Coral Shores and Key West ran, jumped and threw at Tropical Park on April 22 for the FHSAA 2A District 16 championships. When the final event was complete, Key West landed in the runner-up position in both boys and girls in the district behind Gulliver Prep.
The Conchs earned the lion’s share of their points in throwing events with four individual wins. Josh Johnson tossed the shot 46’10” to seal a district championship and move into the No. 2 spot in the school record books. Johnson will represent the Southernmost City in shot put and discus, where he placed third. Noah Mercer was first in discus, claiming a championship and bid to regionals with his 152’4″ toss. Mercer was third in shot and will also be a two-event participant at regionals. In the girls throwing events, Audrey Smith was the big winner. Smith claimed a pair of district titles, in the discus (106’4”) and javelin (112’2”) events, and was second in the shot put.
Other regional qualifiers in the throwing events were Shane Lavallee, Peyton Zubieta and Jeremiah Harvey, who all made the cut in boys javelin. Audrina McClellan and Monica Bueno did the same for the girls and McClellan also qualified in discus. Anthony Jenner qualified in boys shot put and Christopher Barter in boys discus.
Rounding out Key West’s field champions were siblings Ian and Ariel Newton, who each brought home district gold. Ian won the boys pole vault, clearing the bar at 13’9.5”. His younger sister Ariel won the girls event at a height of 10’4”.
On the track, Kelly Cardona-Quiche won the 100-meter hurdles race in 19.82 seconds and qualified in the 400 hurdles event as well. Caylaa Makimaa finished first in the 1,600, completing four laps in 5:41, and qualified in the 3,200. The Lady Conchs’ 4×800 team of Naima Thomas, Emerson Jackson, Violet Jangraw and Makimaa plus the 4×400 team of Thomas, Lilia Mook, Coleen Barter and Aly Camargo both finished first and will represent the team at regionals.
Other Conch regional field event qualifiers include pole vaulters Jorge Sanchez, Ian Torreaba Lopez, Maya Gray and Lilly Good. Malachi Telisma was second in boys high jump. Colleen Barter was second in girls high jump and Lilia Mook and Maicey Malgrat tied for third. Jordan Greene was third in girls triple jump and Jeff Dejean was second in boys long jump.
On the track, Mirakle Humphrey qualified for regionals with a third-place finish in the 100-meter dash. Ariel Newton was second in the 200 for the girls and Walson Morin was third for the boys. Jordan Greene qualified in triple jump and the 200-meter dash. Alyssandra Camargo placed third in the 400 while Naima Thomas qualified in the 800. Additionally, the girls 4×100, both 4×400 teams, and boys 4×800 meter relay teams qualified for regionals.
CORAL SHORES
Coral Shores has two new district champs this season. Xavier Johnson’s 16.81-second 110 hurdles time not only earned him a district title; he now owns the Hurricane record in that event and will have a chance to set an even faster pace at regionals. Freshman Ali Wheatley ran a 12:04 3,200-meter race for a first-place medal at districts, a race she won by six full seconds.
Johnson and Wheatley won’t be alone at regionals. Julieanna Oddo placed second in the 110 hurdles, qualifying for the next round of competition. Alaric Rodriguez was third in the boys 800 while Sammy Bates was third in the girls race. Niveah Howard, Tess Hill, Olive Welch and Kate King qualified in the 4×100 relay while Bates, Hill, Welch and King qualified in the 4×400 relay. In field events, Evan Osipov placed second in the discus and will represent Coral Shores at regionals in that event.
MARATHON
Marathon participated in the 1A District 16 Championships the following day at Palmer Trinity School. The Fins boys came in third overall and the girls fourth. Four Fins brought home district titles, including Jay Marshall, who sprinted to an 11.06-second first place in the 100-meter dash. On the other end of the spectrum was Vance Bursa, who completed the longest race of the day, the 3,200, in 10:06. Daysi Williams cleared the bar at 4’7” in the high jump for a district title and Justice Lee hauled in three golds in the throwing events. Lee won the shot put (38’5.5”), discus (111′ 7”) and javelin (107’9”) to make it six wins for the Fins.
In addition to the district champs, a crew of Dolphins will be participating at regionals. Vance Bursa also qualified for the 1,600 after capturing second place. Lucian Burns and Tony Bursa will join Vance in both the distance events. The boys 4×400 team of Fabbianho Louis Jeune, Bradley Ourada, Israel Gonzalez and Caleb Shelar finished second. Louis Jeune was also the runner-up in high jump and qualified in the long jump as well, making for a busy day at regionals. Eian Batzer made the list in long jump and high jump while Cullen Coleman-Sayer and Maverick McDonald were second and third in pole vault, respectively, earning them both a trip to regionals.
Jesus Gonzalez is a regional qualifier in triple jump while his twin, Israel Gonzalez, will compete in the javelin throw along with Mathew Machado. The Lady Fins’ Molly Joly was second in the 3,200-meter run and qualified in the 1,600 as well. Ava Merryman vaulted 9’10” for a new school record and district silver. Joining Merryman in the girls pole vault are Samantha Batzer and Isabelle Wiseman. Tinashay Cunningham will represent the Dolphins in the open 400 race and the girls 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams will join the regional qualifiers for Marathon on May 3 at Calvary Christian School. Key West and Coral Shores compete at the same location one day prior.
