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Against some of Central Florida's best track and field talent, Harmony's girls and the host Tohopekaliga's boys shined. PHOTO/METRO
A number of county track teams competed aside some of the top talent in Central Florida at the weekend’s the Tohopekaliga Tigers Invitational.
The event featured competitors from 45 high schools throughout Central Florida, and Harmony’s girls team placed an impressive fourth place. State power Rockledge won the team title with 118.5 points.
The Longhorns did most of their damage in the high jump, where Drea Thompson won the event at 1.66 meters. Emily Baca (1.52 meters) and Halie Vickers (1.50) gave the Longhorns three finishers in the top eight. Thompson, a senior, is the highest ranked high jumper in both Central Florida and in FHSAA Class 4A and is expected to compete for a state championship.
The Longhorns’ Hanna Vickers was third in the pole vault (2.55 meters) and seventh in the long jump (5.09 meters). Distance runner Lailana Decker was fourth in the 3,200 meters (11:48.62) and Alyssa Vago was eighth in the 100-meter hurdles (17.28 seconds). The 4x800 meter relay team of Katelyn Ussery, Rebekah Wiles Shelby Fertic, and Decker placed second (10:32.59).
Tohopekaliga’s Brianna Rodrgiuez won the pole vault with a 2.85-meter effort.
For Celebration, Catalina Edwards finished third in the 3,200 meters (11:47.68) and Makenna McBrown took sixth in the javelin (25.90 meters). Osceola’s Kelliana Mack was ninth in the 100-meter hurdles (17.57).
Aaliyah Rojas picked up points for Gateway with a sixth place finish in the high jump at 1.52 meters. Liberty’s 4 x400 meter relay team of Asia Antenor, Denali Dauphin, Nehmiah Ives and Bryanna Ragguette raced to sixth (4:24.35).
On the boys’ side, Ocoee (78 points) edged Rockledge (75) for the team title. Tohopekaliga was a solid fifth with 39 points and Harmony (25) was 11th. Johan Comacho (9:44.75) and Zenia Lizardo accounted for 18 of those points thanks in a one-two finish in the 3200-meter run. Comacho has turned in the fourth best time in Central Florida this year but is also an exceptional in the 1600 meters – where he is ranked sixth.
The Tigers 4x400 meter relay team of Andrew Durant, Jose Baez, Jevon Andrew-Brown, and Joaquin Francis finished fourth; their 4x800 team of Michael Roman, Joaquin Francis, Darwin Vega, and Zakariah Fulmore was eighth. In the pole vault, Angel Mendoza cleared the bar at 4.05 meters for a first place finish and Peter De Almeda was fourth. Mendoza’s jump was just a ¼” short of the top jumper in Central Florida this year and topped his best jump of the year by more than five inches.
Harmony picked up team points in several events. Senior Joel Jean, who is ranked second in the Central Florida in the 3200 meters, went second in the 1600 4:34.24, two seconds out of the lead.
Ranked hurdler Alex Tuyo finished fourth in the 400 hurdles in 59.19. The Longhorns other point scorers came from Mason Shafer and Ethan Medley (fifth and sixth in the pole vault) and David Hunter (sixth in the javelin).
Gateway’s Levi Hill took fifth in the 110-meter high hurdles (16.33) and William Martinez was third in the pole vault (3.75 meters). The Panthers 4x400 meter relay team of Andrew Durant, Jose Baez, Jevon Andrew-Brow, and Joaquin Francis placed fourth.
Osceola throweR David Buggs was third in the discus (39.68 meters) and eighth in the javelin (39.74 meters). Celebration’s Evan Amaya’s ran second place in the 800.
More meets are scheduled between now and district track meets the week of April 27.
