Wewa's PJ Garrison leads PSJ's Daniel Nguyen and two Marianna hurdlers in the 100 meter hurdles. [ Bill Fauth | Contributed ]
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Gulf County schools’ track and field kicks off season

ByWendy Weitzel

Gulf County schools kicked off the start of the 2023 track and field season at the Wewa Home Meet on Wednesday, March 1, with six Panhandle high schools competing. 

In boys action, Blountstown captured first place with 177 total points, while host school Wewa finished in third place with 99 points followed by Port St. Joe in fourth place with 61 points. 

The Tiger Shark girls completely dominated the field with 229 team points, 114 points higher than runner-up Marianna. Wewa finished in fourth place with 53 points. 

Here are the top 5 Port St. Joe and Wewa finishers in the boys half of the meet: 

  • 100 meter dash: Chance Gainer (PSJ), 4th place, 11.5 
  • 200 meter dash: Donnell Hill (PSJ), 4th place, 23.71 
  • 400 meter dash: Hill (PSJ), 4th place, 55.6 
  • 800 meter run: Nathan Lipford (PSJ), 5th place, 2:23 
  • 1600 meter run: David Rich (W), 2nd place, 5:12 

Lipford (PSJ), 5th place, 5:33 

  • 3200 meter run: Rich (W), 2nd place, 11:55 

Davy Gray (W), 4th place, 14:19 

Bryce Ethridge (W), 5th place, 14:40 

  • 110 meter hurdles: PJ Garrison (W), 1st place, 16.11 

Daniel Nguyen (PSJ), 2nd place, 17.62 

Corbin Hysmith (W), 4th place, 18.67 

  • 300 meter hurdles: Nguyen (PSJ), 3rd place, 43.9 
  • 4×100 relay race: Hysmith, Tyran Williams, Garrison, Rich (W), 4th place, 48.76 ● 4×400 relay race: Hysmith, Williams, BJ Cole, Lukas Moore (W), 3rd place, 4:10 ● 4×800 relay race: Cole, Moore, Brayden Kemp, Rich (W), 3rd place, 10:00 ● High Jump: Hysmith (W), 2nd place, 5-8 
  • Long Jump: Hill (PSJ), 5th place, 19-2 
  • Triple Jump: Daren Angelino (PSJ), 4th place, 37-11 
  • Discus: Bailey Cox (W), 2nd place, 112-0 
  • Javelin: Cox (W), 1st place, 159-0 
  • Shot Put: DJ Oliver (PSJ), 1st place, 45-11.5 
DJ Oliver placed first in the shot put. [ Bill Fauth | Contributed ]

Here are the top 5 Port St. Joe and Wewa finishers in girls competition: 

  • 200 meter dash: Jayla Hills (PSJ), 2nd place, 28.27 
  • 400 meter dash: Molly Partin (PSJ), 1st place, 1:07.24 

Ella Dimitrijovich (PSJ), 3rd place, 1:10.14 

Claire Hatchell (PSJ), 5th place, 1:11 

  • 800 meter run: Hannah DaCosta (PSJ), 1st place, 3:00 

Farrah Spring (PSJ), 3rd place, 3:06 

Celie White (PSJ), 4th place, 3:15

  • 1600 meter run: Katie Trochessett (PSJ), 1st place, 6:31 

Kate Patrick (PSJ), 2nd place, 6:38.12 

Libby White (PSJ), 3rd place, 6:39.94 

DaCosta (PSJ), 5th place, 7:08 

  • 3200 meter run: Patrick and Trochessett (both PSJ), tied for 1st place, 15:24.57 Celie White (PSJ), 3rd place, 16:12 

Spring (PSJ), 4th place, 16:28 

  • 100 meter hurdles: Damari Johnson (PSJ), 1st place, 17.35 
  • 300 meter hurdles: McKenna Peak (PSJ), 3rd place, 59.42 

Anna Vauheerden (PSJ), 5th place, 1:08 

  • 4×100 relay race: Madelyn Shoaf, Hills, Tannehill, Johnson (PSJ), 2nd place, 53.36 Arianna Myers, Avery Forehand, Kate Meyer, Kyleigh Catrett (W), 3rd, 59.84 ● 4×400 relay race: RJ Gerlach, Hills, Partin, Shoaf (PSJ), 1st place, 4:54 

Avery Forehand, Meyer, Catrett, Kameron Easter (W), 3rd place, 5:24.18 

  • 4×800 relay race: DaCosta, Partin, Gerlach, Trochessett (PSJ), 1st place, 12:22 Logan Taylor, Catrett, Easter, Aubrey Ake (W), 3rd place, 14:04.98 
  • High Jump: Anna Vauheerden (PSJ), 4th place, 3-10 
  • Long Jump: Johnson (PSJ), 1st place, 15-8.25 

Tannehill (PSJ), 3rd place, 13-11 

  • Triple Jump: Johnson (PSJ), 1st place, 33-2.5 

Hills (PSJ), 2nd place, 31-6.25 

Partin (PSJ), 5th place, 28-4.25 

  • Pole Vault: Forehand (W), 1st place, 6-0 

Catrett (W), 2nd place, 4-0 

  • Javelin: Ake (W), 1st place, 53-1.79 
  • Discus: Ty’Shawn Shackleford (PSJ), 1st place, 86-7 
  • Shot Put: Shackleford (PSJ), 2nd place, 35-8 

With track season off and running, both schools also competed at the Mosley Invitational in Panama City on Saturday, March 4, held at Tommy Oliver Stadium. 

Port St. Joe girls finished in third place of the 12 schools in attendance, while Wewa girls finished 11th. In the boys half of the meet, Wewa boys came in seventh and Port St. Joe finished one spot behind among the 11 teams. 

Here are the top 5 finishers for PSJ and Wewa girls: 

  • 100 meter hurdles: Damari Johnson (PSJ), 1st place, 16.07 
  • 400 meter hurdles: Anna Vauheerden (PSJ), 5th place, 1:41.45 
  • 400 meter dash: Molly Partin (PSJ), 3rd place, 1:05.58 

Jayla Hills (PSJ), 5th place, 1:08.48 

800 meter run: Hannah DaCosta (PSJ), 3rd place, 2:43.61 

  • 1600 meter run: Kate Patrick (PSJ), 4th place, 6:41.03
  • 3200 meter run: Farrah Spring (PSJ), 5th place, 18:04.71 
  • 4×800 relay race: Partin, Patrick, Katie Trochessett, Libby White (PSJ), 2nd, 12:15 ● Triple Jump: Johnson (PSJ), 1st place, 35-01.75 

Hills (PSJ), 2nd place, 30.11-75 

  • Shot Put: Ty’Shawn Shackleford (PSJ), 1st place, 30.11-75 ● Discus: Shackleford (PSJ), 5th place, 73.07 
  • Pole Vault: Avery Forehand (W), 4th place, 6-06 

The Top 5 finishers in boys events: 

  • 100 meter hurdles: PJ Garrison (W), 1st place, 17.00 

Daniel Nguyen (PSJ), 3rd place, 17.13 

  • 400 meter hurdles: Nguyen (PSJ), 2nd place, 1:02.09 
  • 1600 meter race: David Rich (W), 5th place, 5:04.57 
  • 4×100 relay race: Corbin Hysmith, Bailey Cox, Garrison, Brayden Kemp (W), 48.34 ● Triple Jump: Daren Angelino (PSJ), 5th place, 38.02-75 
  • Javelin: Cox (W), 3rd place, 138-07 

“We didn’t bring everyone,” said St. Joe coach Keion McNair, “but we did well.” Both local track teams will have another chance to do well this Thursday, March 9, at Bozeman.