Williams wins three events, sets 3 records; Jenkins girls, boys finish 2nd at region meet
TAMPA — Chelsi Williams could not be any stronger heading into this week's state tournament. The George Jenkins freshman set four more personal bests, broke three of her county records, won three events and finished second in another on Saturday at the Class 4A, Region 2 track and field meet at Alonso High School.
Williams led the Eagles on a strong day for their track program as the George Jenkins girls and boys teams both finished runner-up. She won the 100 hurdles, the 300 hurdles, the triple jump and took second in the long jump.
"This year, I said I was going to get into the 13s (seconds in 100 hurdles) and I did," Williams said. "I wanted to jump 40 feet (triple jump) and I did, and I wanted to go 43 (seconds in 300 hurdles), and I did, so I'm very satisfied."
The only disappointing part of the day for Williams came with something she couldn't control. After jumping 19 feet 7.5 inches for personal-best No. 1 and thinking she won the long jump, Lehigh's Sanaa Teter jumped 19-08.75 to win the event.
"That was a good one," Williams said of Teter's jump. "I sucked it up. I took the loss. She did a great job."
Williams' long jump mark is now nearly a foot longer than the mark Lake Wales' Octavious Freeman held (18-10.5) held at the beginning of the season. Freeman set the mark in 2011 as a senior.
Williams needed just one jump in the triple jump to wipe out the competition. Her jump of 40-6.75 was more than four inches better than East Lake's Michaela Hill's jump of 36-03.50.
Williams continued her stellar day by running 13.86 to win the 100 hurdles by more than a second and break under 14 seconds for the first time.
"I wanted to go 13 today," Williams said. "I was focusing on my technique and all that my coaches told me. When I was walking back and heard 13.8, I was so happy and excited."
Williams then ran 43.70 to win the 300 hurdles and break under 44 seconds for the first time. It's the only event she competes in that she doesn't hold the county record, but she passed Lakeland Christian's Britain Musick on Saturday and is now fourth behind George Jenkins' Tori Abnathy (42.50), Auburndale's Cathrina Morris (43.46) and Auburndale's Monae' Nichols (43.49).
"I know I can't go from 44 (seconds) to 42 in one meet, so I'm glad I got 43," Williams said.
Also for George Jenkins at the region meet, pole vaulter Maddie Dutz finished second with a mark of 10-10, finishing behind East Lake's Kijsa Gifford (12-0).
Dutz was neck-and-neck with Gifford. After Gifford missed on her second attempt at 11-03.75, Dutz appeared to have cleared the height. However, she did not push the pole back far enough, and just as she landed, the pole came back and knocked off the bar. She then missed on her third attempt after Gifford cleared the height on her third attempt.
Also for George Jenkins, Jaa'Ln McBride was sixth in the 400 (58.38).
Jenkins trailed East Lake throughout the day, but the meet had the chance to go down to the 4x400. However East Lake finally clinched and led by 10.5 points.
Jenkins, the top seed, finished second in the 4x400 behind North Port while second-seeded East Lake finished fifth.
In the team competition, East Lake won with 70.5 points. George Jenkins was second with 64 points.
"Overall, I'm pleased," George Jenkins coach Dale Meskimen said. "We're not going to be off points wise from what we were seeded. East Lake just did very, very well. We knew coming it, it was going to be tight."
In the boys competition, Winter Haven's Jaden Lippett was the only two-time region champion from Polk. He won the boys long jump (23-02) and the triple jump (48-10.25). He hit the mark in the triple jump on this first attempt then aggravated a heel injury on his second attempt and did not make another jump.
The boys competition was also close as Sarasota won with 75 points, while Jenkins was second with 66.5 points.
"We knew it was going to be close with Sarasota," Jenkins coach Brian Robichaud said. "They had a good team, and we knew they had good kids in all of our events too. They ran well, we ran well. I'm excited. We did what we were supposed to do."
Jenkins missed the estimated 16 points, Robichaud said, the injured La'Quan Ellis would have given the team. Some of those points would have been in the 100 hurdles where he was ranked No. 1 in the county before being hurt.
Even without Ellis, who was able to run on two relays, Jenkins piled up points in the hurdles as they won 40 points in the two events. Rey Hernandez won the 110 hurdles (14.86) and finished second in the 300 hurdles.
Joshua Valentin finished second in the 100 hurdles (14.91) and third in the 300 hurdles (39.41). Also in the 300 hurdles, Marquis Jean finished fourth and Khristian Runcie finished seventh.
Jeremiah Rutledge was the other region champion for Jenkins. He won the high jump (6-06.25) and was eighth in the long jump (21-04).
Coleby Small took fourth in the shot put (44-11.75), and John Capron took fifth in the pole vault.
In the relays, Jenkins finished fourth in the 4x400 and eighth in the 4x100.
Other highlights from Polk County athletes:
Winter Haven freshman Dashanique Henry would be the county record-holder in the girls long jump were it not for Williams. She jumped 19-4 to finish third. Henry also was fifth in the 400 (58.26) and eighth in the 200 (26.12).
Haines City's Kiera Taylor took third in the girls 100 (12.28).
Haines City's DJerry Cajuste was fourth in the triple jump (42-10.75).
Haines City's Ethan Loriston was sixth in the boys 100 (11.04).
Ridge Community's Jakair Ward was seventh in the 400 (50.58).
Haines City's Payson Keown took seventh in the boys 1,600 (4:36.39).
Haines City finished seventh in the girls 4x100 (50.22).
Ridge Community's Kaylia Dor took seventh in the shot put (32-8.25).
Roy Fuoco can be reached at roy.fuoco@theledger.com or at 863-802-7526. Follow him on Twitter: @RoyFuoco.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Williams wins three events; Jenkins girls, boys finish 2nd at region meet
