Palmer Trinity girls finish second at state track meet for first time in over 30 years

Palmer Trinity’s most recent second-place finish at the state track championships came in 1991 when a high-school age Tammy King was competing for her team.

King, a three-time state champion in those days, helped her team reach the podium once again — this time as the team’s head coach more than 30 years later.

The Falcons finished the meet with 43.50 points, narrowly beating Maclay School, which had 43 points. Admiral Farragut took the girls’ championship with 46 points after winning the 1,600-meter relay, the final event of the evening on Wednesday at the Class 1A state meet at Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida.

“They all bought in, we locked in, and we’re just super excited,” King said. “The girls, they dug deep, they were super gritty, they just believed. I told them no matter what, you go out there, you give your best, that’s all that we can ask. And we did that.”

The Palmer Trinity girls team was headlined by senior Noelani Sadler. In her final meet at the high school level, Sadler earned her first-career gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles after finishing in 14.63 seconds and a bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.29.

“Looking back at my states last year, I definitely improved,” Sadler said. “I’m happy that it ended off like this… I didn’t think I would ever get first place for the 100-meter hurdles.”

Sadler had the top finish for the girls, but Palmer Trinity’s girls contributed in multiple events.

Senior Maria Camposano finished just behind Sadler in the 100-meter hurdles, earning second place with a time of 14.85 seconds. Camposano also clinched fourth in the girls high jump when she reached a mark of 1.52 meters.

Palmer Trinity freshman Mariana Mendoza tied for fourth in the girls pole vault with a 3.00-meter maximum height. The girls’ 3,200-meter relay team finished in fifth with a time of 9:47.67.

“I love my team,” Sadler said. “They’re so great; they’re very encouraging. I just love them, and they’re like my greatest supporters.”

While the boys side couldn’t match The Benjamin School, which finished in first place with 89.50 points, senior Henry Stark was enough to give the team 20 points and a top-10 finish.

Stark won the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter races with times of 4:16.76 and 9:18.02, respectively. Stark’s two gold medals send him off to Appalachian State University as a champion.

“I just wanted to give it all I had, everything that I’ve been training for all of high school, not only just this season, but seasons before,” Stark said. “In (the) cross country state championships, I came in first for Class 1A as well this past senior season, so (this is) just kind of a great way to end off my senior year of running.”

While Chaminade-Madonna didn’t earn a trophy, the boys team still secured third place with 37 points.

The school’s boys 400-meter relay won with a time of 41.42 seconds, and the team had a handful of other strong finishes. Junior Darius Smith finished the 100-meter dash in 10.88 seconds, giving him third place, and completed the 200-meter in a third-best 21.78 seconds.

Chaminade senior Tyson Waters earned third in the 110-meter hurdles, 15.00 seconds, and the 400-meter hurdles, 55.65 seconds.

The girls team finished with seven points, all of which were earned by sophomore Alexcia Liverpool. She came in third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.78 seconds, and her 12.67-second time in the 100-meter dash earned her eighth place.

RESULTS

Note: Only events with South Florida top 8 finishers listed.

Boys’ team scores: 1. Benjamin 89.5, 3. Chaminade 37, 10. Palmer Trinity 20; 15. Westminster Academy 16; Individual winners plus top 8 Dade/Broward finishers - 100: Bronaugh (Foundation) 10.51; 3. Smith (CM) 10.88; 8. Thomas (CM) 11.02; 200: Bronaugh (Foundation) 21.19; 3. Smith (CM) 21.78; 7. Thomas (CM) 22.23; 1,600: 1. Stark (PT) 4:16.76; 2. Pena (WA) 4:18.59; 3,200: 1. Stark (PT) 9:18.02; 110 hurdles: 1. Demosthenes (OCP) 14.78; 3. Waters (CM) 15.00; 8. Harvin (WA) 15.51; 400 hurdles: 1. Luiz (Ben) 54.28; 3. Waters (CM) 55.65; 400 relay: 1. Chaminade 41.42; 3,200 relay: 1. Holy Trinity 7:51.71; 7. Westminster Academy 8:08.59; 8. South Florida HEAT 8:20.33; High jump: 1. Schick (Dora) 1.92m; 4. Wimbley (WA) 1.87m; Pole vault: 1. Letsche (Ben) 4.35m; 4. Bernatek (SFH) 3.90m; 6. Ceballos (RP) 3.90m; Javelin: 1. Cox (Wewa) 53.41m; 4. Drake (FC) 50.54m;

Girls’ team scores: 1. St. Pete Admiral Farragut 46, 2. Palmer Trinity 43.5; Individual winners plus top 8 Dade/Broward finishers - 100: 1. Travis (EC) 11.65; 8. Liverpool (CM) 12.67; 200: 1. Travis (EC) 24.05; 3. Liverpool (CM) 24.78; 800: 1. Gear (Foundation) 2:11.51; 6. Sullivan (PT) 2:16.87; 1,600: 1. Gear (Foundation) 4:52.84; 6. Perez-Cartaya (PT) 5:10.17; 8. Chanon (WA) 5:21.71; 100 hurdles: 1. Sadler (PT) 14.63; 2. Camposano (PT) 14.85; 400 hurdles: 1. Burgess (AF) 1:03.46; 3. Sadler (PT) 1:04.29; 3,200 relay: 1. Oak Hall 9:28.68; 5. Palmer Trinity 9:47.67; 8. South Florida HEAT 9:59.86; High jump: 1. Nice (NC) 1.57m; 4. Camposano (PT) 1.52m; Pole vault: 1. Dowdy (Maclay) 3.77m; 4. Mendoza (PT) 3.00m; Long jump: 1. Bing (BS) 5.70m; 6. White (HighChr) 5.28m; 7. Davisson (DS) 5.27m; Discus: 1. Willis (TC) 38.07m; 5. Mueller (DS) 35.87m.

This story was originally published May 16, 2024 at 8:05 AM.