By Andy Warrener
The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent
Wharton girls track and field team sneaked by rival Freedom 155.5 to 129 to claim the Western Conference National Division championship March 26 at Armwood.
The Patriots entered the meet as the favorite based on virtual scoring, but the Wildcats were able to claim seven conference titles to Freedom’s two.
“When we ran the virtual meet it had us losing to Freedom by eight points,” said Wildcats coach Wes Newton. “This was a 20-point swing.”
Wharton also scored with multiple athletes in several events, principle among them capturing 28 points in the pole vault by taking fifth, third, second and a first-place performance by senior Britaney Smith (11-feet).
Wharton’s seniors Mikayla Barber and Tyler Watson finished first and second and first and third in the 300- and 100-meter hurdles, respectively.
Barber broke her personal record in winning the 100 hurdlers by completing the event in 14.70 seconds. She also put up her best time of the year in the 300 hurdles (45.00).
Then the Wildcats delivered the final blow in the 3,200 with junior Kallie Gollicher winning the conference title in 12:16.20. She was followed by teammates, junior Mariah Henderson in second and sophomore Mollie Gollicher in fourth.
Henderson also won the 1,600 (5:24.90), Watson captured the triple jump (34-08.75) and Wharton’s 4×800 relay also placed first (10:33.78).
The Patriots titles were won by senior Sandra Akuchukwu, who earned gold in the long jump (17-03.25) and the high jump (5-02). The Western Kentucky signee also placed second in the 100 (12.20) and third in the 200 (25.00).
Senior Faith Woodard took second in the high jump (5-02) and 400 (1:00.60) while scoring in the 200 for Freedom. Fellow senior Jasmyn Perry finished as runner-up in the 100 hurdles (15.10) while helping 4x400m relay take third (4:18.90).
On the boys side, Freedom had a late surge that lifted the squad to second place with 95 points, 25 behind the championship pace of Hillsborough.
The Patriots got a boost early by winning the 4×800 relay (8:43.81), the meet’s opening event. Derik Harvey took second in both the boys 1,600 (4:53.40) and the 3,200 (10:31.60).
The top four in every event at the three conference meets, plus four wildcards, advance to Hillsborough County championships April 2 at 1 p.m.
