Bulls and Bulldogs also impress at states
Land O’ Lakes senior Nicole Woodard competed in four events at the Class 3A track and field meet at Winter Park on May 6 and came away with a third and fifth-place finish.
Woodard took the bronze with a high jump of 5-06, matching her personal best. She also finished seventh with a long jump of 17-09. It was her third trip to the state meet.
Woodard was also part of the Gators 4×400-meter relay team with Hallie Grimes, Samantha Austin and Alyssa Lonsway that came in 12th in 4:04.73. The time was not good enough to make the finals, but set a new program record. The quartet also qualified for states in the 4×100, but also did not make the finals.
Woodard also recently decided to sign with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an NAIA program in Daytona Beach, to continue competing in track and field. Her older sister Reta, a 2009 Gators graduate, also attends and competes at Embry-Riddle.
Grimes, a freshman, was not intimidated by her first trip to the state meet and ran a 58.30 in the 400-meter race, good enough for fifth place.
The Gators 17th place finish as a team was better than any other Pasco County girls squad in the event, earning 12 points. Pine Forest won the team championship with 59 points, while Miami Jackson had 51.
The Wiregrass Ranch girls did not post any team points, but several athletes reached their respective finals.
The Bulls 4×800-meter relay team of Elise Cedre, Alex Diepholz, Ariel Grey and Marissa Ginn-Davis came in ninth by posting a 9:50.45. The program’s 4×400 team of Kayla Deloach, Makayla Strickland, Kelsey Sturman and Marissa Tomei finished 11th in 4:04.35.
Wiregrass Ranch sophomore Nikita Shah ran a personal best time of 11:34.52 in the 3,200. The state champion in the event was Chiles’ Lily Williams in 11:00.56.
The Zephyrhills girls earned three team points to tie for 45th place. Tallies came from the 4×100 team of Aaliyah McKenzie, Jamieshia Parker, Alexandria Viera and Kara Young that finished in sixth by running a 48.80.
The Wiregrass Ranch boys posted seven team points to finish 31. No other area boys squad was even represented in the event.
Bulls senior Alex Kazanski was going for his second straight pole vault title, but had to settle for the silver medal. He posted a vault of 14-03 behind Mitchell senior Andrew Bales’ 14-09. His teammate Travis Manecke, a sophomore, was 12th in the discus throw with a toss of 130-04.
The Wiregrass Ranch boys 4×800 relay quartet of Ian Cassette, Josh Reilly, Logan Selzer and Tyler Mattera ran an 8:15.67, good enough for 14th place.
Bulls senior Ryan Pulsifer posted a 10th place finish in the 3,200 with a time of 9:47.44, while Selzer, a senior, finished in 16th in the 1,600 in 4:37.89.
–All results as recorded by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Compiled by Sports Editor Kyle LoJacono.
