By Kyle LoJacono
Last year, Paul Barrett’s track season ended with a ninth-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles prelims, one spot from making the finals.
The Gaither senior’s goal was to make the finals. He didn’t expect to be standing on top of the medal stand with the Class 3A state championship around his neck.
“It wasn’t my smoothest race, but it was my fastest,” Barrett said.
He broke his own school record by finishing in 37.29 seconds May 4 at the University of North Florida. He is the second state champion in the program’s 27-year history following Scott Lavell’s 3,200 5A title in 1995.
“Paul had unfinished business from last year,” said second-year Cowboys coach Jeff Ditman. “He’s been on a mission.”
Barrett was seeded first following a regional championship the week before but said he didn’t feel like the favorite. His track season started several weeks late because he was on Gaither’s soccer team that reached the state semifinals. The 6-foot-1.5, 175-pounder was also a wide receiver on the Cowboys football team that made the regional finals in November.
“It just goes to show you that you don’t have to specialize in one sport to shine,” Ditman said. “He shines in all three. For him to be able to do this on the track in his last high school event is amazing. It shows what a complete athlete and individual Paul Barrett is. He’s going out on top, and that’s exactly where he deserves to be.”
Barrett’s journey toward a state crown started at Alonso as a freshman. He started doing the hurdles because the Ravens were loaded with talent.
“I went to hurdles so I’d get to compete,” Barrett said.
Barrett didn’t run hurdles when he came to Gaither as a sophomore, but returned to it last season. He said the big difference this year was he was pushed by freshman Samson Moore.
“If I didn’t have someone like Samson I don’t think I would have gotten this far,” Barrett said. “I’d always try to get a better time than him because I’m a senior and he’s a freshman.”
Moore placed second in the 110 hurdles by breaking his own school record of 14.29, 0.58 off the championship pace set by Miami Northwestern junior Artie Burns. He echoed Barrett’s sentiments.
“It’s great having Paul to help me,” Samson said. “I can’t put into words what it’s been like this year.”
Ditman was pleased both athletes showed maturity and composure on the biggest stage.
“It’s this type of thing that gets a program jump started,” Ditman said. “It really shows that track is such a unique sport because you get out exactly what you put in. These two have a lot of natural ability yes, but they have the work ethic to capitalize on that ability that allows them to do things like this. Hopefully it opens people’s eyes to track and field at Gaither, and the potential and possibilities it has for them.”
Warriors claim four state medals
Steinbrenner track and field athletes left the Class 3A state meet May 4 in Jacksonville with four medals.
The boys 4×800-meter relay team set a new school record by finishing in 7 minutes 57.82 seconds, good enough for fourth place.
“I was happy we ran a new school record,” said Zach Lima, who ran the second leg. “We wanted to medal; we wanted to place on the medal stand, but it’s bittersweet because of course we were hoping to win.”
Tyler Lima, Zach’s twin, said they had a plan for the race.
“It’s all about pace,” said Tyler, who ran leadoff. “We’re all cross country guys, so we’re used to running on pace. If you get off pace in the first 200, you’re going to be off the whole race. We did that and then went all out on our last laps.”
Tanner Biles, who ran the third leg, transferred from Freedom this season. It was his first trip to states.
“I love these guys,” Biles said. “It’s great to go his far with them, and it’s great that the school is becoming known for its distance runners.”
Matt Magee closed the race, passing Miami Central on the final lap. All the runners are juniors, giving them another year to improve.
“We’re going to train hard to get back here next year,” Magee said. “We want that state championship.”
Three of the four competed again more than six hours later. Magee ran the 800 (11th place, 1:57.87) and the twins competed in the 3,200, where Tyler medaled (seventh place, 9:35.71) and Zach took 10th (9:42.64).
Senior Alexis Wright earned the other two medals, finishing fifth in the girls triple jump (38 feet 4 inches) and the 100 hurdles (14.75). Each performance is better than what she did last year when she placed second in the 2A triple (36-11.75) and won 100 hurdles (15.05).
“It’s the state meet,” Wright said. “You can either wake up or just slouch over, and at least I can say I didn’t slouch over today. I gave my best in everything I did, and if this is what I receive I’m totally grateful.”
The University of Miami bound Wright wanted a second state crown but is happy to have five medals in her high school career.
“It’s been great to have some time to reflect back on where I was when I started with the hurdles and the triple to where I’m at now,” Wright said. “I never thought I’d be here. Being able to say I made it here to represent not only Steinbrenner High School, but even Hillsborough County is an honor.
“I’m blessed and grateful for coach (Bob) Ennis,” Wright continued. “He’s my hurdles and triple jump coach, and he helped get me here. Coach (Ladd) Baldwin, our head coach, helped us find the right spots. … I’m proud, but a little depressed because it’s my senior year; my last event.”
Four medals for Akachukwu
Freedom junior Sandra Akachukwu earned medals in all four of her events at the Class 4A track and field state meet May 5 at the University of North Florida.
The King transfer took third in the high jump (5 feet six inches), fifth in the long jump (18-3.75), seventh in the 200-meter (25.06 seconds) and eighth in the 100 (12.33). It is Akachukwu’s second trip to states after making it in the high last year where she placed sixth (5).
