FORT WALTON BEACH - Fleming Island High’s boys 4 x 800 relay team nearly eclipsed the historic eight minute barrier to win the region 1-3A title in the event on Friday at Fort Walton Beach.

For Orange Park High, shotputter Myshaela Parker, a center on the region finalist Lady Raiders basketball team, finished second in shot put to advance with a 37’-6.75” put. Parker, the early leader at the event, was less than two inches from the region title with Rickards’ McKenzi Lyons nailing her title on her last throw at 39’-1.75”. Last years state title was at 42’-0”.

The four Golden Eagle boys; Danny Sakowski, Roman Molicone, Luke Melson and Alex Bendig edged out host Fort Walton Beach with their 8:05.46 split to Fort Walton’s 8:07.29 with district rival Ponte Vedra third at 8:10.27.

At last year’s Class 3A meet, Dillard of Miami won in 7:52.00 with Fort Walton Beach eighth in 8:05.94.

For the Fleming Island boys, Bendig has the fastest time of the quartet with a 1:57 with Mollicone at 1:59 and Sakowski and Melson just at the two minute mark. Bendig finished second in the 800 with his 1:57 split with Sakowski 11th at 2:07.83.

For the Fleming Island boys, high jumper Antoine Sandy finished second in the high jump while, in the 3200, John Keester IV took fourth in 9:40.22 to advance as a top four qualifier.

Fleming Island’s boys were 11th in the 4 x 400 and sixth in the 4 x 100. Sprinter Kaylib Singleton was seventh in the 100 and 10th in the 200 with hurdler Dedric Walker 11th in the 110 hurdles.

Fleming Island’s girls top finisher was fourth place in triple jump Maliyah Deas and sixth place in 800 Katie Thompson. Deas was also sixth in long jump. The girls 4 x 800; Thompson, Lauren Schaudel, Kaitlyn Scherer, Reese Scott, took third in a close top three with Choctawhatchee winning in 9:47.73 and the Golden Eagles third at 9:49.64. Second place was Ponte Vedra at 9:48.18. Fort Walton Beach was fourth at 9:59.98. Top five at state last year were under 9:44.

Middleburg High siblings Wyatt and Madison Underwood will be traveling just an hour south with family, but not for a Disney vacation, but for a shot at double the medals at the Class 3A track championships.

Wyatt Underwood, a junior discus and shotput thrower for the Broncos, will get to have his sister close by at the track championships with the freshman discus tosser getting fourth in her first region meet on Friday in Fort Walton Beach.

Wyatt Underwood, who has teetered in the top five almost all season with his discus tosses, finsihed third with a 153’-5” toss with an 11th in the shot put. The toss was immensely further than his 124’-10” 16th place finish at last year’s Class 3A championships.

In sprints, football running back Mike Mitchell was 15th in the 100, then drove back to play in the Broncos spring game intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday.

For Madison Underwood, her progression in her throws, with each successive throw better than the previous with her best of 114’-8”, sneakily moved her past better early throws to take the fourth spot. Top throw was 122’-6”. Clay High’s Kenya Tinajero was seventh with Middleburg’s senior Sophia Parish 14th.

Tinajera was sixth in shot put with sprinter Fiona Whitfield 10th in long jump, 16th in the 200 and 12th in the 100. Ashanti Jones was seventh in javelin.

For Ridgeview, high jumper Zoe Whaley secured her returned to the state championships (fifth last year at 5’-3.75”) with a third at 5’-1.75” with sprinter Olivia Gaines second in triple jump also advancing. Gaines was fifth in long jump.

Ridgeview’s girls also had Rikki Blaylock 10th in javelin, Blythe Duchene seventh in 800 at 2:24.39 (13th at state meet last year at 2:25.87), sixth in 4 x 100 relay, 10th in 4 x 400. For the Orange Park boys, Josiah Sabino returns to the state meet after finishing third at regions at 44’-11” with the Raiders sending two relay squads; 4 x 100; Jermel Brown, Nolan Chambers, William Restall and Lawrence Thomas, (4th) and 4 x 400; Tim Barfield, Chambers, Brian Green and Restall (2nd). Thomas was also fifth in the 200 at 22.41 and seventh in the 300 hurdles with Brown 11th in the 200. Chambers was 12th in the 100.

In javelin, Ryan Rykalsky was 10th.

In the 400, Christopher Arias was 11th.

For the girls, Samantha Mitchell was fifth in high jump behind Whaley and ninth in the 200. Nylene Williams was 12th in the 200. The Lady Raiders 4 x 400 finished 12th. For Ridgeview’s boys, javelin thrower Pable Gonzalez was fourth at 140’-1” to advance to the state meet.

Nappoleon Cion was seventh in triple jump; 13th in long jump; Eddie Whipple was eighth in long jump and high jump with the boys 4 x 800 ninth. James Snipes was eighth in the 1600. T’Vario Willis was seventh in high jump. The boys 4 x 800 was ninth while the 4 x 100 was disqualified for a late baton pass.