Nine Varsity Track and Field athletes continue to states; five school records broken
The Admiral Farragut Academy BlueJacket Varsity Track and Field team is finishing up another amazing year. Five school records were broken at regionals and nine student-athletes qualified to go to the State Championships. At the State Championships, the girls’ team earned three more records, taking 2nd place overall with just five girls competing.
“I am so proud of our boys and girls track teams,” said Coach Arron Prather. “They both did an outstanding job at regionals and at states.”
Regional Competition Recap
During the Regional Championships which was held on April 27 at Indian Rocks Christian School, the boy’s and girl’s team did outstanding.
The girl’s team received regional runner-up 2nd place overall.
“That is 2nd place out of 44-50 teams, which was an incredible feat since we only had 7 girls competing at regionals,” said Coach Prather.
The boy’s team also did an outstanding job, coming in 6th place overall.
The girls set five new school records:
- Jazmine Alderman set a new school record in the 100 meter dash in a time of 12.10
- Jazmine Alderman set a new school record in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.22
- Faith Nelms set a new school record in the 400 meter dash with a time of 57.98
- The girls set a new school record in the 4×100 meter relay in a time of 49.12. That team consisted of Sydni Bostick, Faith Nelms, Jolie Caya, and Jazmine Alderman.
- The girls set a new school record in the 4×400 meter relay with a time of 4:07.45. The team consisted of Faith Nelms, Katie Barnett, Jazmine Alderman, and Sydni Bostick.
9 athletes qualified to go to the State Championship:
- Keyon Jenkins, 2nd place in boys shot put with a throw of 51-01.50
- Ashton Taylor, 4th place in boys shot put with a throw of 45-01.00
- Winston Dessesow, 4th place in the triple jump 42-02
- Alex Oi, 3rd place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 51.13
- Jazmine Alderman, 2nd place in the girls 100 meter dash NEW SCHOOL RECORD in a time is 12.10; 2nd place in the 200 meter dash in a NEW SCHOOL RECORD in the time of 25.22
- Faith Nelms, 3rd place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 57.98 NEW SCHOOL RECORD.
- Katie Barnett, 1st place in the triple jump with a jump of 38-00.75; 2nd place in the long jump with a jump of 18-00.25
- Sydni Bostic, 4×100 relay team and 4×400 relay team. NEW SCHOOL RECORD.
- Jolie Caya, 4×100 relay. NEW SCHOOL RECORD.
State Competition Recap
At States, held on May 5th and 6th at IMG Academy in Bradenton, the boy’s team finished 16th with four boys and the girl’s team placed second overall with five girls.
The boys:
- Alex Oi, 6th place overall 400-meter dash with 52.33
- Keyon Jenkins, took 2nd place at states in the shot put with 51-04.50
- Ashton Taylor, 10th place in the shot put with 43-07.75
- Winston Dessesow, 12th in the triple jump with 40′ 11″
The girls:
“The girls set three new school records and put Farragut’s name on the map as one of the great teams in FHSAA history,” said Coach Prather. “Last year was great and this year was too. It was hard because we had to almost be perfect to get where we got. If anything had gone differently, we wouldn’t have come in second with 18 points. It was so close.”
In the girls 4×100, our team was in 4th place when Jasmine Alderman got the baton, and she took us into first place. It was close; we ran 48.90, and the other team ran 48.93. This was the first time in school history that a relay team was a state champion.
In the girls 4×400, our team’s time was 403.89, 2nd place only to a team that ran 403.83 We were second out of 53 teams.
Faith Nelms ran her best time, 57.18, and smashed the school record by 4-5 seconds. This makes her elite standard in FL.
“As a track coach,” said Coach Prather, “one of the greatest feelings in the world is when one of your athletes runs his or her fastest time in their lives, when it counts the most, and right after the race they run up to you with tears in their eyes and say those magic words: ‘We did it coach, we did it!’ I’m proud of this team because it’s Farragut family. We live by our love for one another. I’m so happy to be able to bring a title to this family.”
