Freshmen Keep Moving On By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com Published: Apr 27, 2008
WINTER HAVEN – Mikayla Bogulski and Tikiera Relaford had a combined zero regional meets between them heading into Thursday’s Class 3A, Region II Meet at Denison Stadium in Winter Haven.
Not that they haven’t been good enough to make it that far in the past; they just haven’t been old enough. Both are freshmen at Central High, in their first season of high school competition.
Surely the lack of experience would bury them as they faced tougher competition than they had seen all year, everyone trying to secure a top four finish that would assure advancement to states.
Scratch that.
Relaford came in second in the high jump and Bogulski fourth in the 800 to move on to the Class 3A FHSAA Finals this coming Friday at Showalter Field in Winter Park.
“It’s a really big deal,” said Bogulski, who won the Class 3A, District 7 crown in the 800 the previous week. “I’m so excited. This is something so new to me.
“It was faster, a lot more intense. There were more girls just as good as me, better than me. I tried to stay with them.”
Bogulski ran a 2:21.79, a substantial improvement over 2:25.36 at districts.
“I had to go out fast the first lap,” Bogulski said. “I just stayed with them the second one. It was a guts race the last lap of it.
“I’m not really expecting too much at states. There are a lot of great girls out there. I’ll just run as fast as I can, see if maybe I can place in it.”
Relaford achieved a personal best of 5’6”, finishing behind Monica Carey of South Lake (5’8”) for the second week in a row.
“That’s great,” Relaford said. “It’s amazing because I’m a freshman. I didn’t think I’d make it there. I guess I worked harder. Last year (in middle school) was a piece of cake. This year I had to work extra hard.”
Senior Jasmine Hudson fell short of finally making it out of regionals, coming in fifth in the 100 (12.36) and eighth in the 200 (26.04).
Another senior, Amy Mihok, made her first regional appearance in the pole vault, coming in 12th at 7’6”. Elizabeth Conroy finished 13th in the discus (79’8”).
The 4x100 team of Amanda Bradley, Hudson, Angela Wooster and Relaford ran a 51.66 for 10th.
Springstead relay: finally!
After two years of failing at the regional level, Springstead High finally got a relay team through to states.
The 4x400 team of Cassandra Crisci, Jackie White, Caroline Monzo and Taylor Tuomey took fourth, as Tuomey ran down Central’s Relaford in the race’s final stretch.
The Lady Eagles ran a 4:09.14, beating out the Lady Bear team of Bogulski, Bradley, Rachel Lynch and Relaford (4:09.53).
“I was thinking about them (her teammates). I knew we all really wanted it,” Tuomey said. “I just gave it my all. (Relaford) started out fast in the beginning. I tried to stay close to her.”
“We worked so hard to do this,” White said. “We made history. There’s never been a girl runner (from Springstead) go to states.”
“We’re going to work so much harder,” Crisci said. “We’re going to represent Springstead (at states) like no other.”
Neither the girls nor Coach Joel Myers could contain their giddiness following the dramatic finish. The girls credited Myers for pushing them to succeed.
“I’m so happy,” Myers said. “They put in so much hard work. Just to get down there (to states), it’s just amazing. I’m so proud of them.”
In the 4x800, Sasha Spalding, Tuomey, Monzo and White ran a 10:05.48, coming in sixth. Tuomey also nearly made it in the 400, placing fifth in 1:00.12. White did not finish in the 800.
Class 3A, District II Girls Team Results
1. Orlando-Oak Ridge (OR) 178, 12. Central 22, 19. Springstead (SPG) 12
Class 3A District II Girls Individual Results: Top 8 scored points (10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1), Top 4 advance to regional
LJ - 1. Fluellen (OR) 17’5 3/4”.
4x800 - 1. Hart, Mayes, Hilts, Smith (OR) 9:40.59, 6. Spalding, Tuomey, Monzo, White (SPG) 10:05.48
SP - 1. Smith (GJ) 40’2 3/4”.
100 HH - 1. Ward (LEE) 14.26.
HJ - 1. Carney (SL) 5’8”, 2. Relaford (CEN) 5’6”.
PV - 1. Brink (RW) 10’6”, 12. A. Mihok (CEN) 7’6”.
100m - 1. Fisher (OR) 11.82, 5. Hudson (CEN) 12.36.
4x100 - 1. Oak Ridge 48.33, 10. Bradley, Hudson, Wooster, Relaford (CEN) 51.66.
1600m - 1. Hutto (OR) 5:18.89.
TJ - 1. Esperance (OR) 36’9 1/2”.
DIS - 1. Martinez (SC) 113’7”, 13. Conroy (CEN) 79’8”.
400m - 1. Outing (OR) 56.46, 5. Tuomey (SPG) 1:00.12.
800 - 1. Peters (LIB) 2:18.43, 4. Bogulski (CEN) 2:21.79, White (SPG) DNF.
200 - 1. Ward (LEE) 24.95, 8. Hudson (CEN) 26.04.
300 IH - 1. Hart (OR) 44.97.
3200 - 1. McHugh (BAR) 11:47.40.
4x400 - 1. Hart, Outing, Fisher, Teele (OR) 3:56.51, 4. Crisci, White, Monzo, Tuomey (SPG) 4:09.14, 5. Bogulski, Bradley, Lynch, Relaford (CEN) 4:09.53.
Key: Bartow (BAR), Lakeland-George Jenkins (GJ), Leesburg (LEE), Liberty (LIB), Orlando-Oak Ridge (OR), St. Cloud (SC), South Lake (SL), Springstead (SPG).
