BEACHSIDE - With a wicked fast 4 x 800 relay split of eight minutes, 44.88 seconds, the Fleming Island High boys track team took the best punches from Georgia track powerhouse Richmond Hill High to finish second by just 11.5 points, 171.50-160 at the Beachside Battery Invite at Beachside High School on Friday.

With Richmond Hill clocking in at 8:38.42, the Fleming Island quartet of Cole Atzert, Marcos Serrano, Ronain Holliday and Roman Mollicone chased one of their fastest times of the season to take the silver medal ahead of Beachside, third at 8:49.24.
In the 1600, Fleming Island's distance squad blasted the field with a 1-2-3 finish led by seniors Graham Myers and John Keester IV who ran shoulder to shoulder with Myers surging at the finish to win in 4:22.13 to Keester's 4:22.95. Andrew Boyer, a sophomore at Fleming Island, completed the triple play with a 4:33.89 split with Atzert sixth in 4:50.36.
Clay High sophomore Jacob Sanders finished 10th in the 1600 with a 4:57.32.
Mollicone and Keester cruised through the 800 for a 1-2 finish with both under two minutes; 1:57.03-1:58.44 with Mollicone clocking in a few under 1:55 through the season. Fleming Island's Luke Melson was third with the Golden Eagles putting six runners in the top 10 including Myers in 2:01.12.
In the girls' 1600, Fleming Island's Brooke Reynolds, a sophomore, and senior teammate Allie Knotts split up a 1-5 finish by Richmond Hill to take second and fifth among three Richmond Hill runners. Reynolds clocked in at 5:29.38 with Richmond Hill freshman Julia Anastasio winning in 5:23.14. Knotts was in at 5:43.46 with Marlea Feld eighth at 6:03.50.
Reynolds also took second in the 800 in 2:26.50 won by Esther Nelson of Nease in 2:22.20. Clay High senior Erika Martinez, a soccer player for the Blue Devils region team, was fifth in 2:29.29.
Fleming Island's girls finished seventh in team scores with Richmond Hill winning with 153; Fleming Island scoring 48.
In the boys' 100, Fleming Island quarterback Cibastian Broughton warmed up for a quick spring football session in May with a 10.98 split for fourth behind a 10.77 from Billy Cunningham of Richmond Hill. Clay High's Antonio Thomas finished ninth in 11.25.
In the 110 hurdles, Jarius Rodgers, little brother to Fleming Island state hurdle champion Glenn Rodgers, clocked a 15.02 to take Rodgers won the high jump with a 6'-1.5" leap.
Jacob Campbell ran 9:42.99 to win the 3200.
Pole Vaulter Gideon Gillaspy jumped 12'-5.5" to finish sixth with a 14'-11.25" vault winning and leading three 14-foot plus finishers.