Northwestern Bulls sweep regional track and field team titles

Markalah Hart has proved she is one of the top high school hurdlers in Florida.

The junior from Miami Northwestern even admits she’s far from her potential.

Regardless of that fact, she helped lead the Bulls girls’ track team to yet another regional title by dominating all comers at the Region 4-3A meet at South Fork High on Saturday.

Northwestern finished with a convincing 199.5 points, well ahead of second place Northeast with 66 points. The Northwestern boys edged Belen Jesuit for the team title with 86 points, while Belen had 56 points.

Hart will enter next week’s state meet at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville as a winner in the 100 hurdles (13.87) and 300 hurdles (42.86), which was a season best.

The top four finishers in each event qualified for the state meet.

“She came in as hurdler as a freshman sensation, but the last couple of years she has been struggling,” said Northwestern coach Carmen Jackson. “She has been distracted.

“She needs to become mentally fit. But what she does have is a gift most hurdlers don’t have. She is lightning fast so when she gets over the hurdles she has that extra boost.”

Hart is on the same page as her coach.

“My attitude and training hard are where I need to improve,” said Hart. “My times are all right, but they can be better. Not training hard every day and taking some days off has slowed my progress. Sometimes it’s frustrating trying to get it all together.”

Winning seven events helped the Bulls pile on the points. In addition to Hart. Alyssia Richard was also a double winner with victories in the shot put (45-1) and discus (143-6).

Valarie Lastra of Mater Academy advanced to next week’s state meet with region wins the 1600 (5:03.43) and 3200 (10:59.27) races.

The Northwestern boys had 10 individuals or relay teams finish in the top.

Tyrese Cooper of Miami Norland won the 100-meter dash at 10.49 and 400 (48.34), while finishing fourth in the 200 (21.78). He will compete in the 3A state meet in all three events.

REGION 4-3A

Boys team scores (Top 5): 1. Northwestern 86; 2. Belen Jesuit 59; 3. Blanche Ely 47; 4. Dillard 44, Sebastian River 44.

Individual results: 4x800 relay: 1. Belen Jesuit 8:04.46; 2. Dillard 8:05.15; 3. Miami Northwestern 8:08.37; 110 hurdles; 1. Williams (BE) 13.98; 2. Holmes (MNW) 14.29; 4. Johnson (CCTY) 14.91; 100: 1. Cooper (NOR) 10.49; 2. Stuart (MNW) 10.50; 3. Leiba (DILL) 10.72; 4. Fleming (MNW) 10.74; 1600: 1. Weiler (SF) 4:287.53; 2. Roa (BJ) 4:29.11; 3. Gomez (BJ) 4:30.55; 4x100 relay: 1. Miami Northeastern 41.20; 400: 1. Cooper (NOR) 48.34; 2. D. Deas (BE) 48.59; 3. Ferguson (CCTY) 49.40; 4. Ermilis (PBL) 49.49; 300 hurdles: 1. Williams (BE) 37.30; 2. Johnson (CCTY) 37.48; 3. Holmes (MNW) 39.50; 4. Joseph (CCTY) 39.52; 800: 1. Quinn (MNW) 1:57.60; 3. Cardenas (MA) 1:57.904. Roa (BJ) 1:58.48; 200: 1. Leiba (DILL) 21.29; 3. Stuart (MNW) 21.69; 4. Cooper (NOR) 21.78; 3200: 1. Weiler (SF) 9:43.86; 3. Vento (BJ) 9:47.22; 4. Gomez (BJ) 9:53.15; 4x400 relay: 1. Carol City 3:14.71; 2. Boyd Anderson 3:16.54; 3. Miami Norland 3:19.82; 4. Miami Northwestern 3:20.91; Shot put: 1. Jefferson (SEBR) 49-10; 4. Smith (NOR) 49-0.75; Discus: 1. Smith (SEBR) 171-3; 2. Harris (BB) 158-9; 3. Avin (PPC) 157-2; 4. Harris (MNW) 156-10; Long jump: 1. Taham (PPC) 22-9.25; 4. Delaughter (MNW) 21-11.75; Triple jump: 1. Mohr (VIERA) 44-5.25; High jump: 1. Chaney (BJ) 6-7.50; Pole vault: 1. Colozzo (SF) 15-0.

Girls team scores (Top 5): 1. Miami Northwestern 199.5; 2. Northeast 66; 3. Dwyer 64.5; 4. Mater Academy 50; 5. Miami Norland 49.

Individual results: 4x800 relay: 1. Mater Academy 9:19.91; 2. Miami Northwestern 9:29.96; 100 hurdles; 1. Hart (MNW) 13.87; 4. McMinn (NOR) 14.87; 100: 1. Burton (MNW) 11.20; 2. Washington (MNW) 11.20; 3. Scott (NOR) 11.30; 1600: 1. Lastra (MA) 5:03.43; 2. Coleman (DILL) 5:18.86; 4. Burgos (MNW) 5:25.32; 4x100 relay: 1. Miami Northwestern 47.28; 2. Northeast 48.41; 3. Norland 49.34; 4. Carol City 49.90; 400: 1. Ford (NE) 55.75; 3. Scott (NOR) 56.89; 4. Johnson (NOR) 50.89; 300 hurdles: 1. Hart (MNW) 42.86; 2. Kinloch (PPC) 43.47; 3. Cassels (DWY) 44.67; 4. Fuller (BA) 44.92; 800: 1. Mickens (MA) 2:10.16; 2. Hunter (MNW) 2:167.64; 3. Rodriguez (MA) 2:17.05; 4. Pierre (DWY) 2:17.99; 200: 1. Ford (NE) 23.87; 2. Scott (NOR) 24.68; 3. Burton (MNW) 24.73; 4. Washington (MNW) 24.81; 3200: 1. Lastra (MA) 10:59.27; 4. Borgos (MNW) 11:44.76; 4x400 relay: 1. Northeast 3:46.51; 2. Miami Northwestern 3:47.99; 3. Norland 3:52.03; Shot put: 1. Richard (MNW) 45-1; 3. Mosley (MNW) 35-11.50; 4. Batts (CCTY) 35-10; Discus: 1. Richard (MNW) 143-6; 2. Mosley (MNW) 122-7; 3. Dawson (MNW) 117-9; 4. Powell (BB) 113-3; Long jump: 1. Fuller (BA) 19-3.25; 2. Kingcade (MNW) 18-4.25; 3. Robinson (MNW) 17-10.25; Triple jump: 1. Robinson (MNW) 39-5; 2. Jobe (MNW) 36-7.75; 3. Gathers (MNW) 36-5; High jump: 1. Cassels (DWY) 5-3.75; 3. Jobe (MNW) 5-1.75; 4. Beaker (MC) 5-1.75; Pole vault: 1, Olsen (MI) 11-4.25.