Track and field preview: From athletes to coaches, Columbus’ team runs deep

Since 2018, no boys’ track and field team from South Florida has won as many state titles as the Columbus Explorers.

Columbus won the Class 4A crown in 2018 and 2019 under the late Fred Foyo, and the Explorers took the top prize again last year, this time under coach Danny Areces.

Since Areces is just 26 years old, the Explorers seem to be set up well for future titles, including, potentially, another ring in 2025.

Just ask Columbus senior Adrian Cardero, who has a track scholarship lined up to compete for Florida State.

“I think we’re going to win again,” said Cardero, who runs the 200 and 400 meters and also the 1,600-meter relay. “I think we’ll score a lot of points, and it won’t be close.”

Areces won’t go quite as far as saying it won’t be close. But he did say that the Explorers are very deep, and that gives them the edge over other programs.

Rival Belen, for example, has a world-class cross-country program, giving the Wolverines an advantage in track’s distance competitions. Belen finished third at state in Class 3A last year, falling just short of a championship because the rest of its team wasn’t as strong as the distance runners.

Northwestern, which has won eight state titles in boys’ track, has a history of great sprinters and leapers. But the Bulls haven’t won state since taking 3A titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and that’s because the talent lately has not been spread out all over the roster.

Then there’s Columbus, which seems to have every event covered with at least one state qualifier.

Areces, who is in his fourth year as Columbus’ head coach, has several headliners such as Cardero and fellow seniors Shaddai Carter (long jump, triple jump, 110 hurdles, 4X100 relay) and Remington Goins (javelin).

Then there’s junior D’Andre Ward (400-meter hurdles); sophomore Zamarion Lawson (200 meters); and junior Alec Cruz (100 meters, 4X100 relay; 4X400 relay).

All of those athletes also play football or baseball. Carter is a safety. Goins is a tight end. Ward is a defensive back. Lawson is a running back. And Cruz is a center fielder.

“It’s cool to have those multi-sport guys,” Cardero said. “They know how to win from what they do in their other sports, and they come in here, and we all push each other.”

Cardero, who is 6-2 and 185 pounds, played tight end and defensive end for Columbus’ football team his first three years of high school before deciding to focus only on track.

“My dream was to play Division I in football,” Cardero said. “I started running track in high school, and I realized that this was my path.This is what I was meant to do.

“Now I’m extremely happy running track, and I’m still going D-1.”

Other Columbus track standouts to watch in 2025 include: junior Alexander Lopez (800 meters); junior GianLuca Padilla (discus, shot put); senior Anthony Perez-Padron (javelin); and senior Anthony Scarcello (3200 meters).

But the Explorers are not only deep in athletes.

They are deep in coaches, too.

Areces’ staff includes Jim Hardwick (sprint coach); Marhonte Tennial (hurdles and jumps); Mike Putnam (discus, shot put, javelin).

In addition, Areces, who ran the 1600 and 3200 meters at FIU, handles Columbus’ distance runners; and Christopher Garcia gets JV runners ready for varsity.

“What I tell all my assistants,” Areces said, “is that they are all head coaches at their position.”

Given Columbus’ depth in terms of athletes and coaches, it’s easy to see why Cardero and others are so confident within the Explorers program.

“It’s great being back on top,” Areces said. “We’re a program that thrives on success.”

MORE BOYS OUTLOOKS

▪ Belen won its regional last year, finishing third at state. This year, Belen is led by senior Tiago Socarras and sophomore Marcelo Mantecon. Socarras has won two straight state titles in the 1600 meters. Mantecon was the No. 1 freshman in the nation in the 3200 meters.

▪ Braddock is looking for a repeat state title from 3,200-meter relay team, which will be led by juniors Mauricio Escalona, Jhonny Felix and sophomore Jacob Castanedo.

▪ Gulliver is led by senior Caden Roberts, junior Champ Smith and sophomore Emilio Perez-Garcia.

▪ American Heritage is led by juniors Brandon Bennett and Braylen Bennett and senior Caden Smith.

▪ Sunset, strong in the distance events, will be led by seniors Gabriel Carr (800, 1600, 3200), Joshua Alexander (100, 200) and Wellen Hernandez (relays).

▪ Chaminade-Madonna has one of the deepest and most balanced teams it has ever had. Powering the Lions in the sprints are seniors Darius Smith and Troy Waters and junior Derrek Cooper, who is also a standout in the long jump.

▪ Somerset Academy is led by junior Kaj Baker, a national All-American in the 100 and 200 meters. Senior Zachary Nelson, a standout thrower in the shot put and discus, gives the Panthers a presence in the field events.

▪ Taravella is led by senior Ty’Quez Jenkins, a state qualifier and district champion in the long jump and triple jump. Sophomore Scardy Fils and senior Elijah Vessells, both regional qualifiers in the 800 and 1,600 meters, add depth in the distance events.

▪ West Broward is led by sophomore Luke Lambert (800, 1,600, long jump, high jump) and senior Logan Lambert (200, 400, 800).

▪ Varela is led by senior Daniel Lopez, a standout in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

GIRLS OUTLOOKS

▪ Gulliver is led by freshman Ellie Schnur, senior Mackenzie Cohen and sophomore Aleah Sawyer.

▪ Carrollton is coming off district and regional championships and returns a deep squad led by junior hurdler Ariana Garcia and distance runner Grace Aldrich, a state runner-up this past fall in cross-country. Sophomore Emma Filippe and Gabriela Socarras also bolster the Cyclones’ distance group, and junior Andrea Gross is their top sprinter.

▪ Braddock is expecting another big season from its cross-country/distance runners, which will be led by seniors Jasmine Trotz and Kayla Feeney

▪ Taravella is led by senior Damari Sibbles, a regional qualifier in the 400 and 200 meters. Freshman Raquel Arne will compete in the 400 and long jump and senior U’Myri Bain was a district champion in the high jump and triple jump.

▪ Varela is led by senior Kelsi Sell, a standout in the 400 and 800 meters.

▪ Somerset Academy is led by senior Lauren Kirby, who was ranked No. 1 in the state in the shot put and discus, and ranked sixth nationally in the shot put and 24th in discus. Eighth-grader Gah’Laysia King is an emerging star in the 100 meters, triple jump and long jump as is sophomore Shanoya Reid in the sprints.

▪ Chaminade-Madonna is led by junior Alexcia Liverpool, a standout in the 100, 200 and 400 meters races.

▪ West Broward is led by sophomore Hailey Barrios (1,600, 3,200, relays) and junior Alina Perez (1,600, 3,200 relay).