15 from Osceola County qualify for state track

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15 from Osceola County qualify for state track

Sports

Friday, 30 April 2010 15:10

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Harmony’s Chris Bolinger is better in the discus, where he won the regional championship Thursday, than he is in the shot put (9th).

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Maybe they call Tynia Gaither “Tiny” because her times keep getting smaller.
Gaither collected her second consecutive 4A-1 regional 100 meters sprint championship Wednesday at Winter Park’s Showalter Field with a personal record time of 11.61 seconds, making her a favorite to repeat as the state champion May 8 at Winter Park.
Gaither also won the 200 meters championship in 23.97 seconds, off her PR of 23.74 set last month at the Carifta Games in the Cayman Islands.
“We’ve been doing a lot of strength training, a lot of repeat 300s and 400s,” OHS Coach Eric Pinellas said. “Now, next week, we’ll get into the actual speed work. Our goal last night was 11.5 in the 100 and 23.5 in the 200. She actually had an unofficial 11.59, but the official time came out to 11.61. We’ve got room to improve in the 200.”
Gaither was one of three Osceola County athletes to advance to the Class 4A state meet next week.
Her Osceola High teammate, sprinter Defario Phillips, clocked a 10.62 and finished third in the boys 100 meters Wednesday.
Liberty high jumper Hudson Cadet (6-4) was second.
Four Osceola County athletes won championships Thursday at the 3A Region 2 meet at Harmony.
Celebration boasted two champions: pole vaulter Jessica Harter (11-0) and 110 meters hurdler Marcus George (15.08).
Harmony’s Chris Bolinger (171-10) won the boys discus title, and St. Cloud’s Diana Martinez (128-5) won the girls discus championship. Martinez also goes to next Friday’s Class 3A state meet at Showalter Field in the shot put (38-9.5), where she finished third.
Celebration’s Tyler Osorio (49.04) was edged by Tampa Mitchell’s Ross Tyler (49.01) for the 400 meters title.
Also going to state for Celebration is triple jumper Chilly Cancela (42-5.75), who was third.
Five St. Cloud boys qualified for the state meet. Luke Gardner (40.10) was second in the 300 meters hurdles, and the 4 x 800 (8:12.85) relay of Sean Wood, Bailey Morgan, Carlos Perez and Matt Cole was third.
Oak Ridge (125) dominated the girls competition, winning its 10th straight regional title. St. Cloud (19) was 13th, Celebration (10) was 20th and Harmony (5) finished 26th.
Edgewater (78) won the boys title. Celebration (28.5) was seventh, St. Cloud (17) was 14th and Harmony (16) was 15th.
Osceola hurdler Jameshia Gant was second in the 300 meters hurdles finals at the 4A-1 meet Wednesday when she fell at the sixth hurdle, Pinellas said.
Liberty hurdler Jean Leon (39.02) was fifth at 300 meters. Robbie Johnroe (9:52.64) was sixth at 3.200 meters.
The top four in each event advance.
“What a region. It was tough, no doubt, very tough. We ran against men, not boys,” Liberty Coach Robert Pauley said. “We can look in the mirror and say we ran well, best season in school history for our track program.”
Pauley lauded the efforts from Johnroe, Leon and Thomas Biejansky, who all set PRs.
“Hudson took second in the region, so that was impressive and we are going to states to keep the streak alive,” Pauley said.
Wekiva (73) won the girls championship. OHS (24) was 11th. Dr. Phillips (88) won the boys meet. Liberty (18) placed 15th and Osceola (6) was 25th.
Poinciana’s Kenina Bonner competes today at the Class 2A state meet at Showalter Field after placing third (34-5) in the triple jump at last week’s 2A-2 regional.