On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the FHSAA Class 4A girls state track meet took place at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL. The meet featured fierce competition and impressive performances, with Alyson Johnson of Creekside High School dominating the distance events and leading her team to a state title.

The field events began at 1:00 PM with the girls’ pole vault, long jump, boys’ high jump, boys’ shot put, and girls’ javelin. In the pole vault, Kylie Neira from DeLand set the tone by clearing a height of 12 feet, 9.5 inches (3.90 meters) to secure first place. In the long jump, Olympia’s Omaria Gordon leaped an impressive 20 feet, 9 inches (6.32 meters) to win the event. Other standout performances in the field events included Chelsi Williams from George Jenkins, who won the girls’ high jump with a height of 5 feet, 7.75 inches (1.72 meters), and Jolie Dormus-Bayer from Miami Beach, who took the crown in the girls’ shot put with a throw of 43 feet, 6.5 inches (13.27 meters).

The running events commenced at 4:00 PM with the 4×800-meter relay. Creekside, led by the dominant Alyson Johnson, placed second in the event, earning a valuable 8 team points. Johnson would later go on to defend her state titles in both the 1600-meter and 3200-meter races, winning with times of 4:53.34 and 10:30.08, respectively. Johnson’s victories earned her 20 individual points for her team.

Miami Southridge proved to be a major contender throughout the meet, earning over half of their 52 team points in the 4×800,  4×100 and the 4×400-meter relays, where they claimed state titles with times of 9:14.51, 46.54 and 3:47.64, respectively.

In the 100m girls’ race, Rachael Uvieghara from Palm Harbor University emerged as the champion with a time of 11.72 seconds, winning her 10 points. The 200m girls’ race was also won by Rachael Uvieghara, clocking a time of 23.70 seconds, and scoring 10 points. In the girls’ 400m race, the winner was Janay Moorer from Creekside with a time of 53.75 seconds, earning her 10 points. All three athletes stood out as the fastest in their respective races, showcasing their exceptional speed and endurance.

In the hurdle events, Creekside’s Brittney Jennings claimed second place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.68, while Miami Southridge’s Takiyah Ferguson finished third with a time of 14.51. In the 400-meter hurdles, St. Thomas Aquinas’ Arianna Allen came in first with a time of 1:01.43, while Kelyse Jackson from the same school placed second with a time of 1:01.63.

There were several noteworthy performances in the mid-distance events. In the 800-meter run, Creekside’s Sarah Rose took first place with a time of 2:11.67, followed closely by George Jenkins’ Jaa’Ln McBride in second with a time of 2:13.22.

The girls’ state title was ultimately decided in the team scores, with Creekside emerging victorious with a score of 84.5 points. Miami Southridge placed second with 52 points, while Niceville came in third with 42 points. Alyson Johnson’s exceptional individual performances and contribution to the 4x800m relay were the driving force behind Creekside’s state championship.

The FHSAA Class 4A girls state track meet showcased the talent and grit of high school athletes, as they pushed their limits and broke records. Alyson Johnson’s dominance in the distance events and Creekside’s state championship served as the highlights of the day.