Week 8/9 Three Things

I'm cramming a couple of weeks worth of running into one blog as their was a couple of meets prior to the start of Districts and now we've hit the mark where all of qualifying for Regionals has wrapped up for Lee County track and field athletes.  I'm going to chop this up a little differently because we are at the point where getting to State is going to be a tough go.  Only the top two places at Regionals move on plus if I understand the confusing FHSAA's rules for qualifying, as many as ten at large relay relay teams/athletes will get invitations.  I personally think they should take the top three from each Regional with the next four fastest marks getting invites but that's just my opinion.

1.  The sure bets to advance of teams/athletes that will advance to State among Lee County distance runners looks like this.  Estero senior Kolton Pickard is a lock to make it in the 800 and 1,600.  He's been running consistently 1:55/4:20 and appears on the verge of a big break through after a sparkling 400 anchor in the District 4x400 that appeared to be sub 50, outstanding for a distance runner.

The other lock is Ava Povich in both the 1,600 and 3,200.  The ECS junior has been running like a Rolex snapping off a 5:10.24 and 11:19.53 at Districts without any competition.  Canterbury's Gabriella Santucci should be able to advance in the 3,200 as well.  1A is stocked with the top girls in the State thanks to super squad Cambridge Christian serving up four of the top five girls in the distance races.  

The other sure thing appears to be Bishop Verot's girls 4x800 along with super frosh MacKenzie DeLisle in the 1,600 and 3,200.  Verot's boys should also advance in the 4x800 because of absolute 800 studs Cooper Banks and Grayson Tubbs.  As good as these two middle distance runners are both are going to have to run PR's if they hope to make it to State as individuals.

2.  The bubble individuals are an interesting mix.  SFCA junior Hayden Tank has really improved over the course of the season.  He's got a shot in the 1,600 or 3,200.  Fort Myers senior Colsen Palmer has run PR's in both the 1,600 and 3,200 this season.  Can he run a PR in one of these two events to slip into State?  Teammate sophomore Joseph Koraya will need a huge race to make it in the 1,600 but Palmer and Koraya could help the Green Wave 4x800 team make it to Gainesville.  The Green Wave girls also appear to have a 4x800 squad capable of qualifying as well.

In the 3,200, Declan Ziomek appears to have a solid chance to advance to Gainesville but he'll be chased by teammate Matthew Speruta and Cape Coral's William Canales.  Something tells me it will take some major PR's by any of those three to make it through and that includes Palmer and Fort Myers freshman Craig Allard, Jr.

3.  I wanted to point out a couple of comebacks.  A year ago Canterbury's Charlie Meagher was racing on a stress fracture.  The 800 specialist battled injuries ever since last spring and finally got healthy in the last couple of months.  Meagher ran 2:05.18 to qualify through to Regionals which is heartwarming to see.  Good things should happen to good people.  The same thing can be said of Fort Myers sophomore Elizabeth McHugh who also spent the better part of the fall, winter and early spring battling injuries.  She's been healthy the last six weeks and split a sub 2:30 leg for the Green Wave 4x800.  We expect big things from both of these athletes next fall.

Track Week 7 Three Things

The high school track and field season is racing to the finish line in Southwest Florida. Two championships dominated the scene over the past season. Friday night featured the Private 8 meet at ECS which is made up of eight private schools from around Lee and Collier Counties. Saturday afternoon saw the public high schools of Lee County take the track at Dunbar for the LCAC meet, obstensibly the county championships. The best individual performance came from a Collier County athlete at Private 8 where FBA's Jacob Panzarella scorched a 48.44 400. 

 1. Ava Povich appears to be headed to an amazing peak to the end of her season. The ECS junior started her day with a strong second leg for the Sentinels 4x800 clocking a split well under 2:30. She came back in the 1,600 peeling off a squeaker over FBA's Katie Beam in 5:16.19. Later in the evening running even splits Povich tracked down Verot freshman star Mackenzie De Lisle running her fastest time of the season winning with an 11:16.29. 

 2. Verot junior Grayson Tubbs tripled up at Private 8 helping the Vikings win the 4x800 before winning the 1,600 and 800 in 4:38.24 and 2:05.21 respectively. While the times aren't super fast Tubbs has had a surprisngly consistent season which features a 1:58.87 open 800 earlier in the season.

 3. A major abscence opened the door for Ida Baker senior Jacob Fritz to take two LCAC titles. Fritz ran 4:27.44 to take the 1,600 title and then lost a shoe in winning the 800 in 2:00.67. Fritz has run 1:58.0 and 4:24.05 for the season and has a shot and making it to state in one of those two events. Estero senior Kolton Pickard was a LCAC no show deciding to save his racing for the post season in two weeks.

Track Week 6 Three Things

Championship season is at hand. Conference meets dominate the upcoming schedule and fortunately cooler weather should drape itself across Lee County this weekend after a scorching temperatures last weekend. The Pepsi Relays headlined the four meets where Lee County athletes competed but the trip to Gainesville was only for a select few and for reasons beyond comprehension the area's top distance runner didn't make the trip north and competed instead at Cypress Lake High School. 1. Kolton Pickard continued his march through an undefeated season. He handily took the 1,600 and 800 in less than ideal weather conditions clocking a 4:20.51 and 1:55.73. It's going to be interesting to see if he can be pushed in any meet outside of the State Championship. Fort Myers sophomore sensation Joseph Koraya did run in Gainesville running 4:22.22 could force the Estero senior to run a little harder than he would like when they face off at next Saturday's County Championship at Dunbar.

2. Welcome back to the 800, Cooper Banks. The Bishop Verot junior was focusing on the 400 but showed he's capable of decent 800's with his second straight week of crashing under 2 minutes with his 1:58.42 in winning the Tarpon Invitational. Banks prefers soccer but if he would commit to another season of cross country he could be a sub 1:55 800 competitor. Meanwhile teammate Mackenzie De Lisle ran the fastest 3200 by any Lee County girl in Gainesville with her 8th place finish in 11:16.71. She traveled back to Charlotte County to help her 4x800 team to victory later in the day. 

 3. Ava Povich appears ready to roll. The Private 8 meet promises to be an incredible match up between De Lisle and the Sentinel junior. Povich ran her best double of the season in Sarasota recording a 5:15.78 1,600 and tripling back (yes, she ran the 4x800) in the 3,200 with a 11:17.6. Don't count out Canterbury's Gabriella Santucci this Friday either. The meet should be chalk full of good performances.