FLAGLER PALM COAST – Distance runner John Bear had a career day at the track with personal best wins in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter races at the District 4-3A championships held April 17 at Flagler Palm Coast High School while the boys 400 meters was all Orange Park with three Raider runners taking first, second and third.

“I just give Jesus Christ my Lord all the credit for giving me the strength to achieve today,” said Bear, a junior, who will head to the Region 1-3A championships on April 25 again at Flagler Palm Coast High School. “I did a great workout; 800s, mile and 300s early last week that told me I was ready to be strong today.”

Top four finishers at the district meet advance to the region 1-3A championships; Thurs., April 26 at Tallahassee Chiles High School, where, again, top four advance to the state meet.

In team points, Orange Park chased boys defending district champion Bartram Trail’s 194 points with 99 points for second place. Middleburg finished seventh with 49 points. Orange Park finished eighth last year with just 16 points.

Bear, third in the 800 last year and sixth in the 1600, blasted the field Tuesday with a one minute, 59.89 second clocking with a second lap surge that pushed into a backstretch head wind. Fighting past the final curve and benefiting from the tailwind behind him, Bear held off Ponte Vedra’s Kyle Reinheimer in second in 2:01.10 and Creekside’s Johna Washington, third at 2:01.32, who both battled to close down Bear’s gap.

“I was using my arms to keep my legs moving down that final stretch,” said Bear. “I know someone would slingshot off the curve after I blocked the wind in the backstretch. I was stronger.”

Bear employed a two-lap strategy of patience with his final push coming at about 300 yards to go for a three second win in 4:27.85 over Creekside’s Matthew Ortiz, and Ponte Vedra’s Antonio Romero who finished second and third in 4:30.06 and 4:30.29, respectively.

In the 3200, Bear won by two seconds with his 10:00.92 time beating Creekside’s Ian Smith, second at 10:02.56.

In the 400, with sophomore Alex Collier, a 52.01 fourth place district finisher last year, already carding four sub-50 seconds winning times throughout the season, the Raiders trio of Collier, Sean Dixon and Alex Meadows crushed the field with their 1-2-3 finish. Collier, in at 49.88, led Dixon at 50.79 and Meadows, in at 51.05, as Bartram Trail’s Zach Nelson was at 52.26 for the fourth spot.

“We knew Alex was going to be a top contender and that Sean and Alex were ready to man up and get medals,” said Orange Park coach Doug Burrows. “I hope they didn’t all just peak tonight because we still have more races to win.”

The same trio, with Collier opening with a 46.3 split, combined with sophomore Kadin Elmore to take second in the 4 x 400 relay in 3:28.85 behind Bartram Trail’s 3:23.68.

“We know a sub-3:20 gets us to state and maybe a medal,” said Burrows. “That’s the goal.”

Also in the district 4-3A meet, Middleburg got repeat performances from high jumpers Bryce Quiett and Kaley Petrosky, plus a double from sprinter/jumper Marcus Floyd.

Quiett, who has been in the 6’-7” range all season, topped the field with a 6’-7.5” leap with Petrosky beating Creekside rival Abby Thorne on misses with both clearing 5’-5”. Thorpe, second to Petrosky in the high jump last year, would also win the long jump and take second in the 100 hurdles while Petrosky missed a top four in the 200 with a fifth place finish just 0.28 seconds away from a region berth.

Floyd, second in the 3A triple jump last year at 45’-11.75” and the defending district triple jump and 100 meters champion, won by about a half second in the 200, won the triple jump in 43’-1.5” and took second in the 100 in 10.84. Floyd was second in the district 200 and eighth in the state 100 in 11.22 last year.

Top four finishers for Orange Park, advancing to regions, included Destiny Basden, second in shot put at 34’-10.25” and second in discus at 110’-11”; Sean Dixon and Markes Sermonds, third and fourth in the long jump at 20’-3.5” and 19’-8.75” and David Araujo, third in shot put at 43’-1.5”.

Top four finishers for Middleburg included Alex Barfield, third in discus at 146’-00”; Dakota Peppard in the girls discus at 109’-06”; pole vaulter Matthew Oliver, fourth at 12’-9.5”;

In relays, Middleburg’s 4 x 100 girls relay; Cheyna Kidson, Jamyah Harkins, Stephanie Morelus and Petrosky finished fourth in 51.02.