Boys Team Race
On the strength of their relays and Junior Tywan Cox and Sophomore J'Vari Flowers, the Miami Northwestern boys are the team to beat in the 3A State Championships. Cox leads all division in the State in the 400m with a 45.76 this season. He won the 3A4 Regional in 47.60. Flowers was 2nd in the 100 3A4 Regional with a 10.43 and 2nd in the 200 with a 20.95. His 20.95 places him 3rd in the State in the 200 for all divisions. The Northwestern boys 4x400m Relay is ranked 2nd in all divisions with a 3:11.93. In the boys 800m, Northwestern Sr. Devin Jones is ranked #5 in all divisions and #3 in #A with a 1:52.37.
The Northwestern boys however do not have a lot of room for missed performances as the American Heritage boys, led by Sophomores Zamari Sanders and Brandon Bennett, the favorites in the 100m and the 200m. Bennett won the 100m at the 3A4 Regional in 10.40 and Sanders won the 3A4 Regional in the 200 with a 20.50 which is the state-leading 200m time for all divisions. The Heritage boys are favored in the 4x100m Relay in which they have the state leading time in all divisions of 40.15. Brandon's twin brother Braylen has run 10.51 this season and Sr. Xavier Lucas has run 10.49. Hertiage could see another 1sdt place coming from Sophomore Christien Moreau in the Shot Put where he has thrown 16.86 and is ranked 3A #2. Moreau is expected to provide points in the Discus as well as he is ranked 3A #3 with a throw of 53.16m.
Boys Top Athletes to Watch
SPRINTS
Jr. Kai Evans of Lake Minneola was 4th last year. Sr. Rance Grace of Lincoln was 3rd. Just .29 seconds separated them. They are #1 and @ in 3A and # 2 and 4 All divisions this season with .14 seconds separating their times. Evans has dipped under 14 with a 13.88 and Grace has gone 14.01. Based solely on seed times there is just .85 separation between all of the boys in Heat 2 of the 110mH. If Evans is clean over the hurdles he should take the title.
The boy's 100m is always one of the highlights of the State meets. This one is no exception. Heat 2 features the 3A #1-4, #6, #10, #11 and #15 ranked runners. The top runner to watch for is So. Brandon Bennett of American Heritage. Bennett was 8th last year as a Freshman and leads the State in the 3A rankings with a 10.40. Just .22 seconds separates all 9 runners in Heat 2. Here are the top 6 in the 3A rankings. So. Brandon Bennett of American Heritage 10.40, So. J'Vari Flowers of Miami Northwester 10.43, Sr. Ivory Aikens of Miami Norland 10.47, Jr. Kai Evans of Lake Minneola and Jr. Braylen Bennett of American Heritage. No room for mistakes and don't blink or you may miss this one.
.54 seconds separates the 9 200m runners. This should be a close one with American Heritage and Miami Northwestern showcasing some of their speed talent. Leading all of the qualifiers is American Heritage So. Zamarii Sanders who last week in the 3A Region 4 race ran a State leading and US #1 20.50 jumping ahead of Christian Miller's 20.51. Coming off the curve, the last 100 should be as exciting as the100m.
The 400m features # 1-3 in the 3A rankings and the #1 ranked boys in the State All Divisions. Jr. Tywan Cox of Miami Northwestern has run a 45.76 this season. #2 in the rankings is Sr. Donovan Terry of Tampa Jesuit. Terry has the experience of a State final as he ran 4th last year. Jr. Demarcus Boykins of Escambia also comes in under 48 with a 47.80.
It would be difficult to not pick Cox as the winner!
Jr. Kai Evans of Lake Minneola is the defending State 3A champion in the 400mH. He ran 52.35 last year to take the title and its going to take another sub-53 effort to repeat. Sr. Rance Grace of Lincoln was 3rd last year and is ranked 3A #3. Sandwiched in between Evans and Grace is Sr. Jarrell Jimenez of Ponte Vedra with a 53.94. Will we see three sub-53's?
DISTANCE RACES
In the 800m, the top four seeded times are under 1:54.00. They are 3A ranked 1-4. Jr. Joseph Socarras of Belen Jesuit is the sole top-10 returner from last year's final. He was 7th in 1:57.32. This year he is ranked #1 with a 1:51.32, but he will be coming off a featured fast and talented 1600 where he is the defending State Champion. Right behind him is another Jr., Alejandro De Bastos of Pembroke Pines with a 1:51.85. Sr. Devin Jones of Miami Northwestern is the #3 ranked boy with a 1:52.37 and Sr. Roman Mollicone of Fleming Island has run 1:53.25. This be one of the day's most exciting and anticipated finals. They all have great speed and a strong finish. It may come down to who has the most patience and who can react to the sprint that will come with 200m to go.
The 3A boys 1600 is one the highlight races, of many, in this year's 3A State meet. It features some of the best 1600m talent in the State with 5 boys all under 4:15.00. Joseph Socarras of Belen Jesuit is the defending State Champion. He ran 4:13.53 in his win. He is ranked #3 All-Divisions in the State with a 4:13.09. His teammate, Fr. Marcelo Mantecon is ranked #2 with a 4:12.74. Leon Sr. Patrick Koon was 2nd to Socarras last year running a 4:14.09. He has run 4:13.84 this season and is ranked #4. #5 All-Division in the State is Jr. Alejandro De Bastos of Pembroke Pines. De Bastos has run 4:14.18. #6 in the State is Fr. Andrew Beroset of Gulf Breeze. Beroset has run 4:14.29. 8 other runners have all gone under 4:20.00. I'm not sure how this race will play out but it may take a sub-4:10 to win and we may see a new State All-Time Freshman 1600!
In the 3200m, the seed times can be thrown out. Patrick Koon is the defending 3A State champion. He won with an 8:58.83 last year. Here are your All-Division ranked 3200 runners with sub-9:00 times that have qualified. Koon, Mantecon and Ruiz will all be coming of the 1600m and it may play a factor in the pace of the race.
2 Sr. Patrick Koon of Leon 8:41.46
3 Fr. Marcelo Mantecon Belen Jesuit 8:50.02
6 Sr. Joshua Ruiz Belen Jesuit 8:59.99
FIELDS EVENTS
In the Pole Vault, Sr. Luther Mogelvang of Naples is the defending Champion with a vault of 14-03.25. He is tied with Alex Georgiev for the State lead in the PV with a vault of 5m (16-04.75) this season. Jr. Darius Jones II of Rickards comes in with a 4.55m (14-11.25) as well as Jr. Nicholas Desanto of Ponte Vedra. Jr. Maltius Morrissey of Hillsboro has gone 4.35 (14-03.25). If he is on, Mogelvang should defend his State title.
So. Nikiah Wilkinson of Bayside is tied for the State lead in All-Divisions in the High Jump with a jump of 2.13m (6-11.75). He should win and will challenge the 7' mark.
The top 3 ranked 3A Long Jumpers in the State will do battle on Friday. Sr. Isaiah Johnson of Choctawatchee is the defending State Champion. He won with a leap of 24-01.50 last year. This year however he is ranked #3 with a jump of 7.32m (24-00.75). Leading the State in the 3A Long Jump rankings is Lakeland Sr. Sytrevion Dyer. Dyer has jumped 7.51m (24-07.75) this season. Lincoln So. Jaiden Cunninghan is ranked #2 with a jump of 7.33m (24-00.75)
The top two seeds and the only two boys over 14m in the Triple Jump are Sr. Xavier Bogan of Hillsboro and So. O'Hara Tommie of Boyd Anderson. Bogan was 3rd at State last year jumpin 47-02.50. To get on to of the podium this year it may take a leap over 14.63m (48-00.00). Tommie has gone 14.43m 47-04.25).
In the Shot Put, Bryce Davis of Leon leads the 3A boys rankings with a throw of 17.88m (58-08.00.). At State, he should be challenged by last year's 4th place thrower, So. Christian Moreau of American Heritage. Moreau is ranked #2 with a put of 16.86m (55.03.75). Lecanto Sr. Burke Malmberg has thrown 16.5m (54-01.50) and is one of the favorites to be on the podium. Davis should get his first State title.
Jr. Tim Beauchamp of New Smyrna Beach is one of the favorites in the Discus. He has thrown 53.8 (176-06.00) this season and was 3rd last year at State. Sr. Deaven McDonald leads the State with a throw of 56.1m (184-00.75). American Heritage So. Christian Moreau has thrown 53.16m (174-05.00). If McDonald can unleash a throw, he will be difficult to beat.
In the Javelin, Ponte Vedra Sr. Vincent Jackson is favored to repeat as the State Champion. The Florida International commit threw a 187-00.00 in winning last year and has thrown 59.78 (196-01.50) this season and is the State leader in 3A.
RELAYS
4x800
Fleming Island has leads the 3A boys ranking with a 7:51.68. Belen Jesuit is #2 with a 7:53.57. Fort Myers, Naples, Dillard and Leon have all run sub-8:00, but 9 seconds can be considerable in the 4x800. I wouldn't be surprised to see Belen Jesuit atop the podium.
4x100
The top four teams in the State are in Heat 2. All have run sub-41 and they are separated by just .84 seconds. It all comes down to the exchanges. Will we see a sub-40?
American Heritage 40.15
Miami Northwestern 40.74
Choctawhatchee 40.96
Fleming Island 40.99
4x400
If Miami Northwestern loads up, they should win the 4x400m Relay. They are ranked 3A #1 with a 3:11.93 and All-Divisions #2. Choctawhatchee has the 2nd best time coming into the finals, but their 3:18.08 is considerably back of the Northwestern boy's time.