Gateway’s Calderon ran from county competition in the 400
In a year of many outstanding performances, Gateway’s Jose Calderon earns the nod as Osceola News-Gazette Boys Track Athlete of the Year.
Calderon had a dominating 400 meter season. He won Orange Belt Conference, district and regional championships, and scored the Panthers only points in the state meet with a seventh place finish in a time of 48.99 seconds. In additional to being a key member of Gateway’s relay teams, he was also a regular season scorer in the 200, where he took silver in the OBC Championships.
Calderon’s rise in the sport is surprising, given it is not his primary sport and he had to be convinced to even try out. He is one of the top players on Gateway’s soccer team and that is where Panther track coach Tane Crossley discovered him.
“I saw him out there running on the soccer pitch and immediately felt he could be a great sprinter,” Crossley said of Calderon—whose family had come to the United States as political refugees from Venezuela a few years earlier. “He was really hesitant about coming out, fortunately I was able to convince him.”
With only two years of experience under his belt, Calderon has already set his sights high for his upcoming senior season.
“With training and hard work, I want to break 47 seconds in the 400 next year and place higher in states,” the junior says.
It’s a goal that Crossley believes is within his reach. “Jose hasn’t even started to scratch his potential,” the coach added. “He has the talent and mindset to reach those goals.”
All-County Track Team Key: O-Osceola, SC-St. Cloud, H-Harmony, P-Poinciana, G-Gateway, T-Tohopekaliga, C-Celebration, L-Liberty 100 meters: Hakeem Alvena (P), Taevion Swint (O), Alden Peterson (H) Alvena took the OBC title, followed by Swint and Peterson. Swint was a key member of Osceola’s 4 x100 relay.
200: Alvena (P), Calderon (G), Peterson (H) Alvena won OBC and District crowns before finishing third at regionals. His performance in the sprints played a key role in his consideration for Athlete of the Year.
400: Calderon (G), Darius Young (C), Peterson (H) Calderon won OBC, district and regional titles before his 7th place finish in the state championship. Peterson earns ONG All-County in three different individual events.
800: Felipe Torres (P), Jayden Chofooklun (SC), Adon Elienist (H) After a 4th place finish in the OBC meet, Torres rallied to win the District 4A-5 championship by running a 1:59.5. He posted a top-15 in regionals. Chofooklun won the 800 OBC championship.
1600: Levi Lee (P), Silas Corchado (SC), Florian Leonardo (G) LeewontheOBCchampionship and district title then qualified for states with a second-place finish in Region 2. Leonardo won a district title.
3200: Nikolas Boone (H), Cameron Ford (T), Brody Ansbaugh (SC) Boone won OBCs. A track and cross country standout, Ansbaugh was just a freshman and is a future star.
110 Hurdles: Levi Hill (G), Tony Doss (O), David Febus (H) Hill was the District 3A-8 champion in 15.02 seconds and placed third in regionals. Doss was the OBC champion.
400 Hurdles: Levi Lee (P), Darwin Vega (T), Napoleon Doster ( C) Not his primary event, Lee won the OBC title in 48.59.
High Jump: Jahleek Lawrence (SC), Abisai Cotto (SC), Jonathan Rodriguez (SC) St. Cloud was one of only two schools to sweep the top three places Lawrence and Cotto went top three in OBCs, District and Regionals to qualify for the Class 4A state meet.
Long Jump: Noah Tribe (H), Jordan Mundle (O), Alvena (P) Noah Tribe won OBC and District titles before finishing third at regionals.
Triple Jump: Tyler Johnson (P), Mundle (O), Jalen Bell (O) After finishing third in OBC’s, Johnson came on strong to win districts, take third at regionals and then place 6th in states, the county’s highest state finisher. An Osceola football star, Bell had an impressive post-season in the triple jump; while Mundle earns All-County in a second event.
Pole Vault: Mason Shafer (H), Dalton Gould (G), Gabe Centano (T) All won district titles; Shafer and Gould placed high enough in regionals to earn at-large sports at state.
Discus: Jaylen Cobb (H), Joe Green (O), Isaac Galen (T) Cobb won the OBC Championship with a toss of 123’-6”.
Javelin: Ivaniel Ramos (H), Kai Amen (H), Brant Gaston (H) Ramos went third at the 4A, District 10 meet but won the Region 3 championship and advanced to states.
Shot Put: Gavin Konopka (C), Joshua Fuller (G), Jonathan Baxter (H) Konopka (4A, 2nd Districts, 17th regionals) and Fuller (3A, 4th Districts, 12th regionals) were 1-2 in the county for most of the year, with Konopka taking top spot with OBC Championship.
