Field entries lead Conchs, Dolphins into the last event of 2023-24 season

A dozen athletes from Monroe County will have their opportunity to compete against the best Florida has to offer in track and field during the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships, for Marathon the 1A finals on Wednesday, May 15, and Key West the 2A finals on Thursday, May 16, at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

A third of the state qualifiers from the Keys advanced in the pole vault, with Conchs senior Niks-Davis Suharevskis seeded sixth overall entering the championships with a height of 4.05 meters, which won the Region 4-2A title, while junior teammate Ian Newton earned an at-large bid at 3.69 meters to place 16th overall. Also ranked 16th in the state, in Class 2A, is Lady Conchs senior Anabel Portuondo with a height of 2.70 meters, while Lady ‘Fins sophomore Ava Merryman is ranked 12th in Class 1A, also clearing 2.70 meters.

Another three Monroe County athletes will be entered into the javelin during the state finals, with Marathon senior Mason Buxton seeded 13th in 1A after a toss of 44.00 meters, while Key West junior Shane Lavallee is 14th in 2A with a distance of 46.16 meters and sophomore Audry Smith is ranked 17th with a toss of 30.13 meters.

In total, the Monroe County athletes qualified to compete 13 times in the state finals, 11 of which were field events. Adding to the “field day” for the Keys participants, Lady ‘Fins sophomore Justice Lee, who is just coming off winning two state championships in weightlifting, comes in third overall in the shot put at 10.71 meters, which is also the event Conch senior Jean Louis qualified after breaking a school record at 14.50 meters for a 12th-place ranking entering the championships. Also for Key West is sophomore Noah Mercer with a distance of 40.97 meters in the discus, good for 13th coming into the finals, with Marathon senior Kayesha Christian garnering her berth in the long jump at 5.01 meters to be seeded 14th overall.

The lone runner from the Keys to reach the state champions this season is Marathon junior Mikail Marshall, qualifying in two events: the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.00 second for a 12th-place ranking; and the 200-meter dash in 22.66 to be seeded 18th.

The FHSAA Championships will be the final event for any Monroe County team during the 2023-24 school year, outside of spring football practices and scrimmages, with graduation set for the Keys schools from May 22-24.