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Sandalwood shines under stormy skies in Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet's UNF debut

Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union
·5 min read

Motivated by memories of two seasons on the sidelines, Emani George never lost sight of her finish.

"I was just trying to really focus on finishing strong," she said.

The focus on the finish, in a Jacksonville track tradition's new start.

With a pair of triumphs on the blue Hodges Stadium track to brighten a gray day above, the Sandalwood sprinter sparkled among the hometown stars in Saturday's 58th annual Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.

George, two years removed from career-interrupting injuries, highlighted her final high school season with come-from-behind wins in the girls 100 and 200-meter dashes against a field of the Sunshine State's track and field elite.

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Afternoon storms drenched the track and dampened the record pursuits -- including Creekside's U.S. No. 1-ranked sprinter Christian Miller, who scratched the soggy boys 200 final after posting a 20.87 in preliminary heats -- but didn't extinguish the excitement for the meet's first edition to be held at University of North Florida.

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COMEBACK TIME FOR GEORGE

Sandalwood's Emani George holds her trophy after winning the girls 200-meter dash at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet. The senior also won the 100.
Sandalwood's Emani George holds her trophy after winning the girls 200-meter dash at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet. The senior also won the 100.

In 2020, George saw her season derailed by a hip flexor injury. As a sophomore in 2021, it was a hamstring. When she finally made it to the Bob Hayes in 2022, she couldn't advance from the preliminary heats at Raines High School.

"I just remembered how I felt during those times, when I was obviously very hurt and upset," she said. "So I just remembered all that training and knowing that I just wanted to be able to come back and do better."

Better, as in chopping more than a tenth of her second off her personal best to surge late to win the 100 in 11.80, pulling clear of Hannah Taylor of St. Thomas Aquinas. And better, again, amid increasing rain to post a 24.78 in the 200, also just ahead of Taylor.

George's double added to a superb afternoon for Sandalwood, fourth in the girls team standings. Her 100 win came only minutes after junior Brittney Jennings brought the Saints their first gold medal of the day, a dominant 13.80 in the 100 hurdles.

"I just plan by my senior year next year to break the [meet] record before I leave," Jennings said.

PAXON STORMS TO RELAY WIN

Trophies line up in the Hodges Stadium infield at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.
Trophies line up in the Hodges Stadium infield at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.

Despite the invasion of South Florida's best, including Miami Northwestern, American Heritage and team champion St. Thomas Aquinas, the triumphs were many for First Coast schools -- fitting enough for the annual meet honoring Jacksonville native Hayes, a Matthew W. Gilbert High graduate who grew into a Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and the fastest man in the world in the 100-meter dash at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

Memories of a miscue last year pushed Paxon's girls 4x100 relay quartet of Kyndal Turner, Maddison Green, Selena Robinson and Kennedi DeVoux. Off the lead at the final exchange, DeVoux overtook American Heritage and Miami Northwestern for victory in 48.57.

"Last year, we dropped the baton, so this year, I was like, 'I've just got to go for it,'" DeVoux said. "We have to win this year."

Mandarin also kept up its winning tradition at the meet: Aliyah Robertson captured the girls shot put and repeat Gateway Conference champion Gavin Nelson added a Bob Hayes trophy to his collection, edging Fleming Island's Graham Myers by 0.16 seconds in the boys 1,600.

"I caught up to him about 100 meters to go, and I just gave it my all one more time," Nelson said.

Fletcher's Zyaire Thomas won the girls 400 in her freshman season, 2022 state runner-up Seth Stockton of Columbia captured the boys triple jump and Bishop Kenny placed an area-best third in girls team standings. The Crusaders placed numerous athletes on the podium, including Nathan Lasalle's boys discus victory and Ka'Myya Haywood's second place by 0.08 in the girls 800.

ST. JOHNS STARS

Fleming Island's Gabrielle Flores clears the bar on her way to winning the girls high jump at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.
Fleming Island's Gabrielle Flores clears the bar on her way to winning the girls high jump at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.

The roll call of Bob Hayes champions now added a new school name: Beachside.

Alexa Bohanon achieved that milestone in the girls javelin for the first-year school, launching 126 feet, 11 inches on her second attempt.

"I was second by nine centimeters last year," she said, "so it felt good to win."

St. Johns schools swept the longest girls distance events, with Creekside's Alyson Johnson closing strongly to win the 1,600 and Nease's Mary Pace-Balzan pulling clear early in the girls 3,200.

Across the St. Johns River, Fleming Island also notched a third-place boys team finish and a pair of individual wins: John Keester dominated in the boys 3,200, and Gabrielle Flores earned a long-awaited individual title in the girls high jump, clearing 5 feet, 1/4 inch. In 2021, she had finished in a rare three-way tie for the top spot.

"Overall, my strength training that I did in preseason, it really played a role in my power in the jumps," Flores said.

A WEEK OF FIRSTS

Sandalwood's Yoel Gonzalez lands during the boys long jump at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.
Sandalwood's Yoel Gonzalez lands during the boys long jump at the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet.

Milestone moments define the Bob Hayes Invitational, and in the meet's Hodges Stadium's debut, there were plenty.

That included both the positive (Miami Northwestern's 4x800 girls relay team captured the first trophy of the UNF era at 9:24 a.m.) and the not-so-positive (the first lightning delay at the new venue when storms suspended competition for 40 minutes at 2:50 p.m.).

The honor of the first Jacksonville winner in the meet's new home went to Bolles' Presley Wolfe, who cleared 11 feet, 5 inches for first place in the girls high jump. That was one of two Bulldog triumphs, along with Zee Curtis in the girls discus.

The festivities included a new event as well in the 400 hurdles, lengthened from 300 meters this year after a vote of the Florida High School Athletic Association. Michelle Smith of Montverde and Kahneil Budham of St. Thomas Aquinas won the inaugural editions.

But whatever the site of competition, the thrill of victory doesn't change at the Bob Hayes.

"It's a great feeling," Nelson said of his win in the 1,600, "especially coming out of Jacksonville."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet: Sandalwood, Emani George shine