HomeTeam Hot Shots
A spotlight on the Times’ bay area players of the week.
Female Hot Shot: Chaise Cook-Martin, Sr., Boca Ciega
Sport: Track
Skinny: For three years, Cook-Martin waited to claim gold in the triple jump, her signature event. After clearing 38 feet, 4 inches in Friday’s Class 3A state meet, Cook-Martin had to wait some more to find out if the mark would hold up. Hallandale’s Lia King was the only competitor left, and she had three jumps saved after finishing the preliminaries of her running events. “I was just chewing my fingernails because I know (King) was capable of jumping well enough to beat me,” Cook-Martin said. “It was the longest wait. When she scratched on her last jump, I just fell to the ground and started crying. It was such a relief to know that I had won.”
Male Hot Shot: Deandre Boykins, Sr., Lakewood
Sport: Track
Skinny: On a team loaded with nationally-ranked hurdlers and jumpers, Boykins became an unlikely hero in the Class 2A state meet. By finishing fifth in the 200 meters, Boykins scored four points, which ultimately helped the Spartans win their first team title and the county’s first boys title in 43 years by a point. Boykins also ran anchor leg on the 4x100 relay and nearly closed the gap on the leader in a second-place finish. “It took a few days, but it’s already starting to sink in that we won the team title,” Boykins said. “When we got back to school everyone was congratulating us. I knew I had that kind of race in me in the 200. It was the best I’ve ever ran and I did it at the right time.”