Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Prep Sports

TBO > Sports > Prep Sports

Ridgewood Girls, LOL Boys Take Suncoast Relays

By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 31, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - Land O' Lakes boys and Ridgewood's girls took away the top honors of the Suncoast Relays held at Gulf High School Tuesday.

Land O'Lakes won with 116 points to Sunlake's 104. Ridgewood won the girls meet with 124 points, just nudging Land O'Lakes with 122.

The meet is set up that all events, including field events, are relays. In a style off the beaten track, four of the 10 track events were co-ed relays, including an event known as "throwers relays" which involved all who competed in throwing events (shot put and discus).

"This is a fun meet," Land O'Lakes coach Alan Claggett said of the relaxed, unique atmosphere. This is a good way to break things up. The track season is long."

Sometimes it might get too relaxed. The Gators 4x200 team mishandled a baton transfers and finished far back.

"That disgusted me," Claggett said. He wasn't ready to blame the easy-going nature of the meet on the handoff, rather the distance the runners were competing in.

"They usually run the 4x100 and the marks in this race are different," Claggett said.

Gators discus thrower Jackson Cannon was not off the mark. He won the discus by recording a personal best mark of 123 feet.

The Rams won the girls meet with a lot of help from Karisssa Bertling and Morgan Rasmussen.

Bertling won four events (4x100, 4x400, 4x200 and high jump).

"I was disappointed Wesley Chapel wasn't here," Bertling said. "I was hoping to run against them and test myself."

Rasmussen won the pole vault and was also on the 4x400 relay team. She won the pole vault despite breaking her pole two weeks ago. She got a new one yesterday and still was able to capture the event.

"I get mental over other things," Rasmussen of ancillary activities that distract her when pole vaulting. "It doesn't matter what pole I use so long as I'm not distracted by people walking around or talking."