Gold was the favorite color of several Nease and Ponte Vedra track and field athletes, who won state champions in their respective disciplines during the state meet at the University of Florida in Gainesville May 14.
The Panthers had a total medal count of seven with four of them gold in Class 4A.
Senior Cyrus Ways set a blistering time of 36.26 to win a state title in the boys 300-meter hurdles.
However, the Penn State commit did not stop there and won a second gold in the boys 110-meter hurdles, posting a time of 13.53 and showcasing his versatility in the process.
He was joined by fellow senior Rheinhardt Harrison, who also ended his already record-setting high school career on a high note with a gold medal in the boys 800 meters with a time of 1:48.62.
The victory was just the latest for the University of Oregon commit, who won a pair of state titles at last year’s state meet.
It was not just the boys side ladder where the Panthers found success, as freshman Alexa Bohanon won a state championship in the girls javelin throw.
It was a significant victory, not just because of how young Bohanon is, but because she became the first Panther to win a girls gold medal since 1984 and the first ever girl in program history to win a state title in a field event.
The Sharks had three podium finishes, highlighted by junior Nathan Lebowitz winning the Class 3A boys discuss championship with a throw of 177 feet and 3 inches.
Junior Henry Gainer grabbed a pair of runner-up finishes in boys pole vault, clearing 13 feet and 9.25 inches, and boys javelin with a distance of 175 feet and 7 inches.
All the podium finishers for the Sharks came in field events.
