We were live at the 2016 FHSAA track & field state finals at IMG Academy in Bradenton. Despite early traffic troubles and some wind down on the track, the best in the state went head-to-head, with some emerging as state champions, as some finals were today.

We took a look at what performances stood out the most, regardless of classification.

400 Meters Prelims

We’ll get started with the 400 meter run. We witnessed freshman phenom, Tyrese “Smoke” Cooper tear up the track in the prelims, cruising to not only the top time of 47.99 in 4A, but the top time of the day. Barron Collier senior, Brandon Cachon, dropped the second fastest time of the day in the event, running 48.10. He’ll be looked at to take the state title in the 400 in 3A, while Cooper has been the favorite all year in 4A. However, some have speculated that his former club teammate, Everglades junior, Jamal Walton, could give him a run for his money. This should an interesting matchup.

800 Meters

In almost every single 800 witnessed today, it came down to the wire. In 1A, it came down to Evangelical eighth grader, Sierra Oliveira, and Calvary Christian senior, Hannah Brookover, with Oliveira running 2:15.51 to Brookover’s 2:15.74.

In 2A, Bolles sophomore, Caitlin Collier held back a bit before taking over the race the get a big win in 2:06.79.

Jinah Mickens-Malik battled it out with Alexis Sherwin in 3A and took the title, running 2:13.80 to 2:14.00.

Lake Brantley senior Sinclaire Johnson did much like Collier in terms of hanging back and the charging forward to get the win in 2:09.10. Sophomore Bailey Hertenstein grabbed second place in 2:13.30. In a recent interview, she explained that she anticipated it to be a fast race, given the field, and held back, and decided when she wanted to go for it. However, she really had to work the final 100 meters due to the headwind.

“It feels just as good as it did the first time,” she said. “I’m now really pumped and ready to go for tomorrow.”

Johnson will be on the 4x800 relay this afternoon with her team, who are one of the many vying for the state title. One of the favorites coming in, it’ll be an interesting race.

On the boys side, classes 1A through 3A witnessed a sit and kick race, which ended in a final battle down the homestretch. However, 4A was the race to watch, as Flagler Palm Coast senior Justin Pacifico, who got boxed in initially during the first lap, ran the top time of the day to get his state title, running 1:52.91, leading another four guys under 1:55.

“I’m just speechless right now,” Pacifico said in an interview after his 800 victory.

Last year, Pacifico took the lead with 200 to go, and looked to have it in the bag, only to get passed on the inside by Humberto Ferie of Columbus. Knowing that he should’ve had the title last year, and not performing too well at regionals due to a cold, was enough to get him fied up to get the win.

Pacifico will be on the 4x800 relay this afternoon with his team, who are one of the many vying for the state title. Anticipating that he’ll be on the anchor, it will certainly be an interesting matchup with some of the other teams who are around the 7:54 mark.

3200 Meters

Eight laps around full of changes, upsets, and always some underdogs.

Hannah Brookover came back from the 800 in the 1A girls race to get the win by a sizable margin, running 10:55.86. Lindsay Tomaini grabbed second place in a time of 11:22.01 respectively.

In 2A, it came a little close, though it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Bolles’ Caitlin Collier claimed the state title, running 10:48.02 respectively.

In 3A, we once again witnessed the versatility of Fort Myers junior, Kristlin Gear. Gear competed in the 800 meters earlier, and came back to win over Brittany Gill of Dillard High School, running 10:50.55.

4A was maybe a bit of a shocker, as Fletcher junior Kayley Delay raced to the finish, and won over perhaps the favorite coming in, Winter Park sophomore Rafaella Gibbons. Both running an amazing race, but Delay is your champion in a time of 10:30.30. Gibbons grabbed second, running 10:35.90, and Hertenstein grabbed third in 10:44.65 respectively.

The track has already been on fire after the first day of the state championships. Let’s see who goes after it, and who gets on the podium after day two!

For all of the meet coverage, click the link below.

http://www.dyestatfl.com/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=454&mgroup_id=31488&year=2016