Monroe County’s girls track and field teams each enjoyed success this season, with top finishes in multiple field events for Marathon and Key West plus broken records on the track for Coral Shores. The Hurricanes sent one athlete to states to compete on the track, while Marathon sent two to represent the Keys in the field. Key West mixed things up with one runner and two field participants qualifying for the big show.
MVP
Justice Lee
Junior, Marathon
Throwing events
Marathon’s Justice Lee owned the throwing events this season, striking gold three times at districts. Lee went on to earn three more medals at regionals, with a gold in shot put, a silver in discus and a bronze in javelin. The multitalented junior qualified for states in all three events and brought home three more medals from the FHSAA 1A State Championships. Her vast collection of hardware now contains medals for eighth place in javelin, third place in discus and second in shot. Lee owns all three school records in the throwing events and breaks her own marks before anyone has a chance to update the last ones she set, and with another season of competition to go, Lee will become arguably the most decorated track and field athlete to hail from the Keys.
Audrey Smith
Junior, Key West
Throwing events
Junior Audrey Smith made a showing in all three throwing events for the Conchs, earning district gold in the discus and javelin events plus a silver in shot put. Smith went on to place fourth, fifth and 12th in the same events at regionals. Her throws were strong enough to qualify for a pair of at-large bids to the state meet, where she earned a fourth-place medal in javelin and finished one spot from the podium in ninth place in discus.
Caylaa Makimaa
Senior, Key West
Distance
After her phenomenal performance at states in cross country earlier this year, Key West’s Caylaa Makimaa continued to be a top finisher in track and field. Makimaa finished first in the district in the 1,600, ran a leg of the winning 4×800 relay and placed second in the 3,200, automatically qualifying for regionals in those events. At regionals, she was seventh in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 with a fast enough time to punch her card for one more state meet. At states, Makimaa finished 15th to cap off a fantastic high school running career.
Kelly Cardona-Quiche
Junior, Key West
Hurdles
Junior Kelly Cardona-Quiche earned a district championship in the 100-meter hurdles this season. Cardona-Quiche placed fourth in the 400-meter hurdles as well. Her district gold qualified her for regionals where she finished with a personal best in the event.
Ali Wheatley
Freshman, Coral Shores
Distance
Hurricane harrier Ali Wheatley won a district championship in the 3,200-meter run in her first year as a varsity track athlete, then claimed silver at regionals. Her second-place finish qualified her for the state meet, where she placed 17th. With three seasons of eligibility remaining, Wheatley has all the talent and work ethic to make even bigger waves in the future.
Julieanna Oddo
Sophomore, Coral Shores
Hurdles
Coral Shores’ Julieanna Oddo placed second in the 100-meter hurdles at districts this season, punching her card to regionals, where she set a new personal best and shaved half a second off her district finish time. Just a sophomore, Oddo returns for two more seasons of PRs for the Hurricanes.
Colleen Barter
Junior, Key West
Jumping/sprints
Multitalented junior Colleen Barter brought home a silver medal from districts in the high jump and placed sixth in long jump. Barter also ran a leg of the Lady Conchs’ district-champion 4×400 relay. She went on to place sixth at regionals in high jump.
Ava Merryman
Junior, Marathon
Pole vault
Ava Merryman started competing in pole vault as a middle schooler in the first year the Fins added the event to their track and field repertoire. Since then, Merryman has steadily improved and owns the school record, one she set herself multiple times in the past five years. This season, she added a silver district medal, bronze regional medal and a seventh-place medal from states to her collection.
Daysi Williams
Junior, Marathon
High jump
Junior Daysi Williams brought home a district championship in the high jump this season and has another season of competition left to take her talents back to the state championships, where she medaled in her freshman season. Williams holds the school record in high jump and is also a talented sprinter.
Ariel Newton
Sophomore, Key West
Pole vault
Sophomore Ariel Newton won a district championship in pole vault and finished second in the 200-meter dash, qualifying for regionals in both events. She secured a regional championship in pole vault, then went on to the state championships, where she came in 10th. Credited for her work ethic and pure athleticism, Newton has the potential to be the next Conch pole vault gold medalist in the coming two seasons.
Sammy Bates
Junior, Coral Shores
Middle Distance
Hurricane Sammy Bates raced to a second-place finish at districts in the 800-meter event. Her time broke Coral Shores’ 10-year-old school record and qualified her for regionals. There, Bates finished in a respectable 10th place.
Jordan Greene
Sophomore, Key West
Jumping/sprints
Key West sophomore Jordan Greene had an impressive day at districts. The speedy sophomore finished fourth in the 200, fifth in long jump and third in triple jump. Her finishes in the 200 and triple jump earned Greene a trip to regionals in the events.
