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Wildcat squads dominate

WESLEY CHAPEL -- Okay, so the district field was a bit limited and the favorites just too darn good and deep.

Regardless, Wesley Chapel's boys and girls teams turned in another stellar performance Thursday night, capturing the first track and field titles in school history at the district meet at Wildcat Stadium.

The Wildcats boys scored a school-record 231.5 points to lap runner-up Pasco's 101. The Wesley Chapel girls scored 174, besting runner-up Zephyrhills, which scored 144 points after a strong effort and despite an hour delay for lightning.

Wesley Chapel will send 19 boys and 13 girls to next week's Class 2A, Region 3 meet, also at Wildcat Stadium. And to think the coaches were worried about fatigue after Monday night's Sunshine Athletic Conference meet.

"I felt like standing on the corner rope like (wrestler) Stone Cold (Steve Austin), holding up the belt," said boys coach Brian Colding, as he held aloft the boys and girls trophies in each hand.

"I think it's pretty cool that the girls teams can win two district trophies in the same week," said girls coach Annie McGhee, referring to the girls tennis team's district chamionship win Tuesday.

Where to begin? How about sophomore B.B. Roberts, who won the 400 (50.66 seconds) and 200 (22.59)? Or older brother Kenny "Junior" Roberts, the county's hurdles king, who won the 110 high hurdles (15.38) and 300 hurdles (40.71)? Or Kurt Able, who won the 1,600 (4:40.61) and 3,200 (10:48.57)? Or Tim Davis, who won the discus (136-51/4) and shot put (45-8 1/4)?

Or Angela Medvid, who won the triple jump (32 feet, 2 1/4 inches), the 300 hurdles (46.58) and was second in the 100 high hurdles (16.17) and third in the long jump (14-9)? Or Autumn Yanchunis, who won the pole vault (10-0), was second in the high jump (4-8) and fourth in 100 (16.93) and 300 hurdles (51.79)? Or Ashley Martin, who won the shot put (34-1 1/2) and was fourth in the discus (90-9 1/2)? Or Jasmine Cabrera, who was second in the 100 (12.44) and 200 (26.61)?

The biggest upset of the day was turned in by Zephyrhills' 4x400 team of Jose Espinoza, Richard Kazbor, Frank Fregoso and Robert Ynokof. Their winning time of 3:35.79 bested Wesley Chapel's conference championship squad by .12 seconds.

The Bulldogs were boosted by the return of Espinoza from a pulled right hip flexor muscle that forced him to miss the SAC meet.

"He should be back to full strength soon, hopefully by regions," coach Mike Stanton said.

But it was the Bulldogs girls who were most impressive. "Our girls did fantastic," Stanton said.

Zephyrhills was led by Tiffany Tucker, who won the long jump (32-2 1/4), was second in the triple jump (31-9 1/2), third in the 100 (12.86) and fourth in the 200 (28.15). Tanya Bruton won the discus (104-7 1/2).

Pasco's LaShawn Vaughns began her march to state, winning the 100 (12.26), 200 (26.35) and 400 (1:01.02), and was second in the long jump (16-6).

Hernando's Katee Lukas won the 800 (2:39.57) and Leela Hadsock the 1,600 (5:41.63). Gulf's Dawn Selvidge won the 100 high hurdles (16.11) and Melissa Dattoli the 3,200 (13:02.45). Hudson's Renee Vainisi won the high jump (4-10).

The Pasco boys dominated the jumps as usual. Keymo Pearson also began his march to state, winning the high jump (6-4) and the triple jump (42 7/8) and taking second in the long jump (20-7), which teammate Garion Pope won (21-1 1/4).

Zephyrhills' Jake Ashmore won the 800 (2:08.69) and Hudson's Joe Lisecki won the pole vault (12).

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