JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The high school state track and field meet arrives this week in Gainesville. Class 1A and 2A will be held Wednesday and Thursday, with 3A and 4A following Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The area has several contenders for top-of-the podium finishes in Class 1A, including St. Johns Country Day distance runner Matthew Stratton in both the 1600 and 3200. Stratton leads the state with a 9:06.84 in the 3200 and ranks third in the 1600 (4:18.03). Another Spartans athlete, long jumper Stanley Cowherd, enters with a state-long of 22 feet, 9 inches.
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In 2A, the area stands to land numerous golds and likely contend for the overall title in girls.
Bolles has an excellent shot of a double individual winner in Jillian Candelino. She enters with state-leading times in the 1600 (4:57.30) and 3200 (10:29.19). She’s also on the 4x800 relay team, a group with a class-best 9:42.79 at region. Teammates Emily Rohan (javelin) and Vivian Stovall (pole vault) lead 2A in those events.
Palatka shot putter Torryence Poole won region with a throw of 42-3 and leads 2A in that event.
On the 2A boys side, Bolles has three legitimate individual title contenders. Daniel Demonte won region with a 1:54.73, a mark that’s the best in 2A. Aidan Ryan of Bolles enters the 1600 with the No. 3 time in the class and should contend for the top spot. Ryan is also on the 4x400 relay team, the 2A favorite.
First-year program Tocoi Creek could have its first individual track champ with Dylan Freet. His shot put distance of 53-3 is tops in 2A.
A look at the local qualifiers for the Class 1A-2A state meet.
Class 1A
When: Wednesday, 1-8:50 p.m. Where: University of Florida.
Local girls qualifiers
Bishop Snyder
Gift Omo-Erigbe: Shot put; Jaime Preston: 100, 400.
Providence
Anayah Brunson: Shot put; Kasey Davey: 800; Skyy Dixon: 100, 200, 400; Melina Kehres: High jump; Jocelyn Pringle: Shot put, discus; Lily Simonsen: Pole vault; 4x800 relay team.
St. Johns Country Day
Ava Johnson: 400.
University Christian
Lariel Green: Triple jump; Truth King: 800.
Local boys qualifiers
Bishop Snyder
Donald Dempsey: 800; Evan Sandusky: High jump; Jacob Tarantelli: Pole vault.
Harvest Community
Nathan Stricklin: 800; 4x400 relay.
Hilliard
4x100 relay.
Providence
Jonah Casey: Pole vault; Omarr Dixon: High jump; Samuel Hayward: Javelin; Ryan Stuart: High jump.
St. Johns Country Day
Stanley Cowherd: 400, long jump; Graham Myers: 1600, 3200; Matthew Stratton: 800, 1600, 3200; 4x800 relay.
St. Joseph
Victor Farfan: 800, 1600; 4x800 relay.
Trinity Christian
Michael Trimble: Shot put, discus.
University Christian
Jerome Manning: Shot put.
Class 2A
When: Thursday, 1-8:50 p.m. Where: University of Florida
Local girls qualifiers
Baldwin
Kennedi Proctor: 800.
Bishop Kenny
Ka’Myya Haywood: 400, 800; Gabrielle Johnson: 100, 200; Sydney Roundtree: High jump; 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay; 4x800 relay.
Bolles
Leila Bata: 800; Jillian Candelino: 1600, 3200; Elizabeth Csikai: 1600; Zee Curtis: Discus; Isabella Lee: 800; Elizabeth McClure: 1600, 3200; Ella Mickler: 3200; Janay Moorer: 100, 200, 400; Ella Neskora: Discus; Caylee Padgett: Javelin; Emily Rohan: Javelin; Maggie Stoll: Discus; Vivian Stovall: Pole vault; Kiley Wenger: Pole vault; Presley Wolfe: Pole vault, triple jump; 4x800 relay.
Episcopal
Lucrezia Gowdy: 3200; Chloe Selmer: Long jump; Skyler Watts: 100, 200; 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay.
Fernandina Beach
Jalay Evans: High jump.
Jackson
Kennedy Hill: 200; 4x400 relay.
Palatka
Alleah Ford: 300 hurdles; Torryence Poole: Shot put, discus; 4x100 relay.
Paxon
Selena Robinson: 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Rose-Esther Saint-Germain: 200, 400; Kyndal Turner: 100; Serenity Wade: 300 hurdles; 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay.
Suwannee
Dariniya Martin: High jump, triple jump.
Tocoi Creek
Emily Flores: Shot put, discus.
Yulee
Tristen Evatt: Long jump, triple jump.
Local boys qualifiers
Baker County
Orlando Holland: High jump; Jaymodd Ruise: 100; 4x100 relay.
Baldwin
4x100 relay.
Bishop Kenny
Max Selden: Discus; Noah Straley: 200, 400, long jump; 4x800 relay.
Bolles
Ryan Anderson: Javelin; Jeffrey Ashby: 110 hurdles; Garrison Butler: Shot put; Jacob Christy: Pole vault; Daniel DeMonte: 800; Colin Duhnoski: 800; Christopher Joost: 3200; Cormac Kimberly: 1600; Jonathan Lorbeer: Long jump, triple jump; Matthew McClure: 3200; Kavon Miller: 400; Aidan Ryan: 1600, 3200; Matthew Thomas: 3200; Kemani Wilson: Long jump; 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay.
Episcopal
David Cooper: Javelin; Michael Officer: 800; 4x400 relay.
Jackson
Dashawn Bruist: 800; Traunard Folson: 100; Brian Johnson: 400; 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay.
Keystone Heights
Caleb Moncrief: Shot put; discus.
Palatka
Johnathan Givens, 110 hurdles; Jaeshaun White, 300 hurdles; 4x400 relay.
Paxon
Cooper Crowell, discus.
Suwannee
Garrison Beach: 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; TJ Derico: Long jump, triple jump; Will Wainwright: Discus, javelin.
Tocoi Creek
Charles Allsup: Javelin; Dylan Freet: Shot put.
Union County
Malcolm Odum: 200, 400; Martin Odum: 200, 400.