Athlete Eddiyah Frye, coaches Davidson Gill and Carmen Jackson win top state track honors
Senior Eddiyah Frye of St. Thomas Aquinas High School and junior Rheinhardt Harrison of Nease High School were named the 2021 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss and Mr. Track following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school track and field coaches and media representatives.
Frye wrapped up an illustrious high school career by leading her St. Thomas Aquinas team to its third straight state title. She won the 100-meter hurdles (13.53) and long jump titles (19 3-3/4), ran the anchor leg on her team’s 4x100 relay victory and finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles. Earlier in the season she ran the nation’s fastest 55-meter hurdles time (7.84). She has signed with the University of North Carolina.
Frye, who was earlier named this year’s Class 4A girls’ track athlete-of-the-year, finished ahead of Class 3A track athlete-of-the-year Alyssa Jones of Southridge, Class 2A award winner Chelsi Williams of McKeel Academy and Class 1A award winner Leah Martin-Gonzales of St. John Neumann..
Harrison won state track titles in both the 1,600 (4:08.14)) and 3,200 meters (9:02.26). His time of 8:47.43 in the 3,200 meters in April was the fastest-ever for a Florida prep runner, he ran the nation’s fastest high school time in the mile (4:09.26) this season, and he became the fastest 16-year-old miler in track history when he ran 4:01.34 last August.
Harrison, who was earlier named the Class 4A boys’ track-and-field athlete-of-the-year, finished ahead of Class 3A award winner Javier Vento of Belen Jesuit, Class 2A winner Chandler Smith of Bishop Moore and Class 1A track athlete-of-the-year Austin Montini of Oak Hall School.
Gill, Jackson
Track Coaches of the Year
Davidson Gill of Dillard High School and Carmen Jackson of Northwestern High School have been named the Florida Dairy Farmers 2021 Boys’ and Girls’ Track Coaches of the Year following a final round of voting by a panel of state high school track and field coaches and media representatives.
Gill, the Class 3A Coach-of-the-Year, led Dillard to its first state boys’ championship and ended Northwestern’s string of three straight titles with 80 points, winning three relays and one individual title.
Other class winners included 4A COY Todd Brigham of Niceville, 2A COY Carolista Ware of Bishop Moore and 1A COY Darnell Harrison of Mt. Dora Christian.
Jackson led her girls’ team to its 12th consecutive state championship, extending the state record for most consecutive titles, as well as its 17th title overall. This is Jackson’s eighth state Coach-of-the-Year award, the second-most alltime behind Brandon wrestling coach Russ Cowart, who won the award 10 times.
Jackson, who was earlier named the Class 3A Coach-of-the-Year, finished ahead of Class 4A COY Alex Armenteros of St. Thomas Aquinas, Class 2A COY Mike Rivera of Bolles and Class 1A COY Arron Prather of Admiral Farragut.
The Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 29th year of these unique awards as they honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 sanctioned FHSAA sports.
The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
Miami Herald sports awards
The Miami Herald has named its major awards for the 2020-21 school year.
The Dade Class 4A-1A girls’ major awards winner is Westminster Christian.
The Dade 7A-5A winner is Lourdes.
The Dade 4A-1A boys’ winner is Westminster Christian
In Class 7A-5A, the winner is Columbus.
The Dade overall All-Sports award winner for Class 4A-1A is Gulliver Prep.
The Dade overall All-Sports award winner for Class 7A-5A is Doral Academy.
In Broward, the 4A-1A girls’ major sports award winner is American Heritage.
The 7A-5A winner is St. Thomas Aquinas.
The 4A-1A boys’ winner is Calvary Christian.
For Classes 7A-5A, the winner is St. Thomas Aquinas.
The All-Sports awards winner for Class 4A-1A is American Heritage.
For Classes 7A-5A, the winner is St. Thomas Aquinas.
Special Olympics
To celebrate the one year countdown to the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, Special Olympics Florida staged a series of events around the state throughout June to tell athletes they were headed to the Games.
Talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres surprised Broward County athlete Michelle Canazaro with the news during a taping of “Ellen.”
Special Olympics USA Games Presenting Partner Jersey Mike’s (along with Mayor Daniella Levine Cava) helped deliver the news to Andy Miyares of Miami-Dade County.
Submit summer sports results
For summer sports with high school athletes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have results and stats for this column, email hssports<code_dp>@<code_dp>miami<code_dp>herald.com. For club teams and individuals, include the high school(s) of the student-athlete(s).
This is open to participants in summer sports leagues, events and tournaments who are current high school athletes, those who graduated in 2021 and those who will be freshmen in the fall.
Email hssports<code_dp>@miami<code_dp>herald.com.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
