Bulldogs crush competition at district meet

FPC's boys team won by a total of 66 points.

By Ray Boone
| 1:45 p.m. April 9, 2019

The Bulldogs' boys team poses with their first place trophy. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Ty Jenkins takes a leap in the long jump at districts. Photo by Ray Boone

The Bulldogs' Prosperity Wright does the long jump at the district meet. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Ty Jenkins runs down the track for the long jump at districts. Photo by Ray Boone

The Bulldogs' Verneal Henshaw winds up for the discus throw at the district meet. Photo by Ray Boone

The Bulldogs' Prosperity Wright does the long jump at the district meet. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Anisa Zwolinski does the shot put at the district meet. Photo by Ray Boone

A Bulldogs sprinter takes the baton during a relay. Photo by Ray Boone

The Bulldogs' Verneal Henshaw winds up for the discus throw at the district meet. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Joseph Kiperberg launches a discus at the district meet. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Jacob Miley approaches the finish line in the 4x800-meter relay. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Marcus Freeman does the high jump at districts. Photo by Ray Boone

The Bulldogs' Nathan Farrell leaps over the final hurdle on his way to first place in the 300-meter hurdles. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Nathan Farrell hands the baton off to teammate Ken'Deric Morton. Photo by Ray Boone

FPC's Jacob Miley approaches the finish line in the 4x400-meter relay. Photo by Ray Boone

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

With his heart pounding, his legs aching, the Bulldogs’ Jacob Miley could hear the crowd roaring as he entered the back stretch of the last leg of the 4x400-meter relay.

He could hear fans shouting from the bleachers at Sal Campanella Memorial Stadium. He could hear his teammates screaming for him to finish strong. And he could hear the piercing whistle of his head coach, David Halliday, calling him to the finish line.

Top Finishers

Girls:

Pole vault: Ekatereena Kouzina, 2.74 meters (first)
Prosperity Wright, 5.09 meters (second)
Shot put: Anisa Zwolinski, 10.49 meters (second)
Triple jump: Prosperity Wright, 11.31 meters (first)
Discus throw: Ryan Montgomery, 31.88 meters (first)
300-meter hurdles: Jahlia McCaskell, 48.16 (first)
200-meter dash: Susann Kaufmann, 27.20 (second)

Boys:

Long jump: Tyquarious Jenkins, 6.65 meters (second)
Discus throw: Verneal Henshaw, 46.16 meters (first)
Pole vault: Maxim Bystrov, 3.78 meters (second)
Triple jump: Aaron Gallon, 12.87 meters (third)
Shot put: Nelson Paul, 15.95 (second)
4x800-meter relay: Relay Team, 8:09.41 (first)
800-meter run: Jacob Miley, 1:59.39 (first)
110-meter hurdles: Nathan Farrell, 14.60 (second)
4x100-meter relay: Relay Team, 42.69 (second)
300-meter hurdles: Nathan Farrell, 38.41 (first)
200-meter dash: Darrell Thomas, 22.24 (second)
4x400-meter relay: Relay Team, 3:17.81(first)

“I just knew I had to push through,” Miley said.

The Bulldogs completed the relay in 3:17.81. Mandarin finished in second place with a time of 3:22.46.

“It felt great,” Miley said. “There was major competition. For us to compete how we did, with such a big lead at the end, was amazing. We’re going to blow people out of the water at regionals.”

Flagler Palm Coast’s boys track team blew away the competition at the 4A District 1 meet on Tuesday, April 9. The Bulldogs took first place with a total score of 168, which was 66 points ahead of second place Buchholz. The Bulldogs’ girls team finished in third behind Mandarin and Fleming Island.

The regional meet is on April 27 in Winter Park.

The Bulldogs are in the infamous “Region of Death,” where the competition to qualify for the state meet in fierce.

Halliday believes the Bulldogs have the talent to win the regional meet outright. That’s not necessarily the goal, however.

“All we want to do is qualify as many people as we can for the state championships, so we can score as many points as we can,” he said. “We took our first step today.”