- November 22, 2024
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FPC's Olivia Gaines, Jada Dotson, Summer Barnes and Aun'Yale Howard won the 4x100 girls relay in school-record time at the third annual North Florida/South Florida Challenge on March 9. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Summer Barnes runs the anchor leg in the 4x100 relay at the North Florida/South Florida Challenge. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Olivia Gaines, Jada Dotson, Summer Barnes and Aun'Yale Howard hug coach Alycia Williams after breaking the Flagler Palm Coast school record in the 4x100 relay at the North Florida/South Florida Challenge. Photo by Brent Woronoff
After congratulating Flagler Palm Coast’s girls 4x100 relay team for winning the event at the third annual North Florida/South Florida Challenge on Saturday, March 9 — and breaking the school record in the process — Bulldogs track and field coach David Halliday told the runners in a low voice, “Ya’ll can run faster.”
The girls know this is true. They currently have the 12th fastest time in the state among all classifications, and they feel like they’re just getting started with two new runners this season and a recent change to their running order.
With Aun’Yale Howard leading off, Olivia Gaines running second leg, Jada Dotson third and Summer Barnes running anchor, the FPC team won the event with a time of 48.39 seconds, breaking the 10-year-old school record by nine-tenths of a second.
“I’m so happy right now,” Barnes said after the race.
The Bulldogs switched Howard and Dotson to allow Dotson to hand the baton to Barnes.
“Jada handed off to Summer last year,” FPC girls coach Alycia Williams said. “Sometimes you got to go back to what works.”
It’s not that they’ve been slow — they ran 49.45 in their first official meet together on Feb. 23 — but now they believe they have the right chemistry to compete at state.
I always knew we could do it. The handoffs have always been the issue. Now all we have to do is improve our speed.”
— SUMMER BARNES
“I always knew we could do it. The handoffs have been the issue,” Barnes said. “Now all we have to do is improve our speed.”
Howard and Gaines are new to the group this season. Howard is one of the best athletes in the school. She has committed to play softball next season at Lynn University and played softball for the Bulldogs last season, but while she is still going to tournaments with her travel softball team, she decided to run track for her final high school season. She was also on the track team as a sophomore and also placed third in her weight class at the state weightlifting championships that year.
“She is just an athlete,” Williams said. “She can do anything.”
Gaines, who is primarily a long jumper, transferred from Matanzas High.
“Olivia doesn’t really practice that much running,” Williams said. “Once we get her balanced, they’ll run 47-mid easy.”
The same group, running in the same order, also placed second in the 4x200, which is not an official FHSAA event. Barnes also ran a personal record time of 12.30 seconds in the 100-meter dash.
FPC’s Colby Cronk won both boys shot put (52 feet, 11.5 inches) and discus (148 feet, 8 inches) titles in the windy conditions at the meet. The junior finished second in shot put at the state high school indoor championships and broke the school record at the season-opening East Coast Classic at 54 feet, 3.25 inches, which currently ranks first in the state in Class 4A and third overall.
FPC’s Maya Tyson placed second in girls shot put. Levi Hayworth placed second in boys javelin.
The North Florida/South Florida Challenge brings some of the best track teams and athletes in the state to FPC.
Miami Columbus won the boys team title with 115.5 points. Jacksonville Mandarin was second with 105 points, Miami Belen Jesuit third (94.50), Fleming Island fourth (91) and FPC fifth (79) in the 11-team field. Miami Northwestern won the girls competition with 205 points, followed by Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (103), FPC (101.5), Bartram Trail (66) and Mandarin (61).
