By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

About two dozen Osceola County athletes will compete at the Class 3A (Friday) and 4A (Saturday) state track meets at Winter Park’s Showalter Field.

Regional champions Tyler Osorio and Quincy O’Connor from Celebration and Daniel Foshee of Harmony will seek state titles at the Class 3A meet along with their teammates and 14 athletes from St. Cloud.

At the Class 4A state meet Saturday, Osceola High sprinter Tynia Gaither will attempt to improve on the four state championships she has won in the sprint events.

Osceola’s 4 x 100 girls relay team of Jodiann Crooks, Jameshia Gant, Atarah Clark and Gaither is the No. 1 seed.

Osorio is favored to win the 400 meters after running 48.78 last week. He also won the 100 meters title (10.70) and joined Foster Starks, Zack Brown and John Raemisch to qualify in the 4 x 400 relay (3:24.42).

O’Connor won the 1,600 meters title (4:27) last week, but he had to withdraw from the 3,200 meters after feeling discomfort.

“He’s been battling a sore (quadriceps) and it just got him in the 3,200,” Fox said. “We felt pretty good about our performances, especially after the weather delay. Most of our qualifiers PR’d and that’s always the goal at the end of the season.”

For the Lady Storm, pole vaulter Jessica Harter (10-0) was the regional runner-up.

St. Cloud’s Lady Bulldogs will send 10 athletes to the state meet, highlighted by the second place 4 x 800 relay (9:53.22) of Ashlyn Stadtlander, Katelyn Stadtlander, Kristen Detroyer and Anaya Reid.

The 4 x 400 relay (4:10.46) of Jennifer Fullwood, Diana Gatlin, Jauita Manning and Reid placed fourth.

Reid qualified in a third event, the 800, where she was fourth (2:27.85).

Two hurdlers, Kirsten Chambers (16.16) and Yazmelis Santos (16.49) were third and fourth, respectively, in the high hurdles.

St. Cloud’s Cierra Adams was third (35-7) in the pole vault.

Coach Ettie Singleton said it was a solid performance from her team.

“The 4 x 800 girls set a new school record,” she said.

St. Cloud’s boys 4 x 800 also will compete Friday after placing fourth (8:17.69) with Sean Wood, Bailey Morgan, Shayne Cole and Carlos Perez.

Harmony’s Foshee clocked 15.24 in winning the 100 hurdles. He will be joined by teammate Matt Henning, fourth (9:47.47) at 3,200 meters at the regional.

“States was definitely his (Foshee’s) goal, but (he) didn’t expect a regional championship” Longhorns Coach Jake Grantham said. “We definitely need to keep getting a PR for each race. States will be tough, a lot of sub-15s times.”

Henning will be competing against several of the nation’s best at 3,200 meters.

“Matt is definitely going to have some tough competition. He is shooting for a top eight finish,” Grantham said.

Osceola’s Gaither will compete in the 100 and 200 sprints Saturday at Winter Park after winning both regional titles.

She is hobbled by a stress fracture in her right toe and hamstring problems, Coach Eric Pinellas said.

“She has to go. She’s a senior,” he said.

Gant won the regional 110 hurdles championship (14.81), and Clark qualified in both the 100 and 200 sprints.

Coach Eric Pinellas said Gant is capable of running faster at the state meet.

“She’s done 14.69. She’ll have to be there at the state meet,” he said.

Clark set a personal record (24.6) in finishing second in the 200 meters last week.

Osceola’s boys will be represented by sprinter Defario Phillips, who was second in the 100 meters (10.80) to Boone High sensation Marvin Bracey (10.40), one of the nation’s premier sprinters.

Osceola’s Marquis Hegwood (39.75) was fourth in the 300 hurdles at the regional.

Liberty will be represented by triple jumper Danyell Kates (36-6.5), fourth at the regional.

Poinciana’s girls 4 x 400 of Estelle Esperance, Majjdah Barnett, Gabrielle Rodriquez and Kenina Bonner was 13th (4:11.62) at the Class 2A state meet Saturday.

Bonner (34-11.50) was 12th in the triple jump.