Athletes representing Marathon and Key West traveled to Jacksonville last week to compete at the FHSAA 1A and 2A State Championships held at University of North Florida. The 1A Dolphins started the state series off, competing on May 15. After weather delayed the start times, the Fins got down to business, winning a pair of medals from the five athletes in attendance.
Sophomore strongwoman Justice Lee brought her A-game to the shot put circle.
Lee added a fourth-place medal and a new school record to her already-impressive accomplishments after tossing the ball 36’9.75″. Lee broke her own school record four times in as many throws, besting her personal record with each toss. She now holds the school record in all three throwing events with two more years of eligibility to go.
Marathon’s other medal came in the throwing events as well. Senior Mason Buxton, part of the Dolphin cross country machine, took his talents to the field, hurling the javelin 159’4.5” for a new school record and an eighth-place medal to cap off his high school career in style. In addition to owning the javelin record, Buxton is in the Dolphin record book in a four-way tie for pole vault and second in discus.
Key West took their marks the following day in the 2A championships. Though there would be no crimson and gray representing on the track, the Conchs were abundant in field events and their athletic endeavors included a trio of medals they secured at the event. Senior pole vaulter and school record-holder Suharevskis Niks-Davis cleared the bar at 14’9” and nailed down a third-place medal. Niks-Davis will add that to his silver medal from 2023 and eighth-place medal in 2022. Besides holding the school pole-vault record, Niks-Davis owns the top time in the 400 hurdles and third in the 110 hurdles in the Conchs’ track and field records.
The Conch throwers also made a splash at states. Sophomore Audrey Smith claimed fifth place in girls javelin while junior Shane Lavallee finished in sixth place, securing Key West’s other two medals. Smith’s toss of 117’1” came from the second flight of throwers, typically reserved for unseeded athletes, upsetting a slew of other throwers hoping for a medal. Lavallee’s javelin traveled 164’6”, moving him half a dozen places in the rankings. Both athletes are second in the record books for Key West and have plenty of time to move into the top spot in school history.
Other notable performances include a 10th-place finish from junior Ian Newton in pole vault. Newton peaked at the perfect time, setting a personal record and paving the way for a stellar senior campaign. Senior Anabel Portuondo finished 13th in pole vault, while classmate Jean Louis finished 17th in shot put, an event in which he holds the school record. Sophomore Noah Mercer placed 16th in the discus event with two more seasons to add to his mark.
Marathon’s Jay Marshall, owner of the Dolphin 100- and 200-meter school records, finished 14th and 17th in those events as the only Keys athlete to compete on the track at states this season. Marshall is a junior and excels in the 400 as well, giving him plenty of opportunities to make a repeat trip to the big show next season.
Senior Kayesha Christian finished in 17th place in the long jump, though there was some controversy in her performance. Christian’s best leap was not measured, despite being deemed a clean jump. That mark would have placed her 14th. She is the Dolphins’ top all-time long and triple jumper, and Christian is second in the Fins’ record books in the 100-meter race.
Sophomore pole-vault record-holder Ava Merryman, a two-time state qualifier, had little time to prepare for some unforeseen circumstances. Unable to use her own pole and with a weather delay rushing the practice times, Merryman could not match her personal best on borrowed equipment.
Photos by RICK MACKENZIE/Contributed
