Wharton's Rodgers sets state hurdles record

Her time was more than a tenth of a second faster than the state record.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published April 27, 2007

SARASOTA - Ranked first in the nation in the 100-meter hurdles, Wharton's Teona Rodgers has already put a lot of ground between herself and what passes for her competition.

So it was expected Rodgers would have no problem winning the event in Thursday's meet at Sarasota Booker.

And in one of the most anticlimatic races, Rodgers did just that, finishing in 13.41 seconds.

Her time was more than a tenth of a second faster than the state record.

It was nearly two-tenths of a second off the national record.

And to think, that isn't her fastest time this season.

Rodgers clocked 13.35 in the 100 hurdles at last week's district meet.

"(Teona) continues to amaze me every week," Wildcats coach Dan Mathis said.

Rodgers was a point-scoring machine.

Besides the 100 hurdles, she won the 200 (23.73), teamed with Kathia Skinner, Amani Bryant and Katrina Skinner to take the 4x400 relay (3:58.67) and finished second in the triple jump (36 feet, 1/2-inch).

Her performance helped Wharton win the team title with 109 points, 62 more than runnerup Hillsborough.

The Wildcats' other winners were Kathia Skinner (800), Katrina Skinner (1,600)and the 4x800 relay team.

Hillsborough, on the strength of its relay teams, won the boys title with 83 points to edge Wharton (76-1/2).

The Terriers won the 4x800 and 4x400.

They were second in the 4x100 relay.

Fast Facts:

Class A Track Meet

Where: Showalter Field, Winter Park

Directions: Take Interstate 4 East to Orlando and get off at Exit 82A. Go 0.6 miles and take the East-West Expressway East exit. Merge onto FL-408-TOLL (East-West Expressway), go four miles and take Exit 14 toward SR-436/Semoran Blvd./International Airport. Quickly merge onto Lake Underhill Road, go 0.2 miles and turn left onto FL-436 W./S. Semoran Blvd. Go 3.5 miles and turn left onto Banchory Road. Go 0.4 miles and turn right onto ST Dunstan Way. Go 0.2 miles and turn left onto Cady Way.

Schedule: Field events, noon; 4x800-meter relays, 1 p.m.; running event preliminaries, 4 p.m.; running event finals, 7 p.m.

Admission: $8

Local Girls Qualifiers: Cambridge - Caitlin Deboer (shot put); Tampa Prep - Tawsha Asher (800)

Local Boys Qualifiers: Tampa Baptist - Greg David (100, 200), Chris Lundy (400); Tampa Prep - Thomas Coverson (discus, shot put), Chris Friedrich (4x800 relay, 800), Aaron Koch (4x800), Dan Pariseau (4x800), Stephen Warner (4x800).

[Last modified April 27, 2007, 00:12:13]