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Miller, Briley, Johnson top draws for gold

By Randy Lefko
Posted 5/2/18

PALM COAST – Region track titles by a handful of area tracksters at the region 1-4A track and field championships; Oakleaf High with jumpers Melvin Briley and Loren Johnson and Fleming Island with …

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Miller, Briley, Johnson top draws for gold


Posted

PALM COAST – Region track titles by a handful of area tracksters at the region 1-4A track and field championships; Oakleaf High with jumpers Melvin Briley and Loren Johnson and Fleming Island with Andrew Miller, will put both schools in the hot seat at the Class 4A state championships to be held May 3-4 at the University of North Florida.

“Andrew (Miller)’s performance at regions has him sitting second in the state just four seconds behind Tristen Montalvo of St. Cloud,” said Fleming Island track coach Karen Moritz. Montalvo was fifth behind Miller at the 2017 3200 championship with Miller at 9:37.28 and Montalvo at 9:38.88.

Miller, a senior, and the school record holder in the 3200 meters, topped the region field with his 9:25.46 winning effort that beat the field by nearly two seconds. Miller also competed in the 1600 later in the day, but did not fare as well with a 4:33.62 effort for the 10th place with a 4:21.20 the winning time. Miller ran 4:30 to win the district title and has a 4:23 school record set this year.

“It wasn’t his day in the 1600, but we are past that and ready to focus on the gold medal in the 3200,” said Moritz.

In the sprints and hurdles, Fleming Island got top finishes from hurdler Glenn Rodgers and sprinters Anfernee McCaskill and Felipe Fernandez to put three more Golden Eagles in top contention for state medals.

Rodgers, who transferred from Ridgeview last year to be able to compete in football and track, continued his blitz attack on the state 110 high hurdle lists with his fourth sub-15 second effort at the region championships with a 14.74 finish for fourth place. Rodgers had crept lower into the 14s with a 14.78 split in the prelims after winning the district title in 14.92.

“He had good basic technique when he got here,” said Fleming Island boys coach Chris Otero. “We worked to get him to that first hurdle in step because he was stuttering when he got there. From there, his form just clicked and he keeps getting faster. He has to trust his steps.”

Rodgers, a junior, finished 12th at the Class 2A championships with a pedestrian 15.97 for Ridgeview last year.

McCaskill, seventh at last year’s region 100 meters and an injury scratch in the 200, bounced back to get third in the 200. In the 100, McCaskill had his fastest time of the year at 10.92, but the wicked fast final was won in 10.62 with seven of the eight finalists well under 11 seconds.

“Both Anfernee and Glenn were just shy of breaking their own school records with Glenn’s time from regionals sitting eighth on the state qualifiers list,” said Moritz. “Another good run could see a medal. The 200 has always been Anfernee’s best event. Thanks to the plus eight rule, he made it out in the 100 a well.”

McCaskill’s 10.92 is the 13th fastest time in the state with Taylor Banks of Miramar top time ast 10.57.

“He’s been very explosive out of the blocks this year,” said Fleming Island boys coach Chris Otero. “He had some injury issues last year, but he’s healthy and motivated for his senior year. He has been stronger on his finish more this year and that’s a key in the 200.”

In the 200, McCaskill, fifth ranked, is one of six sprinters under 22 seconds listed for the state meet.

“Coach Chris Otero and Coach Jessica Zayakosky have done a great job working with him this season and putting him in competitive meets,” said Moritz. “He’s been racing against the best all year and was prepared to compete in a fast region.”

In the 400, Fernandez, a senior, has also chipped away at his time with a handful of sub-50 second efforts in the last two weeks, hopefully, putting him on track for at least two more drops in time and shot at the state title. Fernandez finished second at the region meet in 49.13 with a 48.76 the winning time. His split has him eighth ranked in the state with the top two times under 47 seconds; 46.56 and 46.83 and the next nine under 49 seconds. Felipe was 49.28 in the region prelims and got hand-timed at 48.94 in the 4 x 400.

“We asked a lot out of Felipe this week and he more than surpassed our expectations,” said Moritz. “He anchored both the 4x800 and 4x400 teams and ran in the 400, qualifying for state in all three. He is the first athlete in school history to qualify for the state meet three events.”

For Oakleaf, Briley continued his path to a repeat state title; he is the 4A defending champion in the triple jump, with one of his best efforts with a 47’-11.25” winning jump. Briley, about a foot better than the state list and also third in the long jump at 21’-10.25”, has gotten close to the elusive 50 foot mark in the triple jump which has been his target all year. Oakleaf jumps coach John Carter has coyly hinted that the state meet will be where his best jumps will come. Briley is ranked 10th in the long jump with two jumpers both over 23 feet at the top.

“We work all year to be at our best at the biggest meet,” said Carter. “Melvin likes to have someone pushing him to go bigger.”

Briley’s 47’-11.25” jump is top ranked with three jumpers in the 46-plus foot range just behind him.

“He is a one of a kind athlete and that is what separates him from the others,” said Carter. “He is still working on his technique everyday.”

For Johnson, consistency has been the key thus far with Carter noting that her experience in the past two state meets could carry her to gold in two events. Johnson’s winning leaps of 18’-9” in the long jump and 38’-9” in the triple jump; first ranked and second ranked by just one inch, respectively, put her in prime position to earn her first track state medal. Johnson finished 13th in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump last year, but is the only returning jumper in the top five at the long jump and one of just three sophomores from last year’s top 15 finishers.

“It’s all hers this year,” said Carter. “She has seen two years of state meet athletes and it should be her turn this year.”

One other Oakleaf athlete, mammoth shotputter Jalen Rivers, just a sophomore, unloaded his best put of the year with his first 50-plus mark; a 51’-2.25” effort that earned third at the region meet. Rivers, with a 48-footer at districts, positioned himself as the third best on the state meet two feet from number one and just a foot to number two.

For Fleming Island, also earning their trip to the state meet with either a top four finish or a Plus 8 invite were the boys 4 x 400 relay; Jared and Jacob Ashe, Austin St. Laurent and Fernandez, 14th ranked in 3:23.45 (3:15.78 top time) and the boys 4 x 800; Jared Ashe, Cameron May, Landon Opp and Fernandez, 16th ranked in 8:09.75 (7:52.82 top time);

For Oakleaf, also earning a trip to the state meet was Tahja Peoples in the 200; sixth at regions in 26.13 and 22nd ranked (24.29 top state time).

Region finishers for Fleming Island were; in the 200, Jasmine Morris and Charisma Brown (13th and 16th); in the high jump, Nick Ferendo (11th), Ella Shaw (14th) and Amaris English (15th); in the long jump Christian Cook (14th); in the triple jump, Darnell Deas (13th); in the discus, Camilla May (12th) Britney Payne (13th); boys 4 x 100 (11th); girls 4 x 400 (14th), girls 4 x 100 (13th); boys 4 x 800 (6th); in the 800, Cameron May (13th); in the 3200, Emma Millson (11th); in the 3200, Kameron Wallizada (7th).

Fleming Island finished fourth in team points behind West Orange’s winning 57.

Regional finishers for Oakleaf were; in discus, Jeff Allen (10th); in shot put, Chantz Williams (16th); in 100 hurdles, Takayla Edwards (12th), in 300 hurdles, Takayla Edwards (8th); in pole vault, Joseph Anderson (15th); in high jump, Tahja Peoples (8th); in high jump, Amaris English (15th); girls 4 x 100 (13th); gitrls 4 x 400 (13th); in 800, Jaylen Harris (12th) and, in the 3200, Dylan Nelson (13th).