Sunshine State Picks Up Handful Of Early National Top-10 Performances

By Todd Grasley of DyeStat

Photos courtesy Erica Lersch/East Lake High

It may have been Spring Break in Florida, but that didn't stop the state's fastest from competing over the weekend.

University of Miami signee Sophie Haag of East Lake took the trip south to Bradenton and with a little help from the wind set a US#1 all conditions mark of 11.41 seconds (+3.9w), with Evangelical Christian junior McKenzie Travis behind her in second in 11.51 at the IMG Spring Break Invitational.

Haag, who has personal bests of 11.60 and 24.21, swept the sprints with a wind-aided 23.96 in the 200.

Haag's male counterpart, Dylan Woodruffe, swept the boys 100 and 200 in 10.55w and 21.03w.  

The Dunbar 4x100 meter relay won easily in 41.77. 

In the throws, Sam Romerhaus of IMG Academy launched the hammer 173-3 (52.81m). Rosenhaus' throw from March 1 at the Ascender Open of 179-3 (54.63m) currently is the national leader.

Michelle Smith Runs US#1 In 400 Hurdles

Florida's biggest meet of the weekend, the Bob Hayes Invitational named after the legendary Olympian, debuted in its new venue at the University of North Florida.

Fresh off a trip to Boston for New Balance Nationals Indoor, Montverde Academy's Michelle Smith, who was fourth in the 400 meters, made her outdoor debut in the 400-meter hurdles. The junior dropped a US#1 time of 59.02.

Seniors Emani George of Sandalwood and Hannah Taylor of St. Thomas Aquinas ruled the 100 and 200, finishing first and second in both races. George's 11.80 and 24.78 were the winning times and new personal bests. Her Sandalwood teammate, Brittney Jennings, won the 100-meter hurdles in 13.80 seconds.

The St. Thomas Aquinas girls 4x100 meter relay won with a time of 47.80 with Taylor on the anchor leg. Her strong performance earned her meet MVP honors.

Chai'el "Mocha" Johnson of St. Thomas Aquinas, the daughter of NFL legend Chad Johnson, clocked 2:14.65 in her second 800 of the year.

On the boys side, Christian Miller of Creekside, one of the nation's top sprinters, was just shy of his US#1 200 meter time (20.78), running 20.87 in the prelims.  However, Miller wasn't able to improve on that time as he did not compete in the finals. 

A trio of freshmen stole the show in the 100, with American Heritage's Brandon Bennett dropping a stunning 10.51 to lead the top three under 10.60. Kaj Baker, the runner-up in the 100 (10.56), won the 200 in 21.51. Bennett's teammate, Zamarii Sanders, was third in the 100 in 10.59.

Junior Micah Danzy of Florida High won the 400 meters in US#7 47.24. 

St. Thomas Aquinas senior Anthony Herrera won the 800 in 1:54.43, just shy of his personal-best 1:53.85. 

St. Thomas Aquinas swept the team titles. 

Bragging Rights Up For Grabs in South Florida 

Two of South Florida's largest counties, Broward and Miami-Dade, held their county meets this past weekend. 

Taravella junior Jade Brown won the girls 100 in 11.89 and anchored her 4x100 meter relay squad to a gold medal and time of US#14 46.91 at the Broward County meet.

The Dillard girls swept the 4x400-meter relay and 4x800-meter relays in 3:50.97 and 9:29.34.

Northeast's Samantha Kavanaugh took the 800 in US#12 2:12.06.

Notable performances on the boys side included Chris Johnson's 200 in 21.30 and his Dillard 4x400 relay's victorious mark of 3:19.76.

At the Dade County Youth Fair, the Miami Southridge girls led by Cynteria James, one of the top sprinters in the country, sped to a 400 time of 47.53 seconds. The Columbus got the stick around in 41.44.

It was a sprint to the finish in the boys 1,600 meters, with Belen Jesuit junior Joseph Soccaras clocking a US#10 time of 4:12.98 to win over David Serra (4:13.88).