TAMPA — Led by senior throwers Vincent Jackson and Jack Taylor finishing 1-2 in the shot put, the Jesuit boys battled to a runnerup finish at the USF/Steinbrenner Invitational on Saturday.
Jackson, in just his first meet of the season, threw 48 feet, 7 3/4 inches, while Taylor hit 48-4 1/2 and set a personal mark for this season. Taylor also grabbed second in the discus with personal-best 147-4 1/2.
Hallandale swept the boys (54 points) and girls (78) meets, while the Jesuit boys were second (43) and Bloomingdale was fifth (30). In the girls meet, Hillsborough was the top-finishing Hillsborough County school (10th place, 20 points).
Seffner Christian junior Jamari Johnson set a personal mark of 155 feet, 4 1/2 inches to take first in the discus.
The King boys 4x100 and 4x400 relay of Dionte Poole, Emerson Tyler, Darian Wright, and Javontee Brice captured both titles, posting 42.14 in the 4x100 final.
To end the day, the King sprinters went up against Hallandale in the 4x400 relay. Hallandale grabbed a lead after two legs with King far behind.
“I just wanted to cut (the gap) down,” Wright said, “and I knew once I got to Emerson, he was going to cut it down even more.”
Despite a sloppy handoff on the third leg, Emerson closed even more for Brice, who had the Hallandale anchor in his sights by the final turn.
“At the 150 mark, I was just trying to stay on his outside shoulder, then on the straightaway go get him,” Brice said.
Brice pulled ahead and the Lions won in 3:22.78.
Gaither 800 runner Rachel Cazares, who recently signed with the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, posted a dominating victory in 2:16.71.
Plant junior Jack Guyton fought off Land O’Lakes senior Tyler Stahl to win the boys 1,600 in 4:19.07, setting a personal record.
Chamberlain sophomore Maggie Parrish topped her personal record in winning the girls 3,200 in 11:46.95. No other girls runner was under 12 minutes.
The Jefferson girls 4x100 relay finished second behind Zephyrhills in 48.95.
Bloomingdale sophomore Ryan Voyles surprised the triple jump field, scoring first place with a jump of 45 feet, 8 inches.
Hillsborough got muliple points from Dwayne Lawson, who was third in the triple jump (45-2) and second in the high jump (6-4).
James Hambrick of East Bay was second in the long jump (22-8), and Jefferson’s Deiondre Porter grabbed third in the long jump (22-5.25).
Hillsborough’s Jada Roberson was fifth in the 100 (12.65) and fifth in the triple jump (36-2), while freshman Alise Davis of Tampa Catholic was third in the girls shot put (36-10).