Miami Northwestern girls win Region 4-3A track title, Ely wins boys’ crown
Blanche Ely started strong, winning the 3,200-meter relay early in the day, and had just as good of a kick at the end to win the boys’ Region 4-3A track championships Thursday.
Blanche Ely ran away with the boys’ crown, while Miami Northwestern was even more dominant on the girls’ side en route to the championship.
The top four competitors in each event qualified for the state meet May 6-7 at IMG Academy in Bradenton.
Besides the 3,200 relay, Anthony Jordan’s Blanche Ely squad also claimed first place in the high jump, 200 and 800 meters.
“I’ve got a lot of 12th-graders that really worked hard to get to this point,” Jordan said. “Last year a few that got to state, they got to state and didn’t do anything. This year they are focused on winning it.”
Ely’s Sueil Foucha, James Walker, Syvenson Noel and Roderic Wilson combined to win the 3,200 in 8:02.11.
“Very excited, especially my first time running,” said Walker, who ran the second leg. “I came from the Bahamas this year, and it is going to be a great experience going to state. We tied our personal best but I know we can do a lot better.”
Foucha is a freshman and the others seniors. Northeast took second and Boyd Anderson placed third.
Ely senior Jacee Simon won the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 6 inches.
Ely senior Thomas Geddis, who is headed to the University of Cincinnati on a football scholarship, won the 200 in 21.54. And Wilson also took first in the 800.
Elsewhere on the boys’ side, Northeast High won the 400 relay in 41.20, edging out Dillard. Northeast junior Damion Thomas took the 110-meter hurdles in 13.42.
Ely senior Arthur Forrest placed second in the 100 with a time of 10.88. Miami Northwestern sophomore Nigel Bethel won the event in 10.80.
Sebastian River junior Jarez Parks won both the discus and the shot put. The 6-5, 255-pounder, who is a four-star defensive-end prospect with more than 30 scholarship offers including Miami, Florida and Florida State, took first in the shot with a throw of 55-11. Parks ran away with the discus title with a throw of 189-9. Second place was a distant 143-10.
Viera senior Jay Boyd won the boys’ long jump with a leap of 23-0. Boyd Anderson sophomore Avery Thornton was second in 22-11 1/2.
On the girls’ side, Northwestern’s Twanisha Terry won the 100 in 11.79. Northeast sophomore Nia Lecky was second in 11.95. Lecky later was injured during the 400 relay and had to be carted off the track.
Northwestern also won 400 in 46.10, with Dillard second in 46.84, followed by Norland and Boyd Anderson.
Northeast 2019 standout Jan’Taijah Ford won the 400 in 54.66.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
▪ District 14 Final - Columbus d. Ransom (25-18, 25-22, 26-24): Logan Plummer 6 aces, 6 kills, 5 digs. Jorge Gonzalez 10 kills, 9 digs. Patrick Gatcliffe 9 kills, 2 blocks. Gabriel Campo 34 assists, 10 digs, 2 aces. COL 26-1.
▪ District 9 Final - Pine Crest d. Cardinal Gibbons (21-19, 25-22, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12): Jt Martin 6 blocks, 17 kills, 3 digs. Matt Rodriguez 11 points, ace, 6 digs, 2 assists.
▪ District 12 Final - Mourning d. Hialeah Gardens (25-10, 25-17, 25-13): Will Zuluaga 11 kills, 2 aces, 7 digs. Ray Peterson 7 kills. Riain Festge 3 kills, 4 blocks, 27 assists. 21-5 ATM.
▪ District 11 Final - South Broward d. Flanagan (25-20, 25-14, 25-13).
▪ Late Wednesday, District 14 Semifinal - Columbus d. St Brendan (17-25, 26-24, 25-23, 24-26, 15-11): Eddy de Arcos 32 digs. Patrick Gatcliffe 14 kills, 5 blocks. Alex Suarez 16 kills, 14 digs. COL 25-1.
BASEBALL
▪ Region 4-3A semifinal - Fort Pierce John Carroll 4, Archbishop Carroll 0.
▪ Region 4-2A semifinal - Lake Worth Trinity Christian 11, Champagnat Catholic 1.
▪ Late Wednesday, Region 4-7A Quarterfinals - Belen 8, South Broward 0: Pablo Arevalo 6 IP, 9 K’s, 3H. Erick Wilson 4-4. CJ Vazquez 2-4, HR, 2 RBI. Christian DelCastillo 2-4,HR, 2 RBI. Alex Falla 2-4,HR. BEL 17-11.
▪ Late Wednesday, Region 4-5A- Somerset Academy 14, Lincoln Park 0: Mark Bejar (10-0), 4 IP, 0 R, 3 K’s, 2 H. Kenny Moreno-Costa 2-4, 3 RBI. Juan F Teixeira 3-3, 4 R, RBI. Jack Khawly 2-3, 3 RBI, 2B.
▪ Late Wednesday, Region 4-9A - Hialeah Gardens 6, Miami High 5: WP: Marcos Ruiz (8-0). SV: Arthur Cordoves (6). Allen Berrios 2-3, 2B, BB, 2R. Mike Ramirez 1-3, 2B, 3RBI. Eddy Nodarse 1-2, BB, R. Arthur Cordovez 1-2, R, BB, 3 RBI. HG 18-6.
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
SOFTBALL
Region 4-9A final: Palmetto at American, 4
Region 3-9A final: Jupiter at Western, 7
Region 4-8A final: Cooper City at St. Thomas Aquinas, 7
Region 4-7A final: Pembroke Pines Charter at Stuart South Fork, 7
Region 4-6A final: American Heritage at Rockledge, 6
Region 4-5A final at Betti Stradling Park: Gulliver vs. Coral Springs Charter, 5
BOYS’ LACROSSE
State tournament in Jupiter: Palm Beach Benjamin vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, 7
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
LACROSSE
State tournament in Jupiter: 7
This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 10:34 PM with the headline "Miami Northwestern girls win Region 4-3A track title, Ely wins boys’ crown."