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Track and field: Columbia's Seth Stockton, Buchholz relay team clinch state titles

Ainslie Lee, The Gainesville Sun
·2 min read

The Gainesville area saw more success in the final two days of the FHSAA track and field championships at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville on Friday and Saturday. A Columbia triple jumper and a Buchholz relay team both notched gold-medal finishes.

The pair of first-place finishes in the Class 3A and Class 4A state meets brought the area's total to four gold medals after Santa Fe's Kyren Washington and Eastside's Ta'Joun Waldon each notched individual titles during the Class 2A meet on Thursday.

Staying home: Buchholz cross country's Kate Drummond, Emerson Miller sign with Florida

From Class 1A and Class 2A: Pair of Gainesville-area jumpers claim titles at FHSAA track and field championships

Columbia's Seth Stockton wins triple jump crown

Columbia senior Seth Stockton was denied the state title last spring as he notched a runner-up finish. This season, however, nothing was going to keep Stockton from grabbing gold.

Entering the championship meet, Stockton held the state's highest mark with a jump of 15.31 meters. Though Stockton wouldn't eclipse or meet his personal best, he wouldn't need to.

Columbia's Seth Stockton embraces a familiar person after completing in the triple jump Friday, May 19, 2023 during the FHSAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Stockton placed first with 14.55 meters.
Columbia's Seth Stockton embraces a familiar person after completing in the triple jump Friday, May 19, 2023 during the FHSAA Class 3A Track & Field State Championships at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Stockton placed first with 14.55 meters.

A jump of 14.55 meters was enough for the Columbia senior to keep Archbishop McCarthy's George Sterr (14.39m) at bay and clinch the Class 3A triple jump title.

Buchholz boys claim 3200 relay title

Much like Stockton, the Buchholz Bobcats' boys' 3200 relay team was an eyelash away from capturing a state title in 2022. Instead, Creekside edged out Buchholz, keeping the Bobcats from the top of the podium.

Come Friday, however, Buchholz (7:48.92) successfully fended off St. Thomas Aquinas (7:49.79) and won the tight race.

The Bobcats' title-winning relay team was kickstarted by Florida signee Emerson Miller, who passed the baton to Joshua Adolphson. Riley Smith ran the third leg of the race and Buchholz was anchored by Mason Kawaja.

Buchholz's Kate Drummond notches pair of Top 4 finishes

Buchholz senior Kate Drummond secured a pair of remarkable finishes to polish off her high school track career. The Florida Gator signee took third in the girls 1600 run in 4:58.74 and fourth in the girls 3200 run in 10:57.24.

Kate Drummond of Gainesville Buchholz (3111) and Grace Finneran of St. Thomas Aquinas race in the girls 1,600-meter run during the FHSAA Class 4A high school track and field championship in Jacksonville on May 20, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]
Kate Drummond of Gainesville Buchholz (3111) and Grace Finneran of St. Thomas Aquinas race in the girls 1,600-meter run during the FHSAA Class 4A high school track and field championship in Jacksonville on May 20, 2023. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

Drummond helped the Bobcats' girls' cross country team to a second-straight state championship in November.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Columbia jumper, Buchholz relay team win gold at FHSAA championships