HomeTeam Hot Shots
A spotlight on the Times’ bay area players of the week.
Male Hot Shot: Jeremiah Green, Sr., Hillsborough
Sport: Track
Skinny: On his only triple jump attempt at the March 16 USF/Steinbrenner Invitational, Green propelled his slender 5-foot-8 frame 52 feet, 1 inch — the longest in the nation at the high school level this year. Then, he trotted to the starting area for the 200-meter prelims. Green, who had won a national indoor triple jump title (51-6.5) in New York City six days before, was as brilliant as he was businesslike throughout the 11-hour meet at the USF Track & Field Stadium. He won the long jump with an effort (23-6) currently ranked 11th nationally, placed fourth in the 200 (21.79) and ran a leg on the sixth-place 4x100 relay team.
Female Hot Shot: Deterrica Simpkins, Jr., Pinellas Park
Sport: Track
Skinny: Last week, Simpkins had the breakthrough performance she needed, winning the 100 (12.64), 200 (25.97) and 400 meters (57.92) at the Ed Wells Kiwanis Invitational. She broke the school record in the 400 and was named the meet’s MVP. Simpkins said she was confident heading into the meet after the way she ran at the West Coast Invitational, where she broke a school record in the 200. “I feel like I’m running at my tippy-toppy best right now,” she said.