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PHOTO/METRO
In a meet featuring some of the top talent in Central Florida, the Harmony girls and Tohopekaliga boys put on impressive team efforts; while Osceola High sprinting star Markevious Jackson turned in a spectacular performance at the Tohopekaliga Invitational last Saturday.
In the feature race of the meet, Jackson and Monteverde Academy’s Weston Baptiste squared off in the 400-meter run. The two entered the contest as the top five ranked runners in the nation at that distance, with Jackson came in posting the best time in the nation with a 47.22 time at the Kowboy Invitational on March 13 and Baptiste recording the third fastest time in the nation with a 47.76 at the Mount Dora Christian Academy Invitational on March 20.
Neither runner would disappoint as Baptiste edged Jackson by two tenths of a second to win the event. Baptiste’s time of 46.63 edged Jackson’s time of 46.84 by 21/100th of a second and again became the two of the three fastest times recorded by high school athletes this year. The duo finished more than two seconds ahead of the field in the event.
“Two of the best in the country and they went at it today,” Osceola Head Coach Eric Pinellas said. “It was incredible to watch.”
In all 26 teams competed in the event, including 6 schools from Osceola County. On the boys side, Tohopekaliga earned a seventh place finish with 31 team points. Celebration was 13th with 27 points, followed by Harmony in 14th (25), Osceola was 21st (8) and Gateway was 22nd (6). Timber Creek (68.5) edged Rockledge (63) for the team crown.
Top county performers for Toho included a second place finish in the long jump (6.52 meters) by Christian White, a second place finish by Orlando Descartes in the javelin throw (46.90), Julian Pomales third place finish in the 1600 meters (4:37.09), Johan Comacho’s fifth place finish in the 3200 meters (10:15.99), and Demario Tolan’s seventh place finish in the 110 hurdles (16.52).
White and Tolan teamed with Anthony Mercado and Ehlias Patterson to give the Tigers a second place finish in the 4 x100 relay. Their time of 44.24 trailed just West Orange’s winning time of 44.02.
Other county highlights on the boy’s side was a 1-2-3 sweep by Celebration’s Sebastian Edwards (1:59.39), Jerald Falchook (2:00.06) and James Cooper (2:01.01) in the 800 meters. The trio accounted for 24 of Celebration’s 27 team points in that single event.
Harmony’s top performers were Joel Jean, who won the 3,200 meters in 10:02.12, Mason Fabrizio who placed 5th in the pole vault (3.5 meters) and Tyson Job who scored points with 8th place finishes in both the 110-meter hurdles (16.99) and the 300-meter hurdles (44.76).
Gateway’s 8:52.98 time in the 4 x 200 meter relay was good for 4th place in the meet.
On the girls’ side, Rockledge ran away with the team title with an impressive 118 points. Harmony was fourth at 41, Celebration was seventh (32).
Toho’s Alyso Whetro was the top point scorer for Osceola schools, as she won both the high jump (1.60 meters) and long jump (5.59 meters). The Storm’s Helena Huyke won the 300 meter hurdles; while teammate Catalina Edwards was second in the 3200 meter run (11:49.10).
The Lady Longhorns 4 x 800 meter relay team of Alaine Rivera, Brynn Magner, Izabelle Reichard, and Kaitlyn Ritter won that event with a time of 10:08.81. Rivera was 5th in the 1600 meters (5:22.28); while Thora Gaston placed second in the Javelin (29.96 meters).
Osceola’s Shannon Levy won the 100-meters for the Lady Kowboys in 12.37. Amela Johnson placed 3rd in the 200-meter run (26.05) and placed 6th in the 400-meters (1:01.44).
FHSAA district track meets will be held April 12-23, regionals will be held May 1 and the state championships will begin a week later.
