Ruiz's 2 wins lead Jenkins girls, as Eagles sweep team titles

LAKELAND — George Jenkins senior Alicia Ruiz's last three sports seasons — two cross country and one track — didn't go as planned, and with one more left in her high school career, she's looking to finish strong.

Ruiz's two wins helped lead Jenkins to the girls team title at the Lakeland City Meet on Thursday at Veterans Stadium. George Jenkins also won the boys title to complete the sweep.

George Jenkins finished with 222.5 points in the girls competition with McKeel finishing second with 118 points. For the boys, the Jenkins finished with 217 points and Lakeland Christian was second with 147 points.

Ruiz finished her junior cross country season injured. She came back strong last spring, but COVID-19 cut the season short, eliminating the postseason for all spring athletes.

Ruiz ran in just one meet in cross country last fall and is working her way back.

"I'm very motivated because I'm ready for college, and I'm trying to impress my college coaches," said Ruiz, who has committed to USF. "Right now, I'm working back up to my speed. My competition is running 2:18s (400) and I'm running 2:20s so I have to step up my training."

On Thursday, Ruiz won the 800 in 2:23.09 and the 1,600 in 5:19.99.

Currently, Ruiz is ranked eighth in the state in the 800 in Class 4A. She won the state title in the event as a sophomore. She is ranked No. 19 in in the 1,600.

"Right now, I'm just trying to work on my endurance because when I got injured, it was kind of hard for me," Ruiz said. "I have to do more sprint events."

George Jenkins coach Dale Meskimen remained confident that Ruiz will finish strong.

"We have six week to get her ready for the region meet," Meskimen said.

The only other individual winner for the Jenkins girls was Shyanne Lacey, who won the discus. The Eagles, who also won the 4x800, used their superior depth to run away from the competition.

McKeel's Chelsi Williams was the top individual winner at the city meet. She won both hurdles events and also won the long jump and triple jump.

Kathleen's I'Asia Wilson was a double winner, winning the 100 and the 200. She is ranked No. 1 overall in the state in the 100 with a wind-legal time of 11.91 and is ranked No. 6 in the 200 in Class 3A.

LaQuan Ellis led the George Jenkins boys. He was the only triple winner on the boys side, winning the 110 hurdles, the 300 hurdles and the long jump.

Other double winners were Lakeland's Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (discus, shot put), and Tayler Gant (100, 200).

Lakeland City Meet

At George Jenkins

Thursday's results

Boys

Teams scores: 1. George Jenkins (GJ) 217; 2. Lakeland Christian (LCS) 147; 3. Victory Christian (VC) 83; 4. Lakeland (L) 82; 5. McKeel (McK) 59; 6. Lake Gibson (LG) 32; 7. Geneva Classical (GC) 31; 8. Kathleen (K) 23; 9. Santa Fe Catholic (SFC) 1.

Individuals

4x800: 1. McKeel 8:33.65, 2. Geneva Classical 8:53.38, 3. Victory Christian 9:35.13.

110 hurdles: 1. La'Quan Ellis (GJ) 15.93, 2. Joshua Valentin (GJ) 17.08, 3. Kristian Runcie (GJ) 17.64.

100: 1. Tayler Gant (L) 11.04, 2. Gavin Bendross (GJ) 11.31, 3. Malik Wallace (LG) 11.32.

1,600: 1. Isaac Morrison (McK) 4:49.57, 2. Nathan Yates (GC) 4:51.39, 3. Jackson Overholt (LCS) 4:52.52.

4x100: 1. Lakeland 44.14, 2. Lake Gibson 44.21, 3. Victory Christian 44.36.

400: 1. Keyshawn Johnson (K) 50.35, 2. Jordan Rupe (GJ) 50.84, 3. Gavin Bendross (GJ) 51.42.

300 hurdles: 1. La'Quan Ellis (GJ) 40.70, 2. Khristian Runcie (GJ) 40.85, 3. Joshua Valentin (GJ) 44.20.

800: 1. Jack Brooks (GC) 1:58.70, 2. Cameron Rupe (GJ) 2:04.41, 3. Erikson Wills  (McK) 2:08.09.

200: 1. Tayler Gant (L) 22.60, 2. Gavin Bendross (GJ) 22.83, 3. Keyshawn Johnson (K) 22.85.

3,200: 1. Jackson Overholt (LCS) 10:47.95, 2. Daury Garcia (GJ) 10:56.64, 3. Landon Johnson (McK) 11:15.31.

High jump: 1. C.J. Smith (LCS) 5-7.75, 2. Jeremiah Smith (LCS) 5-5.75, 3. Aden Smith (GJ) 5-5.75.

Pole vault: 1. John Capron (GJ) 11-5.75, 2. Tanner Chism (LCS) 10-11.75, 3. Walt Scarborough (LCS) 10-0.

Long jump: 1. La'Quan Ellis (GJ) 21-1.25, 2. Gavin Bendross (GJ) 20-5, 3. De'Qune Kelly (LCS) 20-1.75.

Triple jump: 1. Jonathan Jean (VC) 45-03, 2. De'Qune Kelly (LCS) 42-05, 3. Joshua Valentin (GJ) 38-04.25.

Shot put: 1. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (L) 54-9.50, 2. Tye Harriell (VC) 50-4.5, 3. Nathan Hesseltine Jr. (LCS) 48-10.

Discus: 1. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (L) 152-0, 2. Tye Harriell (VC) 145-5, 3. Nathan Hesseltine Jr. (LCS) 142-8.

Javelin: 1. Ben Oxendine (LCS) 161-10, 2. Jacob Oxendine (LCS) 155-4, 3. Cameron Rupe (GJ) 133-6.

Girls

Team scores: 1. George Jenkins (GJ) 222.5, 2. McKeel (McK) 118, 3. Lakeland Christian (LCS) 82, 4. Victory Christian (VC) 73, 5. Lakeland (L) 58, 6. Kathleen (K) 57, 7. Tenoroc (T) 23.5, 8. Lake Gibson (LG). 

Individuals

4x800: 1. George Jenkins 11:10.86, 2. Lakeland 11:25.73, 3. McKeel 13;13.73.

100 hurdles: 1. Chelsi Williams (McK) 14.46, 2. Arianna Lewin (K) 15.85, 3. Jayline Antoine (GJ) 17.89.

100: 1. I'Asia Wilson (K) 12.32, 2. Kiavian Decosey (GJ) 13.16.

1,600: 1. Alicia Ruiz (GJ) 5:19.99, 2. Lauren Bayes (LCS) 5:48.90, 3. Payton Rusk (GJ) 5:50.53.

4x100: 1. George Jenkins 51.24, 2. Victory Christian 52.04, 3. Tenoroc 54.68.

400: 1. Maddie Lopez (LCS) 1:00.85, 2. Paris Hart (K) 1:01.50, 3. Jalayla Wright (GJ) 1:02.20.

300 hurdles: 1. Chelsi Williams (McK) 47.21, 2. Arianna Lewin (K) 49.95, 3. Kiavian Decosey (L) 50.96.

800: 1. Alicia Ruiz (GJ) 2:23.09, 2. Brooke Mason (L) 2:34.42, 3. Gretchen Caswell (LCS) 2:39.22.

200: 1. I'Asia Wilson (K) 25.19, 2. J'lae Alexander (LG) 26.40, 3. Maddie Lopez (LCS) 26.40.

3,200: 1. Emma Nales-Torchio (McK) 11:53.53, 2. Payton Rusk (GJ) 12:26.38, 3. Sarah Bayes (LCS) 12:36.13.

High jump: 1. Cylee Wilson (LCS) 5-1.75, 2. Kelsie Divvens (GJ) 5-1.75, 3. Kaylie Whittenton (VC) 4-11.75.

Pole vault: 1. Kate Scarborough (LCS) 6-11.50, 2. Xenia Serrano (GJ) 6-5.50, 3. Catherine Smith (GJ) 6-5.50.

Long jump: 1. Chelsi Williams (McK) 17-5.25, 2. Keonna Bell (T) 16-02.50, 3. Madison Spaulding (GJ) 15-11.75.

Triple jump: 1. Chelsi Williams (McK) 34-8.25, 2. Kelsie Divvens (GJ) 33-3.75, 3. Dalyah Vilsaint (GJ) 31-3.

Shot put: 1. Damyah Joyner (VC) 33-3.75, 2. Lillian Acevedo (VC) 30-7.50, 3. Jazmyn Salter (GJ) 28-10.25.

Discus: 1. Shyanne Lacey (GJ) 81-5, 2. Lillian Acevedo (VC) 77-5, 3. Elaina Steinmetz (VC) 69-6.

Javelin: 1. Cassidy Burke (LCS) 34-6, 2. Shyanne Lacey (GJ) 81-10, 3. Lacy Myers (GJ) 67-3.