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JAMAL THALJIEighth-grader Rachael Capra and senior Amy Cortese earn state honors for the Warriors.
GAINESVILLE - One is an eighth-grader, the other a senior. One is making her second trip to state in three years, and she's only 14. The other made her first state appearance, and she only came out for track on a dare.
But Seven Rivers Christian eighth-grader Rachael Capra and senior Amy Cortese had this much in common Thursday: both medaled at the Class A state championship at the University of Florida's Percy Beard Stadium.
Capra finished fourth, matching her personal-best high jump of 5 feet despite strong winds. She was just 2 inches off the state-winning jump of Westminster Christian's Melinda Hegman.
"My goal was to make 5 feet today, and I did my personal best," Capra said. "I'm really excited."
Capra first made it to state as a sixth-grader on the 4x400-meters relay. Now she has four years left to win a state title. Imagine how much better she could be, coach Jamie Richard said, if she wasn't coming to one practice a week because she also starts in the infield for the softball team.
"If we get her into a couple of track and field camps, get her some strength and conditioning (training)," Richard said, "she should be able to compete for a title in a year or two, I think."
Cortese's introduction to track as a junior came on a dare from former coach Scott Lyons.
"He put me in the events nobody wanted to do," she said, "the vault and the hurdles."
Thursday, that dare paid off as Cortese medaled in the pole vault, placing sixth with a vault of 8-feet, 6-inches, matching her region runner-up jump. Tallahassee McClay's Lori Bowen won it at 11-3.
"I was glad just to get the medal," Cortese said. "I came in here with no expectations. I was coming in here just to do my best.
"I get to finish my high school year out with a medal."
Cortese is really a point guard and her real sport is basketball. She's been doing track only since the district meet of her junior year. Now she can add a state medal to the Warriors' district basketball title.
"This year she improved the last few meets, improving a foot each week," Richard said. "She started late her junior year, but she's that way. She puts her heart into it and is very athletic."