As a freshman, Jones recorded top-six finishes in both the long and triple jumps.
Pole Vault: Sofia Hauser (SC), Lucy Eckholdt (H), Kacey Sinagoga (H) Hauser and Eckholdt tied for first (9’-10”) at OBCs. Hauser (9th) and Sinagoga (16th) made it to the 4A state meet.
Discus: Sofia Delgado (T), Jazmine Brown (G), Emily Martinez (T) Delgado won OBC with a toss of 109’-4”.
Javelin: Kamala Hostetler (H), Sophia Meadows (C ), Delgado (T) Delgado finished third in regional.
Shot Put: Malayna Stevenson (G), Brown (G), Delgado (T) Stevenson earns all-county recognition in both basketball and track. Delgado earns all-county in three events.
