TAVARES — One season after pulling the district sweep for the first time, Nature Coast did it again in the Class 2A, District 6 championship at Tavares.
The boys were dominant across the board Thursday, opening up a major advantage over runnerup Mount Dora.
“We’ve been trying to (go back-to-back) for the past few years,” Nature Coast coach Ryan Wilson said. “To finally get here is a great accomplishment.”
Cody Van Natter repeated his individual district title in the 3,200 meters, while fellow distance runners James Harkless and Kevin Ciccone also were successful. Harkless, the 2012 district champion in the 800 and 1,600, repeated in the 800. Ciccone followed Harkless’ 1,600 title from a year ago by making sure another Shark won the event.
Matt Breida won the 100 and 200, one season after teammate Frank Villaizan claimed the 200 crown. Wyatt Hessler, who took first in the high jump last year, came away with another gold, this time in the 400.
Nature Coast also won the 4x100, 4x400, and 4x800 relays, while Frank Sampson was tops in the triple jump.
Much like last season, the girls won their title by a similarly large margin but in an entirely different fashion.
“The boys have been successful for many years, but the girls just got to this point last year,” Nature Coast coach Ed LaRose said. “It’s nice to be able to show consistency.”
With only three individual titles, the Sharks were able to dominate a field led by runnerup South Sumter.
Nature Coast captured only five crowns last season, but Brianna Horn’s pole vault victory allows her to advance to regionals for the second year in a row. The other title came in the 4x400.
Bronte Cameron captured her second straight 100 hurdles title in her first two seasons.
The Sharks were able to place high in almost every event. Specifically, 2-3-4 in the 1,600 and 2-4-5 in the 100.
Pasco, which finished sixth in the standings, had some terrific individual performances.
Pasco freshman Alfreda Steele had an amazing day in her postseason debut. Steele won the 100 in 12.46 seconds.
Savanna Martinson won the 300 hurdles, and the Pirates won the 4x100 relay.
Pasco senior Janarion Grant (23 feet, 1.5 inches), the two-time defending state champion in the long jump, won his third district title in the event. Hernando senior Ebone Plummer (35-9.5), who placed second in the eve won her third district title in the shot put. Teammate Lauren Plaugher, took the discus title.
A-9: Bishop girls place fourth
CLEARWATER — Clearwater Central Catholic earned its third Class A, District 9 runnerup finish in four seasons, finishing behind Lakeland McKeel.
Bishop McLaughlin’s girls, behind a strong performance in the field events, finished fourth with 79 points.
Camille Baumrucker was the big point scorer with wins in the long jump (16 feet, 2½ inches) and triple jump (33-9½). Bishop also had wins by Rachel Verscharen in the discus (93-11) and Desiree Nathe in the high jump (5-0). Kate Comfort took second in the 800 (2:42.46).
Staff writer Bob Putnam contributed to this report.
Class A, District 9
at Calvary Christian
Boys team scores: Lakeland McKeel 174, Lakeland Christian 149.33, Clearwater Central Catholic 123, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic 79, Fort Meade 60.6, Bishop McLaughlin 15, Winter Haven All Saints 9, Lakeside Christian 5
Boys individual results: 4x800: Lakeland McKeel 8:33.72, Clearwater Central Catholic 8:38.93, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic 10:23.79, Lakeland Christian 10:37.89; Pole vault: Adriano (LC) 10-0, Stark (LC) 7-6, Yamnitz (LC) 6-6, Musick (LC) 5-6; Long jump: Valentine (LM) 20-8, Morris (FM) 20-5½, Kieler (CCC) 20-4¼, Walker (CCC) 20-3; Triple jump: Cabrera (LC) 43-3½, Valentine (LM) 42-9½, Walker (CCC) 39-0, Barcelo (LC) 38-4; Shot put: Stambrosky (LSF) 43-11, Thomas (LC) 42-1, Livingston (LM) 42-0, Beatty (BM) 40-1; Discus: Stambrosky (LSF) 129-1, Gutierrez (LSF( 107-1, Deadorff (LSF) 105-3, Buchy (LC) 105-1; High jump: Kieler (CCC) 6-2, Cabrera (LC) 6-2, J. Kieler (CCC) 5-8, Pedersen (BM) 5-6; 110 hurdles: Gandy (LM) 15.50, Valentine (LM) 15.67, Agosti (LC) 19.17; 100: Simons (LC) 11.02, Morris (FM) 11.43, Whitehurst (FM) 11.59, Rosario (LM) 11.64; 1; 1,600: White (LM) 4:45.96, Adan (CCC) 4:52.09, Ramirez (CCC) 4:54.61, Robinson (CCC) 4:55.19; 4x100: Fort Meade 46.08, CCC 46.26, Lakeland Christian 52.04, Lakeside Christian 56.30; 400: Smith (FM) 54.84, Stark (LC) 55.51, Hall (LM) 55.52, B. Kieler (CCC) 55.81; 800: Henrikson (LM) 2:07.55, White (LM) 2:08.97, Kieler (CCC) 2:10.87, Reinsch (LC) 2:13.31; 300 hurdles: Gandy (LM) 43.30, Valentine (LM) 43.32, Lucas (LSFC) 45.07, Henson (LSFC) 47.44; 200: Simmons (LC) 22.36, Daniel (LSFC) 24.33, Rosario (LM) 24.48, daferede (WHAS) 24.55; 3,200: Ramirez (CCC) 10:24.73, Fuller (LC) 10:25.23, Brady (LM) 10:39.32, Adan (CCC) 10:44.98; 4x400: CCC 3:47.86, Fort Meade 4:04.26, Lakeland Christian 4:04.31, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic 4:05.30
Girls team scores: Lakeland McKeel 169, Clearwater Central Catholic 147, Lakeland Christian 142.5, Bishop McLaughlin 79, Winter Haven All Saints 51, Fort Meade 24, Lakeland Christian 7.5, Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic 6
Girls individual results: 4x800: CCC 11:01.20, Lakeland Christian 11:37.40, Lakeland McKeel 12:14.70, Winter Haven All Saints 12:42.30; Pole vault: Collins (LC) 8-0, Hunt (LC) 7-6, Green (LC) 7-0, Norman (6-0); Long jump: Baumrucker (BM) 16-2½, Kuhne (CCC) 16-0, Williams (LM) 15-7½, Henrickson (LM) 14-10¾; Triple jump: Baumrucker (BM) 33-9½, Henrikson (LM) 31-6½, Lain (LC) 30-4½, Green (LC) 30-4½; Shot put: Livingston (LM) 37-2, Miles (LC) 29-0, Oestreich (LM) 27-10, Williams (FM) 27-6; Discus: Verscharen (BM) 93-11, Black (LM) 93-3, Nyberg (LM) 85-5, Wells (LC) 80-9; High jump: Nathe (BM) 5-0, Lain (LC) 4-10, Williams (LM) 4-8, Shanahan (CCC) 4-8; 100 hurdles: Williams (LM) 17.84, Green (LC) 18.46, Boggess (LC) 18.50, Abbott (LC) 19.66; 100: Louisville (WHAS) 13.18, Fields (LM) 13.39, Stevenson (LM) 13.73, Ray (LM) 14.15; 1,600: Harrell (CCC) 5:48.94, Orr (CCC) 5:50.73, Englert (CCC) 6:04.10, Lewis (LC) 6:07.09; 4x100: CCC 53.59, Lakeland McKeel 56.61, Winter Haven All Saints 57.54, Lakeside Christian 1:01.33; 400: Moyer (CCC) 1:02.31, Fields (LM) 1:04.22, Nathe (BM) 1:04.37, Saldana (WHAS) 1:05.17; 800: Henrikson (LM) 2:42.46, Comfort (BM) 2:43.60, Englert (CCC) 2:48.62, Warren (LC) 2:49.73; 300 hurdles: Shanahan (CCC) 47.11, Louisville (WHAS) 52.92, Green (LC) 54.81, Oliver (CCC) 55.08; 200: Kuhne (CCC) 27.41, Clark (FM) 27.97, Daughtry (FM) 28.45, Nelson (FM) 28.59; 3,200: Harrell (CCC) 12:31.25, Orr (CCC) 13:03.07, Fuller (LC) 13:21.24, Lewis (LC) 13:38.20; 4x400: CCC 4:27.75, Lakeland McKeel 4:53, Winter Haven All Saints 5:04.91, Lakeland Christian 5:22.05