Girls track and field this year culminated in five athletes earning bids to the state championships, with two of those athletes medaling at the highest level of competition in Florida.
Marathon achieved third place at the district championship meet, just four points shy of the runner-up trophy. Three district championship titles were claimed by the Dolphins, who went on to qualify three athletes for states and bring home one FHSAA 1A medal to Marathon.
Key West earned runner-up hardware at districts as a team and crowned three district champions, sending a pair of athletes to states and bringing home one FHSAA 2A medal to Key West. Several Fins and Conchs broke school records this season, and of those record breakers, a majority were underclassmen, setting the stage for even greater success in 2025.
Coral Shores endured a rebuilding season, and though no district champions or regional qualifiers were produced, numerous athletes registered personal bests.
Track & Field Female Athlete of the Year
Justice Lee
Sophomore, Marathon
Throwing
Sophomore Justice Lee transferred her state-championship strength in weightlifting to the throwing events this season, setting school records in shot put, javelin and discus. At districts, Lee claimed gold medals in shot put and javelin while securing a silver in discus. Her regional throws in shot put placed second and qualified her for the state championships, where Lee brought home a fourth-place medal in the event, re-breaking her own record four times at the big show and proving that the best is yet to come for this exceptional athlete.
Ava Merryman
Sophomore, Marathon
Pole vault
Marathon’s Ava Merryman brought home district gold and regional silver in the pole vault this season, qualifying her for a second state championship bid in as many years. The talented sophomore owns the all-time Marathon record in pole vault, ran a leg of Marathon’s second-best-ever 4×100 relay, and often fills in on the 4×800 relay, showing her versatility and willingness to put her skills to work when the Fins need her.
Kayesha Christian
Senior, Marathon
Jumping
Kayesha Christian capped off her final season with the Fins in style, with a trip to the state championships to compete in the long jump. Christian was a district silver medalist and placed seventh at regionals to claim an at-large bid to states. She owns the school records in both long and triple jump and is the second-fastest 100-meter runner in Marathon history.
Mira Jones
Sophomore, Coral Shores
Sprints
Just a sophomore, Mira Jones has already found a place in Coral Shores’ record books with a solid 400-meter time, the third-fastest in school history. Jones’ time improved steadily as the season went on, peaking in the postseason with a fifth-place finish at the district meet and narrowly missing a bid to regionals.
Brooke Mandozzi
Senior, Coral Shores
Sprints
Senior sprinter Brooke Mandozzi completed her final season with the ’Canes with two top-five all-time school records. Mandozzi is third for Coral Shores in the 100, an event in which she placed seventh at districts. She is the No. 5 all-time Hurricane in the 200-meter event, in which she finished eighth at districts.
Caylaa Makimaa
Senior, Key West
Distance
When Caylaa Makimaa qualified for the state cross country championships as an individual athlete last fall, it was clear that the senior’s dedication and hard work were paying off. Those same efforts transferred to the track this season, where Makimaa excelled in all things distance. Makimaa was a 3200-meter silver medalist at districts and was sixth at regionals. In the 1600, she was fifth at districts, and she ran a leg of the Conchs’ regional-qualifying 4×800 relay as well. Makimaa finishes her Key West career in second place in the Key West record books for the 800, 1600, 3200 and 4×400 relay.
Daysi Williams
Sophomore, Marathon
Jumping/sprinting
Marathon’s Daysi Williams took silver in high jump at the district meet this year, and though her season ended sooner than she would have liked, it was a successful sophomore campaign. Williams broke her own high-jump record earlier in the season and is in Marathon’s record books in the top five in 300 hurdles, long jump and the 4×100 relay as well. In the 200-meter race, Williams was fourth at districts, proving she has speed as well as vert.
Audrey Smith
Sophomore, Key West
Throwing
Key West’s Audrey Smith excelled in two throwing events for the Conchs this season. The sophomore tossed the javelin for a first-place district medal, qualifying for regionals and then states, where she set a personal record and claimed a sixth-place medal in the event. In discus, she placed fourth at districts and qualified for regionals. Smith continues to gain strength and distance on her throws, and with two seasons left to compete, already stands in second for all-time javelin distance in Key West’s record books.
Grace Andrew
Senior, Key West
Hurdles/throwing
Despite sitting out nearly half the season with a foot injury, Key West’s Grace Andrew brought home three bronze medals from districts. The talented senior was third in the 100 and 400 hurdles as well as the javelin event. Andrew is the all-time Conch record-holder in the 400 hurdles and holds the fourth and fifth spots in the 100 hurdles and javelin, respectively.
Anabel Portuondo
Senior, Key West
Pole Vault
State-qualifying pole vaulter Anabel Portuondo was the silver medalist at districts and regionals, earning an automatic trip to states in the event. Her jumping skills also shined in the high jump, in which she placed fifth at districts. Portuondo is third in Key West’s record books in pole vault.
