Monday, March 22, 2021

Three Big Things: Week Six

We've hit the midway mark in Florida's high school track and field season.  This week held a lot of promise for some earth shattering races but sometimes things don't fall the way you think they should.  A lot of it had to do with the weather.  It was plenty cool, but the winds didn't cooperate.  In fact the combination of cooler than normal weather and wind made conditions more than miserable for competition, especially at the big meet at Satellite Beach.

1.  The Viking Relays held a lot of promise.  I was hoping for a showdown between in the girl's 1,600 between Ava Povich and Jessica Edwards.  Instead, Edwards opted for relay stints and Bishop Verot's Julia Reitz stepped up to make it a battle of sophomores when she toed the line against Povich.  Reitz came out on top over the ECS distance ace winning in 5:23.65, just a couple of ticks faster than Povich.  

2.  Canterbury's Jessica Edwards is putting in a monster season.  She started last Friday off by anchoring her team to a win in the 4x800 in a respectable 9:52.85, the fastest time so far this season in Southwest Florida.  Edwards blasted a 2:11.35 split.  The senior backed it up with a 5:21.62 1,600 carry in helping her team win the Distance Medley Relay.

3.  Satellite Beach was host to Rheinhardt Harrison's much hyped attempt at breaking 4 minutes in the mile.  Estero junior Kolton Pickard found himself in that race eying four laps in under 4:15.  The weather was miserable and Harrison paced himself to a 4:06 while Pickard battled the conditions to finish third in 4:27.52.  It was a rough trip to the east coast for Lee County distance runners although Fort Myers High Paul Kolson managed a respectable 1:59.79 800 and another Fort Myers senior Anna Fischler ran a 1,600 PR in 5:29.71.  

Another big mile is on tap Saturday afternoon at the Dunbar Invitational.  It will be interesting to see who decides to show up for a traditional mile rather than the 1,600.  Plus the weather will play a role.  If the cool temperatures stick around look for some fast times.

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