Gateway’s Johnson double win highlights state track qualifiers

  • Osceola’s Shannon Levy (center) qualified for the 100 meters and the Kowboy’s 4x100 relay at the Class 4A state track meet. PHOTO/ERIC PINELLAS
    Osceola’s Shannon Levy (center) qualified for the 100 meters and the Kowboy’s 4x100 relay at the Class 4A state track meet. PHOTO/ERIC PINELLAS

Osceola County will be well represented at the FHSAA Class 3A and 4A state track championships in Jacksonville May 19-20.

Athletes from Tohopekaliga, Harmony, Osceola, and St. Cloud participated in the Region 4A-3 meet at Palm Beach Dwyer last week, where the top two plus at-large berths from across the state qualified.

Team-wise, the Harmony girls squad had the top county finish with 33 points and a seventh place showing among the near 30 teams competing. Osceola (25) was tenth, St. Cloud (19) was 14th and Tohopekaliga (10) was 20th.

On the boys side, Vero Beach ran away with the team title with 101 points, Osceola (36) was ninth, Tohopekaliga (29) tenth, Harmony (26) twelfth, and St. Cloud (12) 20th.

Osceola County will send three regional champion individual to the state meet. Harmony’s Drea Thompson won the girls’ high jump with a leap of 5’-1 ¾”, Osceola’s Shannon Levy won the girls’ 100 meters (12.01) and Tohopekaliga’s Johan Comacho won the boy’s 3,200 meters (9:36.62).

Finishing second were Harmony’s 4x800 girls relay team of Byrnn Magner, Shelby Fertic, Rebekah Wiles and Lailana Decker; Toho’s Brianna Rodriguez in the girls’ pole vault (9’-4 ¼”) and Osceola’s 4x100 girls relay team of Quanaya Jenkins, Kadrea Varnado, Zanaya Bright and Levy (47.98).

Among the at-large finishers were Toho’s Jevon Andrew-Brown and Osceola’s Jalen Bell in the triple jump; Harmony’s Decker (girls 1,600 meters) and Alex Tuyo (boys 400 hurdles), the Kowboys’ Jordan Stynes (hurdles) and David Buggs (discus), and St. Cloud’s Jahleek Lawrence (high jump).

Celebration and Poinciana competed in the Region 4A-2 at Sumner High in Riverview. Celebration senior Catalina Edwards’ earned a spot in the 1600 meters (5:11.61). The Storm boys (Alex DelPuerto, Evan Amaya, James Cooper, Justin Quispe) and girls (Hailee Schadt, Sophia Meadows, Ayla Moffit, and Gabriella DeCesare) 4x800 relay teams also advanced.

At the Class 3A, Region 2 Championships at Davenport High School, Gateway’s Amela Johnson had a huge showing for the Panthers, winner the 200 (25.15) and 400 meters (56.99). She was the only athlete from Osceola County to win two events at regionals. The boys 4x400 relay team of Darius Young, Kaleb Hill, John Pagan, and Lawson Chaponda finished second to move on.