JACKSONVILLE — As she crouched in her lane at the start of 100 meters Friday, Shorecrest’s Assata Trader got off to an explosive start and was never threatened.
She ran a relaxed race that put her well ahead of the rest of the field, and crossed the finish line in 12.12 seconds, winning an improbable state title at the Class A meet.
How improbable?
Trader failed to qualify for the 100 in last year’s state meet, finished third in the event at last week’s region meet and was seeded 11th out of 16 heading into the state meet.
Even Trader seemed to be in disbelief as she walked off the medal stand.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Trader said. “I didn’t know if I could come out and win something like that.”
Trader was able to do it thanks to the help of her sprint coach, Richard Cameron.
Cameron worked on her form, from getting more consistent and faster starts to better placement of her arms during her stride.
“We had to break her down and build her back up,” Cameron said. “It was a process. But she was willing to learn. And I knew she had this kind of race in her. I’m a perfectionist, so she can get better. But this was about as perfect a race as she could run tonight.”
Trader was not the only Pinellas County champion. St. Petersburg Catholic’s Connor Cureton won the 800 in a personal-best 1 minute, 56.12 seconds.
Known to break away with a blistering pace in his signature event, Cureton held back and made his move after the first lap, taking the lead and finding the wherewithal to hold off his challengers.
He joins his coach, Sam Secord, as the school’s last two champions in the 800. Secord won his title in 2004.
“I ran the smartest race of my life,” Cureton said. “I held back and just went for it. At the end I gave everything I had.”
Cureton’s teammate, Michael Rusnak, finished as the state runnerup in the 400 in 49.62. Both teamed with Adrian Snead and Pat Artise to take second in the 4x800 in 8.13.87.
“It was just a phenomenal day for our runners,” Secord said. “I’m probably more excited about what we did than they are.”
Admiral Farragut’s Brittany McGee was second in the 100 hurdles in 15.31. But she paid a price, banging her knee on one of the hurdles.
That hurt her in the 300 hurdles as she finished ninth. She was also seventh in the high jump and fourth in the long jump.
Calvary Christian’s Hannah Brookover was fourth in the 1,600 (5.16.15). The Warriors’ 4x100 relay was fourth (50.11) and the 4x400 relay was third (4.04.44).
The Blue Jackets’ Napoleon Maxwell was third in the 100 (10.87). He also was part of the 4x100 relay team that finished third in 42.79.
A meet at Jacksonville
Girls
Team results: 1. Maclay 76, 12. Calvary Christian 18, 16. Admiral Farragut 14.50, 17. Shorecrest Prep 14, 26. Indian Rocks Christian 7, 34. Clearwater Central Catholic 5, 50. Keswick Christian 1
Individual results: High jump: 1 Kilborne (HT) 5-04.00, 7 McGee, (AFA) 5-00.00; pole vault: 1 Gale (FtL Cal) 12-06.00, 4 Kistemaker (IRC) 10-06.00, 10 Labrant (IRC) 9-06.00, 12 Palm (Kes) 9-00.00, 15 Hewel (IRC) 8-06.00; long jump: 1 McQueen (NFC) 19-07.00, 4 McGee (AFA) 18-04.00, 13 Stewart (Cal) 15-07.50; triple jump: 1 McQueen (NFC) 40-04.50, 13 Stewart (Cal) 32-02.50; discus: 1 Paul (Com) 127-02, 11 Brown (AFA) 33-01.00; 4x800: 1 Maclay 9:32.85, 12 Shorecrest 10:31.35; 100 hurdles: 1 Brown (Upp) 14.22, 2 McGee (AFA) 15.31; 100: 1 Trader (Sho) 12.12; 1,600: 1 Kurgatt (Mac) 5:06.26, 4 Brookover (Cal) 5:16.15; 4x100: 1 Holy Trinity 48.59, 4 Calvary Christian 50.11, 9 Indian Rocks Christian 52.17; 400: 1 Gayles (HT) 55.22, 14 Moyer (CCC) 1:00.98; 300 hurdles: 1 Brown (Upp) 43.37, 4 Shanahan (CCC) 46.12, 9 McGee (AFA) 48.55; 800: 1 Kurgatt (Mac) 2:16.47, 8 Palm (Kes) 2:25.28, 10 Brookover (Cal) 2:29.04; 200: 1 Wilson (Mac) 25.44; 3,200: 1 Candiano (Evan) 10:59.55, 5 Eaton (Sho) 11:21.29; 4x400: 1 King’s Academy 4:03.14, 3 Calvary Christian 4:04.44, 7 Indian Rocks Christian 4:10.62, 11 Keswick Christian 4:16.15, 15 Clearwater Central Catholic 4:21.55
Boys
Team results: 1. Holy Trinity 80.50, 6. St. Petersburg Catholic 26, 18. Admiral Farragut 12, 20. Calvary Christian 10, 36. Clearwater Central Catholic 4.50, 37) Canterbury 4, 44. Indian Rocks Christian 3
Individual results: High jump: 1 Haynes (UC) 6-08.00, 4 Kieler (CCC) 6-02.00; long jump: 1 Hylton (FA) 23-02.25, 15 Barnes (Cal) 20-04.50; triple jump: 1 Warren (MDB) 46-04.00; discus: 1 Lewis (Sef) 149-11, 5 Olson (Can) 144-05; shot put: 1 Tucker (LM) 51-04.00, 11 Hedger (Kes) 44-06.50; 4x800: 1 Holy Trinity 8:08.97, 2 St. Petersburg Catholic 8:13.87, 11 Clearwater Central Catholic 8:43.62, 13 Calvary Christian 8:48.18; 110 hurdles: 1 Burgman (HT) 14.27; 100: 1 Smith (FA) 10.55, 3 Maxwell (AFA) 10.87; 4x100: 1 First Academy 42.15, 3 Admiral Farragut 42.79, 8 Calvary Christian 44.13; 400: 1 James (Wes) 48.82, 2 Rusnak (SPC) 49.62, 6 Cavonis (IRC) 50.90, 12 Ayer (Sho) 52.90; 300 hurdles: 1 Davis (HC) 38.04; 800: 1 Cureton (SPC) 1:56.12, 5 Robin (Cal) 1:59.10, 11 Chapman (Nor) 2:02.71; 200: 1 Philpott (NFC) 21.50; 3,200: 1 Salas (Trin) 9:17.85; 4x400: 1 FtL Calvary Christian 3:26.26, 4 Calvary Christian 3:29.58, 10 St. Petersburg Catholic 3:32.93, 12 Northside Christian 3:34.13, 13 Keswick Christian 3:36.67