Northwestern’s girls, Columbus’ boys reign once again at GMAC track and field finals
Miami Northwestern’s girls’ track and field team was in unfamiliar territory last May.
For the first time in 15 years, the Bulls did not end their season at the top of the podium with a state championship.
If Thursday’s GMAC championship meet is any indication, the setback was only a bump in the road for one of South Florida’s top championship dynasties in any sport.
The Bulls overwhelmed the competition once again, scoring 203 points and finishing far ahead of the rest of the field to win their sixth consecutive GMAC championship at Traz Powell Stadium.
Meanwhile on the boys’ side, Columbus extended its own streak as it cruised to the team title with 170 points. It was the Explorers’ ninth consecutive GMAC championship as they look to repeat as state champions in Class 4A next month.
Only a disqualification in the 400-meter relay at state kept the Bulls from extending their state-record title run to 15 consecutive years winning a state championship and securing their state-best 20th overall.
The latter could be theirs in less than a month’s time with more performances like the one they put together on Thursday.
The Bulls won eight events overall including three in the field events.
Senior sprinters Tyra Cox and Kahalia Hoo highlighted the efforts as each broke meet records in their respective events.
Cox broke meet records in the 100 and 200 meters. In the 100, Cox ran a time of 11.50 seconds, snapping the record previously held by Miami Southridge’s Cynteria James in 2022 by a tenth of a second. In the 200, Cox also beat James’ mark of 23.48 seconds by running a time of 23.29 seconds.
Cox currently has run the fastest time in the state this season in the 100 meters (11.39) and the 400 meters (52.60), which she did not participate in on Thursday. Goleman’s Jaelyn Jackson won that event in 55.57 seconds.
Hoo set a new meet record in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.47 seconds. The mark broke the record previously set by Northwestern alum Timetria Mitchell at the 2016 meet.
Northwestern’s 1,600-meter relay, which also has the state’s fastest time this season (3:38.47), did not top that mark at GMAC, but won the event with a time of 3:50.39.
Miami Coral Reef’s Samantha Ruiz was the only other girls’ multiple winner of individual events as she took home GMAC titles in the 1,600 meters (5:18.36) and 3,200 meters (11:32.57).
Columbus athletes broke two meet records as well.
Senior thrower Remington Goins broke his own meet record in the javelin with a throw of 170-feet, 10-inches. In the running events, Columbus’ 400-meter relay appears to be in top form heading into the postseason as it won the event in 40.96 seconds, breaking the mark of 41.13 seconds run by Northwestern last year.
The Explorers won seven events overall and swept all three relays.
Norland’s boys, which finished as the team runner-up, were led by senior Terrence Honeywood, who broke a meet record in the 400 hurdles with a time of 53.12 seconds. That broke the mark set last season by Northwestern’s Isaiah Scott.
Senior J’Vari Flowers now holds the fastest time in the state in the 200 meters after winning that event with a time of 20.64 seconds. Flowers came close to the meet record set by Michael Timpson back in 1985 (20.60 seconds). Flowers also won the 100 meters in 10.49 seconds.
Senior Tywan Cox also ran the fastest time this season in the 400 meters with a time of 46.26 seconds.
RESULTS
Team scores - Boys: 1. Columbus 170; 2. Norland 98, 3. Northwestern 83; 4. Jackson 40; 5. Southridge 34; Girls: 1. Northwestern 203; 2. Southridge 75; 3. North Miami 68; 4. Goleman 60; 5. Norland 58.
Girls’ individual winners - 3,200 relay: Southridge 10:03.11; Long jump: Sanaa Foster (NW) 18-½; Triple jump: Tayla Cochran (Nor) 37-10¾; High jump: Cade Hardy (NW) 4-7¾; Pole vault: Jayelle Fernandez (Gol) 8-4¼; Shot put: Alisa Scott (NW) 39-10¾; Discus: Amaya Burrows (NM) 144-11; Javelin: Faith Jean (Nor) 102-11; 100 hurdles: Kahalia Hoo (NW) 13.47; 100: Tyra Cox (NW) 11.50; 100: Tyra Cox (NW) 11.50; 1600: Samantha Ruiz (CR) 5:18.36; 400 relay: North Miami 46.72; 400: Jaelyn Jackson (Gol) 55.57; 400 hurdles: Kashia Hoo (NW) 1:02.37; 800: Leandra Ferrell (SR) 2:19.48; 200: Tyra Cox (NW) 23.29; 3200: Samantha Ruiz (CR) 11:32.57; 1,600 relay: Northwestern 3:50.39; 100 ambulatory: Nevian Brooks (Am) 12.27; 400 ambulatory: Nevian Brooks (Am) 1:02.55; 800 ambulatory: Nevian Brooks (Am) 2:25.32; 200 ambulatory: Nevian Brooks (Am) 25.84.
Boys’ individual winners - 3,200 relay: Columbus 8:16.08; Long jump: Ethan Moreau (Gol) 22-5¾; Triple jump: Leon Sullivan Jr. (Nor) 44-6¼; High jump: Charles Edwards (Hom) 6-1½; Pole vault: Alejandro Martinez (Col) 11-3¾; Shot put: Sedric Melvin (SD) 46-5½; Discus: Gianluca Padilla (Col) 147-10; Javelin: Remington Goins (Col) 170-10; 110 hurdles: Terrence Honeywood (Nor) 13.95; 100: J’Vari Flowers (NW) 10.49; 1600: Gabriel Carr (Sun) 4:22.56; 400 relay: Columbus 40.96; 400: Tywan Cox (NW) 46.26; 400 hurdles: Terrence Honeywood (Nor) 53.12; 800: Andres Oropesa (SR) 1:57.57; 200: J’Vari Flowers (NW) 20.64; 3200: Jeremiah Elington (Col) 9:58.05; 1,600 relay: Columbus 3:18.59; Shot put ambulatory: Joshua Louvia (Cen) 20-1½; 100 ambulatory: Liviah Diego (Cen) 14.21; 200 ambulatory: Liviah Diego (Cen) 29.25.
