Two Cape relays eye state titles
The final spot in Cape Coral High’s 4×100 relay team was up for grabs in 2008.
Then sophomore Spencer Boyd and junior Cameron Hall needed a race-off against each other to determine which one would give the team the best chance. Boyd ended up getting the nod, while Hall served as alternate, and the team succeeded by earning a trip to the Class 4A FHSAA Finals.
“We had run-offs and he beat me two times in a row and got the spot,” said Hall, now a senior.
As it turns out, the Seahawks’ depth has proved to be valuable this year. After Boyd tweaked his hamstring prior to the district meet, Hall stepped in to complete the 4×100 team at districts and at last Thursday’s regional meet, which the Seahawks won with a time of 41.63 seconds.
The Cape team, which also includes Prince Holloway, Jaylen Watkins and Jeremy Davis, holds the fourth fastest seed time entering Saturday’s state meet at Showalter Field in Winter Park.
It’s the second straight year the Seahawks take two relay teams to state. In addition to the 4×100, they’ll also compete in the 4×400 with the team of Davis, Holloway, Edsel Caprice and Erik Eaton.
Mariner sends senior Courtney Anderson (high jump) and junior Andrew Dukas (400).
Dukas has turned it on in the postseason, setting a school record of 51.33 in the 400 at districts and then topping that with a 50.73 at regionals.
Anderson, who cleared personal-best jump of 5-feet-8, at this year’s LCAC meet, is competing in the high jump finals for the fourth time.
North Fort Myers is represented by junior Stephanie Nevadunsky in the 300 hurdles.
n Class 3A Finals: Ida Baker has continued to build a strong all-around boys’ team. They won their first ever District 3A-13 title, after finishing second last year, and qualified several athletes for state at last Wednesday’s regional meet.
“We had a strong showing last year and the guys saw that and came back this year and put forth the extra effort,” Baker coach Dan Butler said.
Junior sprinter Joseph Byrd will compete in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay at Friday’s 3A State Meet at Winter Park.
Byrd ran a 10.84 to win the sprint title at regionals. In the 4×100 relay, he’s joined by Mike Rivera, Marvin Riedewald and Josh Schwartz.
The 4×800 relay team of Jessie Betts, Mark Fowler, Jeff Miller and Zach Nall led the Bulldogs to a third-place finish at regionals with a time of 8:07.17.
It’s the third year in a row the Bulldogs have reached state in the event.