FPC boys punch regional ticket in 12 events at district track meet

Flagler Palm Coast sophomore D.J. Murray ran a personal-record time of 48.46 seconds in the 400-meter run at the District 2-4A track and field meet April 26 at the Bulldogs' stadium.

He expects to cut that time again at regionals.

"I think I paced myself better, saving myself for the end," Murray said. "I'm working on next week at regionals, trying to get my time even lower. Every tenth of a second counts."

Murray finished second to Jacksonville Sandalwood's David Terry, who ran 48.14. Both runners are ranked in the top 10 in the state in Class 4A. Terry jumped up to No. 4 with his time. Murray moved up a spot to No. 8.

Terry pulled away with about 50 meters left, but Murray started closing in at the end.

Murray will compete in three events, including two relays, at the Region 1-4A track meet May 7 at FPC.

"That's pretty darn good for a 15-year-old sophomore," FPC coach David Halliday said.

The FPC boys team finished third at district with 98 points. Bartram Trail won the title with 176 points, followed by Nease with 116 points.

The Bulldogs qualified athletes in 12 events. Zeli Hayworth and Daniel DeFalco finished first and second, respectively, in the javelin. DeFalco is ranked eighth in the state in Class 4A, while Hayworth is ranked 14th.

"Both are sophomores with a chance to be first-team all-state," Halliday said.

FPC won the 4x400 relay with its season-best time of 3:20.90. Murray, who ran anchor, was the only runner who didn't run his best relay time. But by the time he got the baton, the Bulldogs had a huge lead.

"We led the whole way, and I feel like it's only going to get better," said Vijay Weeden, who ran the first leg. "We're here to win."

The Bulldogs finished second in the 4x100 relay and had the lead until D.Z. Steward pulled his hamstring just before handing the baton to Murray running the anchor leg.

"We were leading by a half second, maybe a full second," Halliday said. "It happened milliseconds before handing off. D.J. had to turn around to grab the baton."

"I'm working on next week at regionals, trying to get my time even lower. Every tenth of a second counts."

D.J. MURRAY

Sandalwood won the 4x100 with a time of 42.55. FPC was less than a second behind at 42.63.

"We'll see if D.Z. is good for regional. If not, we'll have to plug somebody else in," Halliday said.

Isaiah Joseph qualified in both hurdles events. Gerod Tolbert qualified in triple jump and ran first leg on the 4x100 relay. Other individual qualifiers include Jake Blumengarten (shot put), Alexavier Pantano (pole vault), Robert Harris (long jump) and Kasey Wheatley (800). The Bulldogs' 4x800 relay also qualified.

On the girls' side, Taylor Spann qualified in triple jump and 100 hurdles. Maya Tyson qualified in shot put. University of North Florida signee Jada Williams, who has been battling tendinitis in her knee, qualified in the 800 with a third-place finish, but she did not move on in the 1,600, finishing fifth.

The FPC girls finished seventh in the district standings. Mandarin won the girls title with 136 points, followed by Oakleaf (118) and Creekside (105).

"This is a very, very stout district," Halliday said. "And we're in the toughest region in the entire state. But everybody who got out today has a chance to make state."

Nease's Reinhardt Harrison, one of the top distance runners in the nation who won state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 last year, ran in one individual event — the 800 — which he won handily with a time of 1:53.82 seconds. He ran a 1:49.25 earlier this season.