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Track: Gaither girls reward Baldwin

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A Tribune staff report

Published: April 24, 2009

TAMPA - After recently accepting a position at the new Steinbrenner High, Ladd Baldwin promised himself he wouldn't let it affect how he guided his final track teams at Gaither this spring. And after his girls team won its fifth consecutive district crown in Thursday's Class 4A-District 6 meet, it's clear Baldwin made good on that deal.

Led by a great showing in the two hurdles races, where Ariel Moore and Yesenia Perez grabbed the top two places, and pole vault winner Morgan Scherschel, who also scored in the hurdles, the Cowboys gave Baldwin yet another district crown on their home track. After 12 years at Gaither, he's headed to Steinbrenner as head boys and girls cross country coach and head girls track coach.

"In some ways, knowing this is my last season here, I put a little more pressure on myself to do a better job," Baldwin said. "These kids have worked just as hard as any others I've coached and I want to see them be successful too."

Gaither won 164-122 vs. an East Bay squad that turned in one of its best district performances in years. Plant City (81) took third.

The boys crown came down to the final event, the 4x400-meter relay. With a second-place finish there, Lakeland (108.5) edged Chamberlain (106).

Chamberlain scored big in the sprints when Dentarius Locke won the 100 (10.41) and 200 (21.04). Plant City's Jasmine Pope also won the same events (12.19 and 25.40).

Durant athletes were also impressive, with John Mitchell taking the 1,600 and 800 and anchoring the winning 4x400, Grace VanDeGrift winning the 1,600 and 3,200, and Trinity Thompson taking gold in the long jump and 400.

Bill Ward

Class 3A-District 9

Hillsborough won both the girls and boys divisions of the Class 3A-District 9 meet, qualifying all the athletes who have legitimate shots at placing at the state meet down the line, and yet ...

"I can't say I'm totally happy," Hillsborough coach Joey Sipp said. "Our 4x100 team dropped the baton and didn't advance and a couple of our guys who should have qualified, didn't. No, it's not totally devastating, but it is frustrating because a lot of these younger guys could have learned more at next week's region meet."

This is not to say the Terriers boys aren't in position to still make a run at a state title, led by Terrence Mitchell (first in the long jump, triple jump and 300-meter hurdles, second in the 100) and Lindsey Lamar (first in the 100 and 200, third in the 400).

In the end, despite Hillsborough's slipups, the Terriers won with 190 points, followed by Plant (184) and Jefferson (68).

On the girls side, Hillsborough won with 168, 32 ahead of Plant. Clearwater was third (94).

Individually, Blake's Marissa McElveen dominated, winning the long jump (19 feet, 1.75 inches), triple jump (37-4.25), 100 (12.82) and 200 (26.34).

Scott Purks

Class 1A-Region 3

NAPLES - Northside Christian entered the night's final race, the 4x400 relay, trailing host Community School of Naples by half a point in the overall standings.

Northside Christian beat Community School by about six seconds, giving Northside its first region title since 1998.

Northside Christian finished with 112 points while Community School had 110.5.

NaTasha Goodwin led Northside by winning the 100 hurdles and triple jump, and taking second in the long jump.

The Admiral Farragut boys won with 79.5 points, more than 20 points better than Sarasota Out-of-Door.

Carl Bleich

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