Three Big Things: Week Nine

The question that may never been answered is how could the neighboring Collier County School District manage to hold a county wide championship for its high schools while the Lee County School District could not.  It is mind boggling.  A lot of top notch runners, jumpers and throwers from across Lee County were denied an opportunity for a second straight year to claim bragging rights for their schools.

None of this nonsense stopped the small, private schools from getting in one more competition before state qualifying begins.  It was a familiar cast of characters taking gold with one up and coming sibling preparing to take big brothers place as a top flight Lee County distance runner.

1.  Jessica Edwards backed up her first sub five 1,600 with another fine performance against a couple of stellar competitors.  Calvary Christian hosted a meet that saw two of its girls reel off a couple of the fastest times in the state.  Caroline Lehman pushed Mary Ellen Eudaly to a stellar 4:47.77.  Lehman finished less than a second back.

Edwards hung tough for three laps before the two Calvary Christian girls sped away but she managed to crack five again clocking 4:59.7.  The Canterbury senior returned to the track to face off against Eudaly in the 800.  The two produced a crackling race with Edwards clocked a superb 2:10.71, three seconds clear of Eudaly.

2.  SFCA and ECS traveled to Collier County for a meet hosted by FBA.  Ethan Tank does what he usually does against the local small school competition.  He easily won the 1,600 in 4:36.95 before doubling back in a rare 800 race.  He clocked a 2:08.71 and won by more than 50 yards.  Then he got to sit back and watch younger brother Hayden take the 3,200 in 10:14.7.  I suspect Hayden will have his eyes on big brothers school records over the next two years.

3.  The other big race at FBA pitting ECS distance ace Ava Povich against FBA's top runner Katie Beam, who is among the best girls out of Collier County.  The two raced over 1,600 meters with Povich taking Beam by just more than a second in 5:24.58.  Povich and Beam will have their hands full trying to get past Edwards in state qualifying.  Their paths to success will lie in the 3,200 in the coming weeks.

District action starts in three days.  Let the state qualifying begin.