Luikart leaps into family history

By JAMAL THALJI

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 13, 2000

GAINESVILLE -- The Leaping Luikarts are back.

Ridgewood sophomore Shawna Luikart has borne family tradition throughout her young career. Brother Steve was a state-qualifying pole vaulter for the Rams, and so was sister Jamie in the high jump. So the pressure was on for the latest Luikart to equal her siblings' accomplishments.

Friday, she did more than that.

She surpassed them.

Luikart was the North Suncoast's lone champion at the Class 3A state meet at the University of Florida's Percy Beard Stadium, capturing the high jump at 5 feet, 4 inches, tying her personal best.

Ridgewood brought a highly-touted contingent to the state meet, but Luikart's performance was the surprise of the day. She was the first Ridgewood girl to win a state title since Char Foster won three in 1997.

Even Luikart was stunned by her accomplishment.

"I don't know how that happened," she said. "I thought I had a chance to place, but I never even imagined (winning state) ever. I cried (afterward.) I couldn't even believe it happened.

Now Luikart will enter next season as the defending state champion; but it might not compare to the pressure she felt to live up to her siblings' history at Ridgewood.

"I'm relieved," she said. "I wasn't sure I would ever even get this far."

The rest of the Rams didn't do too bad either -- not that any were satisfied.

"It was a nice Ridgewood day," boys track coach Glenn Cable said.

Ridgewood's James Vitale was the runner-up in the 1,600 meters, with a time of 4:21.67. He led throughout until the last lap, when Flagler Palm Coast's Matt Ciancuilli won by nearly five seconds.

The Rams' Eric Dieters took fourth in the 800 in 1:55.15 to break his school record for the second time this season. It was the most physical race of the night, as Dieters survived a flying elbow and an errant kick while fighting for position.

"You can't let that affect you," an intense Dieters said afterward. "You've got to run your race no matter what. It's a race, you don't have a choice. There's pain and there's fear and it's all reduced to this. You've just got to survive it."

An exhausted and equally intense Vitale then went out and ran the 3,200. He stayed ahead of the pack for much of the race and even made a move for third, but wasn't able to place. Vitale knew the 1,600 would deplete him for the 3,200, yet neither finish remotely satisfied him.

"No, not even close," he said.

Cable was impressed enough for both.

"I liked the courage they showed," he said. "They both went out there and ran like winners."

Ridgewood pole vaulter Katie Halkitis medaled for the third consecutive year at the state meet, taking fourth place at 10 feet. Yet Halkitis was disappointed that she could not clear 11 feet to take the runner-up spot.

Teammate Jessica Penokie, though, surprised the field by taking sixth in the pole vault with a personal best 10 feet.

Ridgewood's Nancy Edwards took fifth in the high jump at 5-2.

The Rams' boys 4x800 relay took seventh, as Dieters, Matt Johnston, Tim Masterson and Brad Williams ran 8:11.09. Ridgewood's Lizzy Leigh just missed placing in the 1,600, running 5:18.95, less than a second away from medaling.

"Our girls came out and medaled and that made me very happy," said girls coach Sue Vien.

None of Springstead's qualifiers medaled, and Eagles coach Fred Hudson was mystified that his top athlete, hurdler Alton Hughes, had qualified in the 110 high hurdles but wasn't at school when the team left for Gainesville on Friday morning.

The day's most memorable battle was won by Boca Ciega's Jimmy Baxter in the high jump. He and Naples' Joseph Squittieri became the first two athletes in Florida high school history to reach 7 feet while battling for the state championship. Both hit 7-2 to tie the state record but Baxter won the title.

But Baxter was incensed that meet officials couldn't wait five minutes and interrupted their battle with the national anthem and the start of the finals at 7 p.m. Baxter nearly cleared 7-4 to set a new state record -- but that was when all the racket started.

"I was mad," he said. "I couldn't concentrate. They messed everything up."

Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas won the girls team title overwhelmingly, scoring 140 points. Runner-ups Pensacola Woodham and Coral Reef scored 30 apiece. Ridgewood was 10th with 20.50.

Woodham barely edged Leto for the boys' team title, 52.5-52. It was decided by the final event, the 4x400, as Leto fell out of second place by a second. Ridgewood finished tied for 16th with Leesburg, as both scored 16.

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