Mitchell star just wants to have fun and keep pressure off at Golden South Classic.
By JAMAL THALJI
Published May 30, 2003
To Jeff Masterson, Golden South is all about fun.
But the 27th annual Bert M. Warden Golden South Classic is also one of the nation's premier high school meets. Only the best of the best compete, athletes who have met Golden South's stringent standards.
However, Golden South also comes after the track season has ended. After graduation, exams, parties and jobs, athletes don't have the time or inclination to stay in race shape.
Golden South is for the elite, but it is hard to stay at that level two weeks after the season.
That is why when Masterson, Mitchell's star distance runner, heads to Orlando on Saturday to run in the 3,000 meters, he will be relaxed.
"It's two weeks after states, and I'm just going to go out there and have fun," Masterson said. "State was a lot of fun. I finally broke 9:40 (in the 3,200.) I'm just going out to have fun and see what we can do.
"It's going to be a no-pressure race."
It will also be the last no-pressure race of his career. The sophomore, who finished third at the Class 3A state cross country championships and was third in the 3,200 at state, will enter next season as one of the state's top runners.
Masterson's 3,200 time at the state track meet, 9:18.66, was 22 seconds faster than his previous best and put him in an elite group.
"Everybody has considered Jeff a good runner, and at 9:40 he was a good runner," coach Bill Napolitano said. "But to finish at 9:18 at state behind two seniors, and fractions away from second, it separated him.
"Being able to go to this meet also puts him in an elite category, one of the very few to qualify from the state of Florida, and it means a lot to him. I'd say it puts him at the forefront.
"After this meet and going into next season, in cross country and track, he's got to carry that weight."
This will be Masterson's first real road race at Golden South. Last year he competed in the 2,000-meter steeplechase and won gold in his first attempt at the event.
Wesley Chapel's Kurt Able, who was fourth in last year's steeplechase, will compete again this year. Joining him are teammates Kenny "Junior" Roberts (110 high and 400 intermediate hurdles) and brother Bernard "BB" Roberts (400.)
Kenny Roberts graduated last week, but coach Brian Colding said that has not sapped his motivation to do well at Golden South.
"A lot of seniors at this point who have graduated are no longer interested," Colding said. "But he wants to keep going. He's motivated.
