Columbus repeats as state track and field champions, and no sharing the crown this time

Last year the Columbus boys’ track and field team took home the Class 4A state title, but two letters changed the meaning of the win: “Co.”

After finishing co-state champions a year ago, Columbus had the right to call themselves the outright champion at the Class 4A state championships this season.

Columbus earned 74 points in the meet at Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida Saturday night to secure sole possession of first place and the school’s fourth state title overall, all of which have been won since 2018.

“It was weird but I think the way we handled it was a state champ is a state champ,” Columbus coach Danny Areces said. “The whole goal was back to back this year.”

While Areces emphasized the team taking credit for their effort last season, the athletes still craved the feeling of being the sole champion.

Columbus senior Adrien Cardero, the anchor of the team’s 1,600-meter relay, was a part of last year’s finish. And he said the team worked all season to avoid another situation like the one he experienced as a junior.

“We were super happy that we won technically, but… it didn’t really feel like a win because we tied,” he said. “We got back on the bus last year, we were like, ‘We’re winning next year. We want to win it. We want to blow them out.’”

And for Cardero, he contributed to the team’s win in the exact way he dreamt of. Cardero watched Columbus’ 1,600-meter relay thrive when he was an underclassman.

But Saturday night, he was the anchor of that same race that put a stamp on the team’s championship-crowning meet. The relay’s 3:12.73 earned the team its last gold medal of the day. The school also won the 400-meter relay (40.45) and came in second in the 3,200-meter relay (7:53.36).

“I get to give everybody that experience of the excitement and the rush of being able to come out at the end and win,” he said. “It literally means everything to be able to compete and win a relay with your brothers and push yourself to your absolute limit.”

While the relay is the identity of the Explorers, senior Remy Goins knew it would take more than those events to secure first place. The javelin winner, who won first with a 60.54, said he contributed a couple points to the team’s total in last year’s tie for first, but he said he was hoping for more this weekend.

“I’ve got to get that 60,” Goins told himself after a 59.33-meter throw during the state meet.

“Whenever I released it, I knew it flew.”

Senior Shaddai Carter also took silver in the long jump (6.97) and triple jump (14.24), which earned his team 16 points.

AQUINAS A CLOSE SECOND

The St. Thomas Aquinas girls finished second with 43 points, trailing only Spruce Creek’s 49.50-point total. The 1,600-meter relay team ended the day with an exciting win, but still trailed by a thin margin that got widened after the field events wrapped up.

“I think a lot of the seniors are leaving knowing that they did their best today,” St. Thomas coach Alex Armenteros said. “And I think the underclassmen know now what it would take to probably win a state championship.”

Seniors Arianna Allen and Kelyse Jackson, who were a part of the team’s winning relay, were some of the team’s biggest contributors Saturday. Allen earned third in the 100-meter hurdles (14.06) and fourth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:01.26). Jackson got third in the 400-meter hurdles (1:00.98) and seventh in the 100-meter hurdles (14.60).

“(Allen) did a great job in both hurdles and the 4x400 relay, and so did Kelyse Jackson,” he said. “They did an incredible job for us to keep us in it.”

Miami Southridge also won the girls 400-meter relay with a time of 45.90.

Flanagan’s boys finished third with 42 points after sophomore Jacob Thomas earned bronze in the 100-meter dash (10.52), senior Jonathan Carter won silver in the 400-meter hurdles (51.70) and sophomore Raymond Hawkins got second in the long jump (6.96). The 400-meter relay (40.70) and 1,600-meter relay (3:14.00) also netted two more silver finishes.

RESULTS

Team scores - Boys: 1. Columbus 74, 2. Jacksonville Mandarin 46; 3. Flanagan 42; 9. St. Thomas Aquinas 20; Girls: 1. Spruce Creek 49.5; 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 43.

Boys’ individual results (Winners plus top 8 Dade/Broward) - Long jump: 1. Bari Williams (Largo) 7.06; 2. Shaddai Carter (Col) 6.97; 3. Raymond Hawkins (Flan) 6.96; 6. Christopher Jackson (MSD) 6.93; High jump: 1. Nickiah Wilkinson (Bayside) 2.14; 3. Elijah D’oleo (STA) 2.02; 7. Allan Harris (Flan) 1.92; Discus: 1. Ethan Fox (Bartram Trail) 56.21; 3. Christien Moreau (STA) 53.22; 8. Gianluca Padilla (Col) 48.20; Triple jump: 1. Mike Luma (Ida) 14.56; 2. Shaddai Carter (Col) 14.24; 5. Christopher Jackson (MSD) 14.08; Javelin: 1. Remington Goins (Col) 60.54; 4. Jalani Reams (Col) 56.50; 7. Sergio Hernandez (Col) 50.64; Shot put: 1. Colby Cronk (Flagler) 19.00; 2. Christien Moreau (STA) 18.41; 6. Sedric Melvin (SD) 15.49; 8. Manario Dickenson (SB) 15.37; Pole vault: 1. Christian Angrand (North Port) 4.50; 8. Cashmere Sammuels (CS) 4.05; 3,200 relay: 1. Spanish River 7:43.40; 2. Columbus 7:53.36; 100: 1. Christopher Bronaugh (Windermere) 10.34; 3. Jacob Thomas (Flan) 10.52; 5. Alec Cruz (Col) 10.69; 400 relay: 1. Columbus 40.45; 2. Flanagan 40.70; 8. Nova 41.74; 400: 1. Jozef Miesak (Windermere) 46.68; 6. Matthew Daniels (Krop) 48.04; 7. Adrian Cardero (Col) 48.08; 400 hurdles: 1. Tyon Reed (Treasure Coast) 51.69; 2. Jonathan Carter (Flan) 51.70; 4. Sebastian Marrero (CS) 54.08; 800: 1. Connor Freeland (Mandarin) 1:53.66; 4. Jeffrey Belizaire (CS) 1:54.28; 8. Andres Oropesa (SR) 1:55.51; 200: 1. Jaylen Lewis (Mandarin) 20.59; 4. Zamarion Lawson (Col) 21.201; 5. Jacob Thomas (Flan) 21.204; 3200: 1. Kenan Willard (Vero Beach) 9:14.93; 6. Matiz Thompson (CB) 9:30.97; 8. Diego Eseverri (Col) 9:34.33; 1,600 relay: 1. Columbus 3:12.73; 2. Flanagan 3:14.00; 8. Southridge 3:21.09.

Girls’ individual results (Winners plus top 8 Dade/Broward) - Long jump: 1. Chelsi Williams (George Jenkins) 6.17; 4. Janessa Joseph (Gol) 5.60; Triple jump: 1. Chelsi Williams (GJ) 12.51; 3. Ana Echevarria (Dor) 11.75; 6. La’Starria Jones (Pal) 11.47; 8. Gabrielle Pridgen (STA) 11.13; Discus: 1. Evyana Tavo (Land O’Lakes) 43.07; 7. Meghan McGuinn (Dor) 38.51; 3,200 relay: 1. Creekside 9:11.62; 4. Braddock 9:38.44; 100 hurdles: 1. Chelsi Williams (GJ) 13.38; 3. Arianna Allen (STA) 14.06; 7. Kelyse Jackson (STA) 14.60; 100: 1. Laiana McClinton (Largo) 11.75; 4. Jaelyn Jackson (Gol) 12.02; 7. Jalisa Marshall (SR) 12.15; 1600: 1. Mackenzie Roy (Spruce Creek) 4:49.18; 6. Grace Finneran (STA) 5:01.28; 400 relay: 1. Southridge 45.90; 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 46.52; 400: 1. Taylor-Nicole Overton (Vero Beach) 53.19; 3. Lenee Barbary (Flan) 53.83; 4. Sophia Florik (Dor) 54.79; 8. Naelle Alexis-Pierre (Hom) 55.89; 400 hurdles: 1. Alondra Rodriguez (Cypress Creek) 58.98; 3. Kelyse Jackson (STA) 1:00.98; 4. Arianna Allen (STA) 1:01.26; 5. Samanta Bandres Chourio (MSD) 1:02.22; 800: 1. Avery Chatman (East Lake) 2:14.47; 3. Olivia Higgins (CS) 2:16.13; 200: 1. Laiana McClinton (Largo) 23.67; 3. Jaelyn Jackson (Gol) 24.00; 5. Arianna Woolcock (STA) 24.11; 6. Lenee Barbary (Flan) 24.24; 1,600 relay: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 3:48.49.

This story was originally published May 11, 2025 at 9:05 AM.