Third Time The Charm

The four Springstead High runners and their coach huddled in celebration on the Denison Stadium field last Thursday, when Head Coach Joel Myers reminded them: they wouldn't have to go to school next Friday.
Moments earlier, junior Taylor Tuomey ran down Central High's Tikiera Relaford in the final stretch of the 4x400 relay of the Class 3A, Region II Meet to take fourth place.
That meant a trip to the 33rd annual Florida High School Athletic Association Finals today at Showalter Field in Winter Park. The top four in each event advanced.
The Lady Eagle quartet of Cassandra Crisci, Jackie White, Caroline Monzo and Tuomey will have to wait all day, since the 4x400 is the meet's final event. Running finals won't even begin until 7 p.m.
But that pales in comparison to the wait they've had just to make it this far.
Two years ago, Tuomey and Monzo ran with Lindsey Kuhn and Brittany Morrissey on a team that finished ninth at regionals. Last season, Crisci, White, Tuomey and Jennifer Draganchuk came in sixth.
"They're really looking forward to it," Myers said. "They'll have to scoot much better than they have in the past to have a shot of even placing. But they're looking forward to it. They're going give it the best they can. They're just excited. They want to show well. It'd be good to get a new school record.
"It's been a three-year journey. When they were freshmen they got to regionals, but they had no shot of getting out. Last year they made the finals, finished sixth. It means everything. It's a validation of their hard work."
The Springstead team set a school record at regionals running a 4:09.14. However, that only has them seeded 15th in a field of 16 squads.
"They'd have to run a 4:03 to have a legitimate shot and we'll wait and see what happens in the second heat," Myers said. "It's already successful getting there. Our goal was to get someone down to states. It's tough to get out of our region."

Freshmen seek medals

Two Central High freshmen are also competing at the meet today, each hoping to earn a medal awarded to the top eight finishers in each event.
Relaford finished second in the high jump to South Lake High's Monica Carney in both districts and regionals. Carney, though, is the top seed coming into today at 5'8".
Both Relaford and Suhailah Abdulhaleem of Jacksonville-Terry Parker are seeded behind Carney at 5'6". The high jump starts at 3 p.m.
Mikayla Bogulski will run the 800 thanks to a fourth-place 2:21.79 at regionals. That has her seeded 13th. Both she and Relaford reached personal records at regionals, so they appear to be peaking at the right time.
"They're ready," Central Head Coach Christina Brandel said. "They're doing their research. Their workouts are tailored to prepare them for the competition. They're excited, looking forward to seeing another personal record.
"Hopefully they set their standards high to maintain this level of competition the next three years. This will give them confidence in themselves that they're capable of achieving great things.
"...At this point it's just mental, believing they're capable of achieving what they set out to do. Physically they're prepared for it. Just stay focused and determined and do what they're capable of."

AT A GLANCE
WHAT: 33rd annual Class 3A Girls Track and Field Finals
WHO: Central's Mikayla Bogulski and Tikiera Relaford, Springstead's 4x400 relay.
WHERE: Showalter Field in Winter Park.
WHEN: Fields events start at 9 a.m. Running prelims are set for 4 p.m. and finals at 7 p.m.
AT STAKE: Top eight earn medallist honors.
DIRECTIONS: Take State Road 50 east into Orlando. Turn left on U.S. Highway 436 (Semoran Boulevard). Turn left on Banchory Road. Turn right on South Ranger Boulevard. Turn left on Cady Way. Turn right on Perth Lane. The entrance to the parking lot is on the right.