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Robinson Goes Out Standing Tall

Sebring Senior Becomes Dual All-Heartland Honoree

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

All-Heartland track and field athlete of the year Sam Robinson ran to a top-10 finish at the state track and field meet this year.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: June 5, 2008

SEBRING — Sam Robinson was hoping for a special finish to his high school athletic career.
And once he regained his footing, the Sebring senior did just that.

For being the lone state finalist for the Blue Streaks and for his dominance in the speed events for the Sebring boys track team, Robinson has been named the 2008 Highlands Today All-Heartland Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

"I wanted this to be a special year for me," Robinson said. "I wanted track to really put a stamp on all the hard work and dedication I've put into my sports career at Sebring."

Robinson finished with a time of 11.02 in the 100 and 22.40 in the 200-meter runs for a pair of fourth-place finishes at the Class-3A-Region 2 finals in late April.

He nearly didn't make the field for the 100-meter dash after a slip coming out of the blocks put him at a disadvantage, but the speedy senior recovered for the fourth-place finish.
The mishap came after Robinson realized he was wearing the wrong spikes for the speed event.

"I'm just glad I was able to regain my footing," Robinson said "I had a goal to make it to state, and I would've kicked myself if I didn't make it because of something as trivial as the wrong spikes."

At the Class 3A state finals, Robinson finished 10th in the boys 200-meter dash with a time of 22.40 seconds, narrowly missing out on the finals. Phillip St. Louis of St. Thomas Aquinas took the state title in 21.8 seconds.

"That was so disheartening for me," Robinson said. "I dropped a 21.09 [in the preliminaries] at regionals. I just overworked myself leading up to the state meet and ran my worst time of the year."

Already a basketball player of the year recipient, Robinson was all smiles when he reflected on taking another All-Heartland honor.

"It's humbling for me," said the SHS senior. "It's very exciting and something I can look back years later and tell my kids about what their dad accomplished."

The Team
ZACH LLOYD, SENIOR, LAKE PLACID This four-year track letterman was the workhorse for the Green Dragons this season, competing in the 4x100 relay, 400 meters and 4x400 meter relay in the running events.
"What is most amazing about Zach is that he was a Class 2A regional qualifier for the pole vault after only practicing that event for two weeks," Lake Placid coach David Irwin said. "He's just a natural athlete and a leader for our team this season."
Lloyd posted a personal best in the 400 meters with 56.31 and posted a height of 8-foot-6 in the pole vault for a second-place finish.

LEROY BONDS, FRESHMAN, AVON PARK "He just came out of nowhere," said Wilson, who watched this freshman mature into a highly-skilled athlete before his eyes.
"[Leroy] was head and shoulders above everybody else," said Avon Park coach Jermaine Wilson. "He tried every event and came in the top two in every one of them.
"The hardest part with Leroy was fitting him into events that we felt would take advantage of his natural athletic ability."
Bonds posted a personal best of 2:04 in the 800 meter run and also ran the 100 meter dash and was a member of the 4x100 and 4x800 meter relay teams.
"He's going to be the cornerstone of the Red Devil boys track team for the next three years," Wilson said. "All he needs now is the experience."

CONNOR BAUER, JUNIOR, SEBRING The '08 season will come down to what could've been for Bauer. A freak illness sent the Blue Streak junior to the hospital and ended his season the night before the Class 3A-District 8 meet.
"It was a total shock for us that Conner wasn't at districts," said Sebring coach Rene Crenshaw. "Up to that point, I believe he was the favorite to make it to state for Sebring. I'm just glad he'll be all right."
Bauer was undefeated in the 1,600-and 3,200-meter runs in the regular season meets, clocking a 4:45 in the 1,600 and a 10:20 in the 3,200 meters — his personal bests in each event this season.
At that time, Crenshaw said that Bauer was "right on pace to make some noise at state". Bauer also was a member of the 4x800 relay team that regular finished at the top of the standings.
"He'll just have to come back stronger next season," Crenshaw said.

STEPHEN GUELLF, SOPHOMORE, LAKE PLACID One of the bright spots for the Green Dragons next season, Guellf excelled in the hurdle events and showed his team that he's going to be a force in the coming years.
"Nobody works harder in practice than Stephen," Irwin said. "He's the most improved athlete on the boys team and we're expecting great things from him in his junior and senior years."
Guellf qualified for regionals in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.61 and should have a breakthrough season in 2009.
"I really expect Stephen to make it to state next season," Irwin said. "He's got so much potential and talent not to mention the work ethic to make it."

DESMOND KNIGHT, JUNIOR, AVON PARK A leg injury early in the season held Knight out of his usual running events, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Red Devils.
Knight had no other choice than to put all his effort in the field events, that saw him post personal bests in the long (20-feet) and triple jump (39-feet) this season.
"Desmond worked really hard this year even with being injured," Avon Park coach Jermaine Wilson said. "He's an explosive athlete and his best is still ahead of him."

CALEB JONES, SOPHOMORE, LAKE PLACID The speedster for the Lake Placid boys track team showed the talent and determination to be another future state qualifier for the Green Dragons.
"Caleb is just fast," Irwin said. "He has a great attitude and work ethic. Those tools are what ever coach looks for in an athlete."
Jones posted an 11.22 in the 100-meter dash and competed in the 200 meter run, as well as being a member of the 4x100 meter relay team.

FRED MIXON JR., SENIOR, AVON PARK One of the senior leaders for the Red Devils this season, Mixon dominated the shot put and discus events during the regular season and has been a solid contributor for the Avon Park track team for four years.
"Fred had a really great year for us," Wilson said. "He worked hard and really showed the leadership that I expected from him this season.
"He just fell short at districts, and neither of us can explain why, but that doesn't diminish his accomplishments this season."
Mixon posted a personal best 43-feet, 2 inches in the shot put and 108-feet-4 in the discus throw.

RODNEY HAVERY, SOPHOMORE, SEBRING Without a true pole vault coach and with no upperclassmen to guide him, Havery excelled on pure talent and guts this season — making it all the way to the regional finals.
Havery posted a personal best 11 feet to take third at districts to advance to the regional finals. The 11-foot height was two feet better than his freshman campaign.
"Rodney is just a great kid to work with," Crenshaw said. "His dedication is one of his strengths. He is always at the track putting in the time to get better."

DAMYAN BYRD, SENIOR, AVON PARK This AP senior was named Most Valuable Athlete in the running events at the Red Devil track banquet and has been a pillar for Wilson since his arrival on the track field.
"Damyan is a kid you'd want to build a team around," Wilson said. "He's a joy to coach and does everything you ask of him without complaints. His dedication really spread throughout the boys team."
Byrd, who ran in the 4x100 and 4x800 meter relay teams, was at his best in the 800-meter run, where he finished with a personal best 2:12 at the Sebring Invitational.
"It was a pleasure watching him mature as an athlete and a man during the time I've had to work with him," Wilson said. "He's the athlete that every kid should take note of and emulate."

RICKY CHAVIS, SENIOR, SEBRING Chavis raced between the shot put and long-event events during the district finals in the hopes of qualifying for regionals in one of both events.
In the end, all the hurrying helped the Sebring senior vault to regionals in both events, by posting a 19 feet, 11 3/4 inches in the long jump and 40 feet, 11 1/4 inches to take the final spot in the shot put.

JULIAN BROWN, SENIOR, LAKE PLACID This graduating senior was another speedster for the Green Dragons, as Brown posted an 11.13 in the 100 and a 22.31 in the 200-meter dash to qualify for regionals.
"Julian really came on at the end of the season," Irwin said. "He scored points in every event he competed in and worked hard to qualify for regionals. He really helped the up-and-coming runners and will be missed."

DEON HALL, SOPHOMORE, AVON PARK In his first year on the track team, Hall made a name for himself in the high jump.
The AP sophomore leaped a personal best 5 foot, 10 inches at the Frostproof regional meet in March and was a member of the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams.
"Deon was used in some running events, but his specialty is the high jump," Wilson said. "He has a very explosive leap and has good technique. It's just a question of experience and I expect him to get even better next season."
Hall has the potential to become a force on the Red Devil track team in the coming years.

Coaches Of The Year
After starting the year with a home field for the first time in a decade and advancing a half dozen boys to the regional finals , Lake Placid's David Irwin and Scott Morgan have been named the 2008 Highlands Today All-Heartland Boys Track and Field Coaches of the Year.

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