A few weeks before May 3, the date of Florida's 2014 state championships in high school track and field, the number crunchers started murmuring that the Miami Northwestern girls were staffed to score a ridiculous number of points in class 3A. Various figures were quoted, results of "virtual meets" were invoked, but the only certainty was that Northwestern had tallied 252 points in the class 3A Region 4 meet. Would Northwestern rack up a similar total at State, perhaps more points than any team had ever scored in the 100-year history of the Florida track and field championships? Track isn't a virtual sport, so only the actual meet at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium would reveal the answer.


Northwestern's first chance to score came in the first event of the day, the 3A girls' 4 x 800 relay. Northwestern senior Ricardia Cooper ran a strong first leg, getting her team to the first exchange zone ahead of the defending state champion from Estero, Carol City, and everyone else. Northwestern junior Lenneshia Gilbert took the second leg out hard, opening some daylight between her team and the others. Gilbert and Northwestern freshman DeAndrea Young had a little bit of trouble with the second exchange, but it didn't hurt their team's lead. Northwestern was still far ahead of the close fight for second between Estero and Carol City. Northwestern's anchor, sophomore Asja Baker, sealed the win for the Bulls. Their 9:13.10 wasn't quite as fast as their season best of 9:06.76, but it was good enough to earn them the 2014 state title. Estero was second in 9:25.94. Carol City took third in 9:32.47, their anchor holding off a strong final-leg charge by Fort Walton Beach sophomore Emma Rudman. Rudman's team was fourth in 9:33.22.


After one event, the Northwestern girls had their first ten points.

Northestern Girls 4x800 Relay Team

A Northwestern team was also the early leader in the boys' 4 x 800, but early in the second lap Chiles senior Sean Turner erupted. The lead-off runner for the Timberwolves, Turner vaulted from fourth place up into first. When Turner handed the baton to junior Avery Bartlett, Chiles was well in the lead, followed by Belen Jesuit, Lake Nona, and Niceville. Belen Jesuit had come out on top of Chiles during cross-country season, winning the state championship. Niceville, on their part, had beaten Chiles in the Region 1 boys 4 x 800 a little over a week earlier.


Chiles was still in front at the open of the anchor leg, but Niceville had made a startling leap into second. Niceville lead-off Jack Massey had gotten the Eagles into position with a 1:59, and senior Thomas Howell had maintained that position through the second leg with a 1:58. But it was Niceville senior Tripp Davis who had flashed by Belen and Lake Nona during the third leg, giving the Eagles anchor, senior Nick Morken, a chance to get the team a win.

Niceville's Nick Morken anchiring the his Boys 4x800 Relay Team

Lake Nona opened the fourth leg by jumping into second, leading the pursuit of the Chiles anchor runner. Morken followed before making his own move, carrying the Niceville baton into the lead with one lap to go. Morken was uncatchable after that, running a 1:55 split. Niceville won in 7:50.56, with Lake Nona second in 7:51.76. After leading nearly six laps of the eight-lap relay, Chiles placed third in 7:54.82.


Niceville's Morken would be back in the 1600, and Howell in the 3200. How would Howell spend the time before the eight-lap race?


"Go to sleep, go swimming, try to get my mind off of it," said Howell. "I've got something to fall back on now."


Morken, though, had less time to wait before the boys' 1600, the first distance event of the afternoon session. The defending state champion in the event, Morken had run 4:07.12 at the Region 1 meet, at the time the third-best time in the nation. However, Leon junior Sukhi Khosla had run 4:06.45 in that same race, the best time in the nation. They would be squaring off again in the State 1600. Whoever won, it would be fast.


Sarasota runners Zackery Summerall and Adam Bradtmuller led the first 200 meters before Khosla took over. By the time the Leon runner had taken the field through the first lap in 62.1 seconds, Morken had settled into second. After that it was the Khosla and Morken show. Khosla split the second 400 in 62.3; Morken was still there. Khosla was wary.


"I knew he was a 1:52 800 runner," Khosla said of Morken. "I knew I had to really kill the third lap."


Morken stayed close as Khosla turned the third 400 in 61.6, bringing up the bell lap. Khosla turned that final circuit in just under a minute, inching away from Morken. Morken was still close, but the senior wasn't going to catch the junior. Khosla won the race in 4:05.95, breaking Joseph Franklin's 2007 meet record of 4:08.84. Holding steady on the last lap, Morken turned a 4:07.95, also under the old record. Sarasota junior Zachary Summerall ran a PR 4:13.21 to finish third.  Chiles junior Avery Bartlett was fourth in 4:16.92. Seven runners went under 4:20; you needed to break 4:21 to medal in this race.

Leon's Suhki Khosla finishing with a US#1/Florida State Meet Championship Record 4:05.96

"I wanted to go out hard," said Karen Xiang.


The Nease senior was talking about the girls' 1600, and she did just that, hitting the first 400 in under 72 seconds. The second lap wasn't quite as hard, though, about 76 seconds. Sarasota senior Emily Harding took over the pace, followed by Fort Walton Beach sophomore Emma Rudman and Xiang. Harding and Rudman picked it up on the third lap, opening a gap on Xiang. At the bell, Harding turned it on, running a sub-70 final 400 to beat Rudman to the finish line 4:51.61 to 4:53.46, both under Harding's previous state-leading 4:56.27. Estero senior Katie Slater was third in 4:59.44, and Xiang was fourth in 5:03.56.

Sarasota's Emily Harding winning the Girls 1600 over Fort Walton Beach's Emma Rudman

Harding would return to the track in the girls' 800, her third race of the day after the 1600 and the 4 x 800 relay. Kicking down the final straight in lane two, Harding overtook Rachel Cazares then Julia Porter just before the finish line to win her second state title of the day in 2:15.12. Carol City senior Porter was second in 2:15.43 and Gaither senior Cazares was third in 2:15.61. Estero senior Katie Slater was fourth in 2:15.85.

Double Gold for Sarasota's Emily Harding as she wins the Girls 800

The boys' 800 also featured two runners returning from the 1600--Zackery Summerall and Avery Bartlett. Summerall had placed ahead of Bartlett in the four-lap race, but Bartlett proved more successful at two laps. Finishing strong, Bartlett broke into the lead on the homestretch to win in a PR time of 1:52.27. Boyd Anderson junior Javon Patterson was second in 1:52.89. Lee senior Rayford James was third in 1:53.57, taking a big chunk off his previous PR of 1:55.82. Incidentally, James had passed on running the 1600.


"I really hated to drop out of the 1600", explained James. "I felt I had a better chance to do well in the 800."


Only in his second year of running and finally free of a mid-season achilles tendon problem, the senior is looking forward to more athletics. What's coming up? "Get ready for Golden South and a 1:50. Hopefully New Balance Nationals."

Chiles Avery Bartlett securing victory in the Boys 800

Before the first half of the girls' 3200 was over, the three leaders were Karen Xiang of Nease, Emma Rudman of Fort Walton Beach, and Bartram Trail senior Hannah Giangaspro. The same runners had been the top three at the Region 1 meet in Tallahassee the previous week. But this time out, Rudman and Giangaspro were staying with Xiang. At the bell lap all three were still together, far out in front. Rudman was the first to go, opening a gap. Giangaspro was left behind, but Xiang wasn't done yet. Xiang fought back up to Rudman, making it a race on the homestretch. Rudman prevailed on the final kick, 10:55.52 to 10:55.82, adding 3200 gold to her 1600 silver.

Nease Senior Karen Xiang (L) and fort Walton Beach's Emma Rudman kicking down the homestretch in the Girls 3200

When it was time for the boys' 3200, Leon's Sukhi Khosla was tired. "More tired than usual after the 1600," he said. "My coach told me to remember the state meet record, but the important thing is to win."


So Khosla stayed tucked back in second or third place, letting other runners lead. The first 1600 was just under 4:40, not slow but not record pace. By three laps to go, it was Khosla following Thomas Howell, the defending champion in the event. Khosla charged into the lead, but couldn't shake Howell.


"I relaxed and gathered for another move," said Khosla.


That move came with 400 to go.


"I tried to pick it up every 100 meters," said Khosla. "With 200 to go, I knew I had him."


He did. Khosla turned the last lap in 59 seconds, winning the 3200 in 9:05.75. It was Khosla's third state distance title of the year after his cross-country win in the fall and his gold medal 1600 earlier in the meet. Howell was second in 9:11.07, beating his old personal best from the FSU Relays. Fort Myers senior Tyler Bennett was third in 9:16.50, just ahead of St. Augustine senior Noah Kemp's 9:17.05.

Leon's Sukhi Khosla and Niceville's Thomas Howell finishing the Boys 3200

The Miami Northwestern girls ended the meet by winning the 4 x 400 relay, giving their team a winning 154 points. No team in any class, boys or girls, had scored as many points in the 100-year history of the meet. That much, at least, the number crunchers had been right about. But now it was official.