3A Boys State Preview by Ricky Quintana - Florida FHSAA Outdoor Championships 2013

Last year’s stirring 4 x 400m relay come from behind victory secured Bartram Trail’s first track and field title in its young history (established in 2000). They enter this year’s competition as the favorite. They are predicted to score 46 points in 7 events (the most of any team). The majority will come from the track where they are led by Nick Uruburu, a University of Florida signee. He is favored to win the 400m and he is picked to finish 4^th in the highly competitive 200m. He could anchor his state leading 4 x 400m team again to finish off the night if needed.  The Bears will need to rely on “on the fence” points in the 100m hurdles, 300m hurdles, 800m and shot put to maintain their advantage. In each of these events, fractions of a second and inches could boost or cost them critical points.

Gainesville's last state track and field team title came in 1924; that is an 89 year drought. With 36 predicted points, they will be within grasp of their second title in school history. Rapheal Webb, a Vanderbilt University football signee, is favored to defend his long jump title to help the Canes cause get off to a good start in the afternoon. However, big points loom in the 400m and 4 x 400m where they will go head to head against Bartram Trail which could swing points significantly one way or another. Their hopes will also depend on the 4 x 100m relay where they are ranked second and the 100m, where Christopher Thompson, a University of Florida wide receiver signee, will be in one of the most competitive and fastest fields in state meet history. They Canes received favorable news this week in Tony James, the US#2 ranked indoor 55m and 10.52 100m performer will be able to anchor the 4 x 100m team. He last competed at the Bob Hayes Invitational on March 16.  In all, the Canes have 5 opportunities to score. They are very good in those events, but will need to be at their best to unseat the Bears.

The Class 3A state finals will be one for the ages. Splendid athletes and deep fields will be on tap for what could be a record breaking day.

THE 100M. This race deserves recognition of its own. The top 8 times are 10.64 and better. Four of those times were wind legal, and the others did not have wind indicator readings. The conditions could be difficult in Hodges Stadium where the winds swirl into the faces and at the backs of the athletes. However, the competitive aspect of the race should be spectacular.

Baylor signee Trayvon Bromell (Gibbs, St. Petersburg) is a quick starter and with junior Kendall Williams (Stanton, Jacksonville), Reggie Davis (Lincoln, Tallahassee), a Georgia football signee, Ceolamar Ways (Nease, St Augustine) a University of North Carolina track signee, Tyrell Johnson (Island Coast, Cape Coral), an Arizona football signee, and Christopher Thompson (Gainesville), a University of Florida wide receiver signee in the field, Bromell will need to have a fast finish to hold off the any late rush by the field.

Bromell has had a sensational year. A third place then US #3 performance in the 55m dash (6.33) behind Antonio James (Buchholz, Gainesville) and Levonte Whitfield (Jones, Orlando) at the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Youth meet at the end of January was a prelude of things to come this outdoor season. The US’s #3 performer (10.34) sped to an US #2 all conditions best of 10.14 in his Region 2 meet, a 0.26 second victory over Tyrell Johnson who finished 3^rd  to Bromell’s 2^nd in the Class 3A finals last year.

The state meet record is 10.19 by Marvin Bracy (Boone, Orlando) set in 2010. If Bromell could tie or break that mark, he would be in the top 9 all time in US high school history. In this year’s big matchup against Levonte Whitfield at the Florida Relays, Bromell false started. The starter was kind to the athletes last week, so hopes are Bromell will not suffer the same fate he did at the Florida Relays.

Bromell is also among a stellar 200m field which has 2 sub 21 second performers.

THE 200M- another event which deserves a mention all its own. The Region 1 meet produced US #1 (Williams) and US #2 (Ways) times with Reggie Davis (Lincoln, Tallahassee), and Nick Uruburu (Bartram Trail, Jacksonville) not too far behind. Add Tyrell Johnson (Island Coast, Cape Coral), Ryan Bermudez (Springs, Miami) and Jeremiah Green (Hillsborough, Tampa) and you have the makings of a record setting night. This will be a barn burner.

Junior Kendal Williams (Stanton Prep, Jacksonville) scorched a US #1 equaling 10.28 in the 100m, then came back to produce a US #1 200m time of 20.72 to turn back Ceolamar Ways (Nease, St Augustine) at the Region 1 meet. Only three juniors have run faster in the 100m and only five juniors have run faster in the 200m in high school history. He is amongst the favorites to win the 100m and as returning champion, the 200m for the third year in a row. He won the 200 title in 2011 as well. The FHSAA state meet record of 20.58 is held by Dentarius Locke (Chamberlin, Tampa), now at Florida State, was set in 2009. If he wins, he will join 4 others with three titles each in the 200m. Only three of those have done it in Class 3A; Xavier Carter (Palm Bay, Melbourne), Walter “Slip” Watkins (St. Thomas Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale) and Paul Johnson (Haines City).

 
Ceolamar Ways (Nease, St Augustine), a University of North Carolina signee, is ranked US #2 in the 200m with his runner-up performance (20.88) behind Kendall Williams at the Region 1 Championships, US #3 in the 400m with his 47.01 victory over Uruburu at the Bob Hayes Classic and US #5 with a 10.44 behind Williams at the Region 1 meet. He opted for the 100m and 200m instead of the 400m and will be looking for his first title in the either event.

The list of top performers in the boy’s competition are as follows:

Jeremiah Green (Hillsborough, Tampa), the University of Alabama signee, has the most jumps over 50 feet in the country. He would be rated #1, but all his performances have come without wind gauge readings. His best of 52-01.75 is within 3.75 inches of the FHSAA State meet record of 52-05.50 by Andre Scott (Seminole, Sanford) in 1994, the longest standing FHSAA state meet individual record on the books. Reaching that mark would put him in the top 25 performers All-Time in US high school history. With a win, Green would have two titles to his credit.

Austin Droogsma (Gulf Breeze), a Florida State University signee, will take aim at his second consecutive shot put and discus double titles. His 193-00 discus best and his 60-09.00 best in the shot put are just outside of the top five throws in the US this year.

University of Miami football cornerback signee, Artie Burns (Northwestern, Miami) is heavily favored to win his third consecutive 110m hurdles title; a feat which would tie him for first in 110m hurdles title won with legendary 2005 World Champion and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, Bershawn Jackson (Central, Miami), Gerald Sutton (Trinity Prep,Winter Park), Kevin Turner (Clewiston), and Michael Williams (Lake Region,Eagle Lake). No other Class 3A athlete has turned the trick in state meet history.

Nick Uruburu (Bartram Trail, Jacksonville), a University of Florida signee is ranked #6 in the 400m with his best of 47.08 at the Bob Hayes Classic meet. He ran 46.76 to win last year’s title against a field that saw three runners dip under 46.89. He’ll face a challenge from Kenric Young (Gainesville), last year’s 7^th placer. Uruburu has the 4^th best time in the 200m and could anchor his 4 x 400m team. It is going to be a big day for him, but he’ll need to race wisely to maximize the advantage he brings to Bartram Trails’ title hopes.