PALM BEACH GARDENS – Benjamin’s track and field program made history earlier this year in being crowned as 1A state champions for the first time.
The team finished with 65 points at the Class 1A state championships at James G. Pressley Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
This feat is nothing short of amazing.
With that being said, the entire track and field program was rewarded this past Friday (Oct. 14) in front of their peers, parents, administration, and media.
Here is a full list of the student-athletes that were celebrated for their events:
Calvin Bowens Jr – Discus, Javelin, 4×100; state champion in the discus and member of 4×100 team that finished as state runner-up
Chauncey Bowens – 100 meter dash, 4×100; member of 4×100 relay that finished as state runner-up
Jacob Cosby-Mosley – 110 hurdles, Triple Jump; third place in triple jump
Cole Grande – 100 meter dash, 200 meter race, 4×100, 4×400; sixth in 100 and member of 4×100 relay that finished as state runner-up
Jackson Hamilton – Shot Put, Discus; seventh in discus
Robert Letsche – Pole Vault (fifth-place finish)
Joshua Luiz – 300 hurdles, 4×400
Quinn Broderick – Javelin (third-place finish)
Darrell Sweeting – 4×100, Long Jump; member of 4×100 relay that finished as state runner-up
Jacob Heilpern – 4×400
Trakwon Harris – 4×100 alternate
Christian Balistreri – 4×400 alternate
Zach German – 4×100, 4×400 alternate
Gabe Griffith – 4×100 alternate
Senior Micah Mays is both a football standout and star in track and field. He is a Wake Forest verbal commit.
Mays: 400, High Jump, Triple Jump, 4×400; state champion in 400 and triple jump; third-place finish in high jump
Mays: Scored 26 points by himself; would have placed eight in team competition if he was his own team
Benjamin head coach Barrett Saunders is familiar with celebrations, as he in the Benjamin School Sports Hall of Fame himself. He commented on his teams’ awesome feat and moment of celebration.
”At the beginning of the year, I knew we had a lot of talent,” Saunders said. “I challenged them one day in saying, “You have a lot of talent, but do you want to make history this year?” From day one, they accepted that challenge.”
Saunders and the Benjamin Bucs are here to stay for at least another year as they have lost only two seniors from their squad that impacted the teams’ overall success.
“We have a talented core coming back,” Saunders said. “This will put more pressure on them because they have a target on their back. But if they stay focused, the sky is the limit.”
OUTLOOK: I expect Benjamin’s track and field to reign again this upcoming season. The combination of a great coaching staff, seasoned student-athletes, and a great administration at Benjamin serves as a breeding ground for championship teams.
