36 area track and field standouts take off to Jacksonville for state meet

The state's best track and field athletes will make their way to the University of North Florida beginning Wednesday and 36 representatives from the Treasure Coast will take part in the state championship meets.

Athletes from eight different high schools will compete from sprints to distance and a host of field events across the four classifications.

Vero Beach's boys lead the way with a total of nine athletes competing and likely have the best hope for a state champion in freshman Efrem White.

The football standout who holds an offer from Alabama among others is in a loaded field for the 4A 110-meter hurdles and had the seventh fastest qualifying time at regionals running in 14.34 seconds.

The top seven times were separated by just one tenth of a second and White will likely need to surpass his personal best time set at regionals to have a shot at a gold medal.

White will also be part of Vero's 4x100 relay team with Derrick Williams, Tromance Smith and Michael Carter that qualified with the fifth fastest time in 4A. In a competitive field will need to shave off time from their season best of 41.12 seconds set in March to have a shot at a state title.

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A host of other athletes during the week at Hodges Stadium will be in the mix to reach the podium and earn medals.

In 2A on Thursday, Lincoln Park Academy junior Alexandra Watson enters the long jump with the fifth best qualifying mark of 5.48 meters and will likely need a performance near her personal best of 5.50 meters to finish in the top eight.

Carter will enter the 4A long jump for Vero Beach with the fourth best qualifying time but his best mark of the season at the District 10-4A meet of 7.07 meters that is the fifth best mark of any state qualifier this season.

Vero Beach junior Camryn Reid will enter the 4A shot put with the fifth best qualifying time, throwing a personal best 11.93 meters at regionals and will aim to top the 12-meter mark for the first time.

Fort Pierce Central junior Tyler Hughes in the 4A high jump has a best mark of 2.02 meters at the District 10-4A meet and qualified with the fifth best mark of 1.97 meters among a crowded field with the top jumpers all around the 2.00-meter mark or better.

Sebastian River freshman Joniah Holson in 3A on Friday has a shot to medal in both the shot put and discus entering with the sixth and seventh best qualifying marks but if she can post marks close to her season bests in both events has a chance to crack the top five.

South Fork freshman Emerson Brinn in 3A enters the 1,600-meter run with the seventh best qualifying time and Vero Beach sophomore Kenan Willard in 4A and Jensen Beach senior Nicholas Colbert in 2A qualified tenth in the 1,600-meter run with the trio all capable of outrunning their qualifying times to move up the leaderboard.

Treasure Coast state track and field qualifiers

1A (Wednesday)

Grace Reed, John Carroll Catholic senior, No. 18 seed in 3,200 meter run

2A (Thursday)

Alexandra Watson, Lincoln Park Academy junior, No. 5 seed in long jump

3A (Friday)

Emerson Brinn, South Fork freshman, No. 7 seed in 1,600-meter run

Emerson Brinn, Addison Boyer, Abby McLaughlin, sophomore, Talia Brown, sophomore, Sydney Schiff, sophomore, Sawyer Spatara, freshman, South Fork No. 12 seed in 4x800 relay

Addison Boyer junior, South Fork, No. 13 seed in 1,600-meter run; No. 17 in 3,200-meter run

Connor Critoph, South Fork junior, No. 14 seed in 800-meter run

Adriana Jackson, South Fork sophomore, No. 16 seed in high jump

Joniah Holson, Sebastian River freshman, No. 6 seed in shot put; No. 7 in discus

Jade Hollis-Romanowiz, Sebastian River senior, No. 9 seed in discus

Chris Harris, Sebastian River senior, No. 10 seed in javelin

Jon Tumblin, Sebastian River junior, No. 15 seed in javelin

Nicholas Colbert, Jensen Beach senior, No. 10 seed in 3,200-meter run

4A (Saturday)

Michael Carter, Vero Beach junior, No. 4 seed in long jump

Camryn Reid, Vero Beach junior, No. 5 seed in shot put

Michael Carter, Tromance Smith, junior, Efrem White, freshman, Derrick Williams, junior, Taunaseyon Dillard, freshman, Jarvis Jacobs, freshman, Vero Beach, No. 5 seed in 4x100 relay

Efrem White, Vero Beach, No. 7 seed in 110-meter hurdles

Kenan Willard, Vero Beach sophomore, No. 10 seed in 1,600-meter run

Brian Carter, Vero Beach sophomore, No. 10 seed in triple jump; No. 14 seed in long jump

Yasnier Rojas, Vero Beach senior, No. 15 seed in javelin

Derrick Williams, Vero Beach junior, No. 17 seed in 200-meter dash

Ceterria Evans, Vero Beach junior, No. 18 in 400-meter hurdles

Tyler Hughes, Fort Pierce Central junior, No. 5 seed in high jump

Nikayia Wilder, Fort Pierce Central junior, No. 12 seed in discus

Alana Veal, Fort Pierce Central junior, No. 12 seed in triple jump

Richelle Williams, Fort Pierce Central senior, No. 16 seed in 400-meter dash; No. 18 in 100-meter dash; No. 18 seed in 200-meter dash

Akeem Pierre-Louis, Fort Pierce Central senior, No. 16 seed in high jump

Mikoy Holmes, Fort Pierce Central senior, No. 18 seed in triple jump       

Arkehl Beauford, senior, Jurmain Mitchell, senior, Gerald Thompson, senior, Anthony Clayton, senior, Fort Pierce Central No. 18 seed, 4x400 relay

Denzel Alexander, Martin County senior, No. 17 seed in 100-meter dash