Girls track extra

By BOB PUTNAM, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 25, 2003

Leading off

Facing the elite

None of the seven county teams competing Saturday in the Disney Showcase came home with gold medals.

Boca Ciega was ninth with 55 points, 102 behind champion Vero Beach.

The Pirates, who had the best finish in the county, were led by Neidra Covington, who took third in the long and triple jump.

Dixie Hollins' Jackie Samuels took second in the 100 meters, the highest finisher among county competitors at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista.

Clearwater Central Catholic's Whitney Kahler also medaled, finishing third in the 100 and 200 meters.

A big reason why the county failed to win a team or individual title was the elite competition. How elite? The top three teams at the meet -- Vero Beach, Orlando Oak Ridge and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas -- all finished in the top 10 in their respectives classes at the state meet last season.

Relay Time

Lakewood's Nadia Covington heads the list of early county entries at the Florida Relays, which are Thursday through Saturday at the University of Florida's Percy Beard Track and Field Complex in Gainesville.

Covington, a senior who has the fifth-best mark in the state in the triple jump (38 feet, 8 inches) and the top mark in the county in the long jump (17-7), will compete on Friday in Class 3A.

Class A and 2A compete Thursday and 4A is Saturday.

Five to Watch

1. Ashlee Kidd, St. Petersburg: The senior had a record-setting performance at the Seminole Rotary. She broke her meet record in the 400 meters, winning in 57.29 seconds, three seconds faster than her nearest competitor. Her time is fourth-best in the state. Kidd also won the 200 in 25.75 seconds, five-hundreths of a second shy of the meet record.

2. Latecia Hardy, Palm Harbor University: After winning three events at the Lady Tornado two weeks ago, the senior had another dominating performance at the Seminole Rotary Invitational. She won two events, leaping 9 feet, 9 inches in the pole vault and running the 300 hurdles in 48.24 seconds. Both were season bests.

3. Neidra Covington, Boca Ciega: The freshman has recovered from her knee injury quite nicely. Since coming back two weeks ago, Nadia has had the spotlight in the field events. She put on a memorable performance last week, winning the triple jump at the Seminole Rotary and finishing third in the triple and long jump at the Disney Showcase.

4. Jackie Samuels, Dixie Hollins: She finished second in the 100 meters at the Disney Relays, the highest finish among county competitors. Her time of 10.63 seconds is her season best.

5. Whitney Kahler, CC Catholic: Among the top three in the county in three events, Kahler also showed she can compete with the best in the state. She finished third in the 100 and 200 meters at the Disney Showcase.

Honor Roll

Triple jump -- Na. Covington (Lw) 38-8, Ne. Covington (BC) 36-7, Rawlings (Dun) 34-9; Long jump -- Covington (Lw) 17-7, Rawlings (Dun) 17-0, Jacobs (PP) 16-2; High jump -- Lacroix (PHU) 5-2, Kahler (CCC) 5-1, Rivers (PP) 5-0, Parhalo (Sem) 5-0, Jacobs (PP) 5-0; Discus -- Morzenti (Clw) 114-5, Warren (PP) 105-10, Chapman (TS) 103-7; Shot put -- Warren (PP) 38-7, Paroulek (Sem) 33-10, Scaringe (Ne) 33-61/2; Pole Vault -- Hardy (PHU) 9-9, Campion (EL) 9-0, Matthews (Lar) 8-6, Mauger (PP) 8-6; 100 hurdles -- Hardy (PHU) 16.09, Marshall (Clw) 16:17, Matthews (Lar) 16.65; 4x800 relay -- Largo 10:30, Seminole 10:36, Palm Harbor University 10:41; 100 -- Long (TS) 12.1, Kahler (CCC) 12.51, Harrington (Lw) 12.6; 1,600 -- Kotchman (IRC) 5:17, Drugash (Lar) 5:25, Allen (SP) 5:27; 4x100 relay -- Boca Ciega 51.05, Largo 51.6, Gibbs 51.78; 400 -- Kidd (SP) 57.29, McNary (PHU) 59.88, Covington (Lw) 1:00.9; 300 hurdles -- Hardy (PHU) 48.24, Mathews (Cs) 49.19, Matthews (Lar) 50.6; 800 -- Savory (PHU) 2:24.7, Parhalo (Sem) 2:28.87, Bass (Lar) 2:31.27; 200 -- Kidd (SP) 25.75, Covington (Lw) 25.9, Kahler (CCC) 26.1; 3,200 -- Allen (SP) 11:20, Drugash (Lar) 12:03, Kotchman (IRC) 12:18; 4x400 relay -- Boca Ciega 4:13, Lakewood 4:14, Palm Harbor 4:16.23.

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