2A Girls Preview - Team Outlook

American Heritage is quickly moving into the ranks as one of the best girl’s teams in state meet history. They have won three consecutive state titles and are heavily favored to claim their fourth which would move them into a tie for fourth most consecutive titles in state meet history and into a tie for 13^th place for the most titles in state meet history.

They have the top performances in  9 of the 17 events to be contested on Saturday and could score more than their 88 points projected based on their regional performances; all coming from the track races. Diamond Spaulding (100m&200m), Daesha Rogers (1600m & 800m) and Khadeeja Dooling (100m Hurdles and 300m Hurdles) will each be favored to walk away with two individual  titles each.

Godby will be favored for second with their projected 37 points; 11 from the field and 26 from the track. 

2A Girls - Individual Preview

Girls High Jump

Suwanee's Logan Boss fell shy of her 2A state leading clearance of 5-08.00 at the Florida Relays. She currently sits 3^rd best from the regional marks. Last year she was third at the state meet in Class 2A and will need a big jump to win over freshman Emily Gauvey from Anclote who set her personal best of 5-06.00 in two consecutive weeks.

Wesley Chapel's Courtney Prengaman, last year’s state champion, has also cleared 5-06.00 this season which equaled her winning height from last year and should be in the hunt with another clutch performance on Saturday.

Girls Pole Vault 

Episcopal junior Nikki Vandervelde will try to add to the strong Eagle tradition of winning this event. Over the past 8 years, the Eagles have claimed 7 state individual titles. Vandervelde has the best height in state 2A with her 11-04.00 clearance. She has cleared that height once and has another clearance at 11-03.00. She’ll need another leap and be clean through her earlier heights to guarantee a win.

Jen Meyer-Sinett, Nicole Carroll, and Nati Sheppard all have 11-00.00 clearances which should make the late going exciting to watch.

Girls Long Jump

Rockledge's Danielle Phillips finished second to super stud Robin Reynolds monster jump of 20-06.25 last year. Phillips has been on a tear herself soaring to a 20+ jumps on three occasions and consistently notching marks over the 19 foot barrier. She’ll need a big jump to hold off Cocoa's Jazzmine Folston who finished 2^nd to her at regions and 5^th at state last year.

Girls Triple Jump

This year’s event will be without last year’s state champion, Danielle Phillips, who did not contest the triple jump in the state series.

Rockledge senior Tia Smith finished 7^th last year and enters the meet with the best mark in the state by a 0.5 inch margin. That is not too much room to spare and with another big jump, Ashley Giacomucci from Taylor County will challenge Smith. Mirlin Cherise posted a season best of 38-05.00 to win her region and should be in contention for the state title as well.

Girls Discus Throw 

Tayla Greene from Rockledge is peaking at the right time. She posted a season 20-06 personal best at the region meet. Her second best throw of 137-00.00 is just under Godby's Bernici Holifield’s region mark of 138-03.00. Holifield also owns a season best of 140-01.00 which makes her the only other thrower over 140 feet this season. Johnetta Williams, Dunbar,  will also be one to watch as she won her regional meet with a throw of 137-09.

Girls Shot Put

Astronaut's Jhane Carter owns the best toss in the Class 2A this season and has posted seven marks over the 40 foot barrier and is the favorite in the event.  Only a sophomore, East Side's Shadayz Bullock has posted five marks over 40 feet and has the best mark out of the region. Emerald Bell, Samantha Cook and Johnetta Williams also have posted 40+ marks this season. Williams finished 4^th last year which is the best of all returnees and came up big with a 40-00 put in last year’s finals.

Girls 4x800 Meter Relay

Bolles posted their season best of 9:41.43 in winning Region 1 on their home track. They will need another season best to unseat American Heritage who owns the fastest time in Class 2A, 9:32.30. 8^th grader Daesha Rogers, the fastest runner in Class 2A and defending state champion in the open 800 should anchor which is also a big advantage for American Heritage.

Girls 100 Meter Hurdles

Khadeeja Dooling, American Heritage, will be looking to go from 7^th to 1^st, but it won’t be easy. The Class 2A time leader in this event will have to turn back several challengers who are within 0.2 of a second for the win. With a possible winds and such close competition, the pressure will be on to have a clean race over the hurdles to assure a win. Look for Stefani Kerrison-Jones HS, Bianca Joseph-Suncoast HS and Rockledge's Danielle Phillips in close company over the final barriers.

Girls 100 Meter Dash

American Heritage Plantation sophomore Diamond Spaulding is the favorite as she is 0.1 clear of the field; a big amount to overcome in a short distance. Deanna Hill, Lake Highland Prep junior is no slouch and her experience could be key. Caitlin Smith and Aluntrea Davis also have solid times and could be in the mix.

Girls 1600 Meter Run

Defending champion, Daesha Rogers has the fastest time in Class 2A this year and won her region meet easily by 7.72 seconds. She likes to lead big from the front and being such a huge favorite, it will be interesting to see if she changes her tactics to save some energy for a more tightly bunched field in the 800m. Lemon Bay's Nicole Mis is next best of the field and has a good advantage over the rest of the field. 

Girls 4x100 Meter Relay

Godby posted its best time and Class 2A best at regions with a win over Raines. The team with the next best time in Class 2A, American Heritage finishes a well beaten 4^th at regions. They could make this interesting if they can put together a clean baton passes and no mishaps in the finals.

Girls 400 Meter Dash

Deja Parrish will be the odds on favorite after finishing second last year. She has the best time by over a second and won her region by 2.17 seconds. Janae Caldwell, Spoto HS, Riverview FL, south of Tampa is next best of the field and should give a good chase over the first half of the race.

Girls 300 Meter Hurdles

Khadeeja Dooling won last year’s race by 0.43 seconds. This year, it will be much closer with Shamaria Lovett posting a 43.18 at the region meet; 0.08 off Dooling’s season and Class 2A best.

Stefani Kerrison and Sitia Martinez also have experience in what can be a difficult event to navigate with stride counts and stamina play such a big role.

Girls 800 Meter Run

Daesha Rogers will look for her second title in as many years and is heavily favored. She owns the best time in Class2A and won last year’s race in 2:12.75. Her competition will come from a teammate Rachelle Alexander and Wakulla’s Madison Harris who have posted times in the 2:14s. With two races under her belt, Rogers will need  to have saved some for this race if she wants turn back her closest competition.

Girls 200 Meter Dash

Diamond Spaulding will be favored for her second title of the night, but it will be tough. Her teammate, Deja Parrish will be eyeing her second individual title of the night and came within 0.13 of Spaulding in finishing second at her regional meet. Deanna Hill will pose a threat to break up the duo, but it will take a seasonal best to make it happen. She could do it. She finished ahead of Spaulding last year with a 24.14 into a headwind to beat Spaulding and Parrish.

Girls 3200 Meter Run

Defending 2A State XC Champion, freshman Julia Montgomery is the favorite as she is the only one to have cracked the 11 minute barrier this season. Her best is 7.92 seconds better than fellow freshman Bolles Mackenzie Wilson; the margin she beat her at the FSU Relays. Wilson finished 4^th last year and posted a going away 11:13.00 at regions, the best time of all the regions.

Girls 4x400 Meter

American Heritage is 8.06 seconds better than the next best 2A team Bay HS. However, their team will consist of several doublers who may be spent by the end of a day of preliminaries and finals. Bay posted their best time at regions and could challenge should fatigue set in for American Heritage.