JACKSONVILLE - In oppressively hot and humid weather conditions, the FHSAA Class 3A track and field championships at the University of North Florida became races of attrition with the Fleming Island boys 4 x 800 relay team putting on one of the more surprising finishes of the day.
"We didn't have an eight minute finish all year or we were pretty close, but nothing like today," said junior J.P. Strombeck, after his boys 4 x 800 relay squad; senior Marcus Serrano, sophomore Luke Janke and freshman Andrew Lou surprised the star-studded cast that included defending 3A champions Belen Jesuit, Miami Dillard, Chiles, Niceville and Lincoln to pull off a scintillating third place finish in seven minutes, 53.14 seconds.
Belen Jesuit, with 1,600 and 3,200 repeat champion Marcelo Mantecon anchoring, ran away from the field with a 7:51.30 winning time with Dillard second in 7:52.90.
"We were right there with Dillard in the end, like less than a second," said Strombeck, who redeemed a dropped baton at the region 1-3A 4 x 800 meters to put the Golden Eagles further back in the rankings. "I think I redeemed myself today. I knew were going to be pretty good."
Fleming Island stayed consistent with their pace throughout the four legs of the event with all four runners staying under two minutes for their 800 splits; 1:58.63 (Janke), 1:58.54 (Lou), 1:59.67 (Strombeck) and 1:56.26 (Serrano).
"Not many teams can get four guys under two minutes for 800," said Fleming Island coach Dave Allen. "The second fastest split was from our freshman, Andrew Lou, who has been working hard all season and getting faster and stronger."
Allen also noted that his 4 x 800 team that won that same title in 2023 ran a 7:43 split.
"It was hot on the track," said Allen. "Marcus has been hitting 1:55-1:56 splits all season."
For Orange Park's Verger, second last year with a 24-foot leap last year, finished third with a   23-feet-11.5 finish behind two jumps higher than 24 feet.
Fleming Island's girls finished with 19 team points for 12th place behind triple jump champion Mikayla Shavers, who also was second in the long jump and an eighth place finish in the 4 x 100 relay with Shavers the anchor.

Results

Fleming Island: Girls 4 x 800 (16th, 10:11.16) Brooke Reynolds, Chloe Bourre, Karissa Lou, Samantha Whitin
Fleming Island: Girls 100 Hurdles: Meadow Schubert (10th, 14.78)
Fleming Island: Girls 400 Hurdles: Meadow Schubert (9th, 1:04.13)
Fleming Island: Girls Pole Vault: Hannah Forte (12th, 9-10)
Fleming Island: Girls 400: Halle Steeves (10th, 56.75)
Fleming Island: Boys 400: Lennox Ivey (14th, 49.49)
Fleming Island: Girls 1600: Brooke Reynolds (12th, 5:16.64)
Fleming Island: Boys 400 Hurdles: Avery Savage (DQ)

Ridgeview: Boys 110 Hurdles: Bennett Smith (16th, 15.60)