Saturday, April 21, 2012

Floyd Excels In Record Year, June 9, 2002


June 9, 2002|By Richard Burton, Sentinel Correspondent

LEESBURG -- Laura Floyd set school records in four individual events and as a member of the 4x400 relay team for Leesburg's track and field team this season.

"It's rare to find someone who loves track and field as much as she does,'' Yellow Jackets coach Marshall Jungreis said. "She is such a hard worker, and a good leader. Laura had no problem letting her teammates know if they were not putting forth a good enough effort, all the while leading by example.''

Floyd, the Sentinel's girls track athlete of the year for Lake and Sumter counties, established records in the 100-meter hurdles (15.30 seconds), 300-meter hurdles (45.19), triple jump (36 feet, 5 inches), long jump (17 feet, 5 inches) and on the 4x400 relay team (4:13.43).

Floyd, who did not compete in the hurdles until this season, was at her best in the 300-meter hurdles. She placed seventh in the event at the Class 3A meet.

Also at state, Floyd took ninth in the 100-meter hurdles and 12th in the triple jump.

In her junior year, Floyd set the school record in the 800 meters (2:21). She welcomed a chance to try different events this season.

"Last year, I was kind of burnt out going into track season after doing cross country and weightlifting, plus soccer,'' said Floyd.

Floyd practiced at Leesburg with her team. Jungreis helped her with the sprint aspect of it and she then went to Clermont to work with coach Jimmy Brown to fine-tune the hurdling technique.

"I would get home almost every night at around 7:30, so it was a lot of hard work,'' she recalled.

Lees-McRae College in Banner Elks, N.C., offered Floyd a scholarship to play soccer and run track.

"They were looking for well-rounded athletes,'' Floyd said. "I think I will mostly be doing hurdles and triple jumps, and then with soccer they were in need of a center-midfielder, which was what I play.

"I am really happy with it, and real happy that I get my number [13] when I go there.''

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Monday, April 16, 2012

Leesburg's Hall Earns All-america Honors, June 22, 2004



June 22, 2004|By Joe Williams, Sentinel Staff Writer

Leesburg's Erica Hall considered taking this summer off.

Winning her second consecutive Class 4A state high school pole vaulting championship in May had earned her a break, a chance to rest her aching right knee before resuming her career as a freshman pole vaulter at Arkansas State University.

But after an MRI found the pain in her knee was only the result of tendinitis, the allure of a chance to compete Saturday at the adidas Outdoor National Track and Field Championships at North Carolina State University was too strong.

In what technically was her final meet as a high school competitor, Hall finished in a tie for fourth with a vault of 11 feet, 11 3/4 inches, earning her All-America status.

"I couldn't think of a better way to end my senior season than with a state championship and as an All-American," said Hall, the Sentinel's two-time girls track athlete of the year for Lake and Sumter counties. "I was pretty pumped about it."

Hall's journey to nationals came as a member of Coach Bobby Haeck's Pole Vault City club team.

Haeck was taking another club member, Lori Bowen from Tallahassee Maclay (the Class A state champion in the pole vault), to the meet and asked Hall if she wanted to go along just to watch.

"I was just going to take time off with my knee," Hall said. "But Coach [Haeck] invited me to go and I said I wasn't going to go and not compete."

So Hall started practicing again.

Bowen and Hall were among a group of four vaulters who cleared 11-11 3/4 -- the third-best height of the meet. Tiffany Maskulinski of Elma, N.Y., and Jenn O'Neil of Fairport, N.Y., both cleared 13-1 1/2, and Jenny Soceka of Madison, Wis., finished third at 12-5 1/2.

Hall just missed on her third and final attempt at 12-5 1/2, a half-inch below her personal best.
Now, Hall said, she plans to take the remainder of the summer off so she will be at full strength when she begins her collegiate career.

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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Hall Wins State Title, May 17, 2003



GAINESVILLE - Leesburg junior Erica Hall won the Class 3A state pole vault title at the state championship at the University of Florida Friday afternoon.

After battling Lawton Chiles Karla Savery with jumps of 10 feet and 10-6, Hall made a jump of 11-0 on her first attempt while Savery scratched on her first attempt, giving Hall the title.

"I knew I was the new leader when she scratched," Hall said. "I was happy but I wanted to get an 11-6 and was pretty confident."

Hall took three attempts at 11-6, but on the first, she tore her right wrist, It was the same wrist she fractured early in the season.

I was so focused and filled with adrenaline that I didn't notice the pain until afterward," Hall said.

Hall went on to finish ninth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.62 her teammate Sara Williams placed eight in the high jump (5-2) and 10th in the 100 hurdles (15.58).

East Ridge had three athletes in the top 10. Ashley Corriveau had the highest finish, eighth in the pole vault (9-6). Laura Holley tied for 10th in the high jump (5-0) and John Roberts finished 10th in the 3,200 run (9:50.61)

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100 East Main Street
Leesburg, Florida 34748











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Ward Runs Impressive Times at Texas Relays, April 10, 2012

Shericka Ward advanced to the finals of the 100 meter hurdles at the 85th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays over the weekend.

Wildcat senior came in sixth in the 100 meter hurdles

April 2, 2012
 
AUSTIN, Texas - Senior sprinter Shericka Ward (Leesburg, Fla.) and freshman Emerald Walden (Lafayette Hill, Pa.) each competed in the 100 meter hurdles at the Mike A. Meyers Track and Soccer Stadium during the 85th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays over the weekend. Ward was one of nine runners from a group of 74 that advanced from the preliminary heats into the finals.

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