Sunshine Athletic Conference meet
Where: Anclote High
When: Saturday. Field events, 10 a.m.; preliminaries, noon; running finals, 2 p.m.
Teams: Anclote, Fivay, Gulf, Hudson, Land O’Lakes, Mitchell, Pasco, Ridgewood, River Ridge, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills
2012-13 girls champion: Wiregrass Ranch
2012-13 boys champion: Land O’Lakes
Skinny: With solid depth and the best 4x800-meter relay time this season, Wiregrass Ranch has a good opportunity to extend its five-year reign as girls champion. The Bulls, however, do not have the stranglehold they’ve enjoyed in past years. Land O’Lakes, Mitchell, Zephyrhills and last year’s runnerup, Pasco, have their sights on dethroning Wiregrass. Pasco’s Alfreda Steele, who won the long jump, 100 and 200 as a freshman at the SAC meet last season, is favored to repeat, especially in the long jump, where she has a personal best of 18 feet, 4 inches this year. Mitchell’s Emily Kerns also returns after winning the 800 in 2013. Kerns is the leading distance runner in the conference with top times in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. On the boys’ side, Land O’Lakes has won back-to-back titles and is the overwhelming favorite to capture a third straight. Depth and a flurry of athletes in each event have Land O’Lakes in great position. It is favored in seven individual events — with five different athletes — as well as two relays. Anclote’s Jamaree Reid, who swept the hurdle events last year, is expected to do so again as a senior.
Favorites
Long jump: Alfreda Steele, Pasco; Thomas Kernan, Ridgewood
Triple jump: Victoria Cannata, Land O’Lakes; Devonte Luis, Anclote
Shot put: Kelsey McGee, Land O’Lakes; Jaye Miner, Wiregrass Ranch
Discus: Alani Alexander, Mitchell; Shaheed Salmon, Land O’Lakes
High jump: Emily Gauvey, Anclote; Andrew Janus, Anclote
Pole vault: Taylor Anderson, Mitchell; Brian Swanson, Ridgewood
4x800: Wiregrass Ranch girls; Land O’Lakes boys
100 hurdles: Shayla Bell-Francis, River Ridge
110 hurdles: Jamaree Reid, Anclote
100: Alfreda Steele, Pasco; Jordan Roberts, Zephyrhills
1,600: Emily Kerns, Mitchell; Tyler Stahl, Land O’Lakes
4x100: Zephyrhills boys; Wiregrass Ranch girls
400: Hallie Grimes, Land O’Lakes; Jamel Clark, Land O’Lakes
300 hurdles: Emily Gauvey, Anclote; Jamaree Reid, Anclote
800: Emily Kerns, Mitchell; Ethan Weilant, Land O’Lakes
200: Alfreda Steele, Pasco; Darnell Lindsey, Ridgewood
3,200: Emily Kerns, Mitchell; Jake Poore, Land O’Lakes
4x400: Land O’Lakes boys; Land O’Lakes girls