Trevor Foley came into high school with heightened expectations. At Challenger K-8, he had proven to be one of the top middle school distance runners in the state.
But the Hernando High sophomore had yet to taste success at the state meet for either cross country or track and field due to bouts with untimely illness and injury.
That all changed on Saturday, during the second day of the track Class 2A FHSAA Finals at IMG Academy in Bradenton. Foley ran a personal best of 4:18.98 in the 1,600 meter, becoming the first boy to win a state championship for the Leopards in nearly 20 years.
“It’s an amazing feeling. Very humbling. It pumps me up and gives me a lot of confidence,” Foley said. “Everything I’ve been working for, for the last two years, finally paid off. It finally worked.”
Foley, who attended Nature Coast last school year, is already a two-time state qualifier in both cross country and track, yet hadn’t collected a medal. It was a source of disappointment for Foley considering he hadn’t gone into a state meet anywhere near 100 percent health.
Even during the regular season, Foley struggled through what he described as a “horrible” March when he became sick and could barely run. But he believes it forced him to improve his mental toughness.
“I wanted to just quit. I didn’t start seriously training until the last week of March,” Foley said. “I had to battle through so much this year. To see it all pan out and me come out on top, it’s an amazing feeling.”
By design on Saturday, Foley spent the initial 2 1/2 laps staying back with the pack before taking off and dominating down the stretch. He finished nearly five seconds ahead of the runner-up, Caleb Pottorff of Fort Pierce-Lincoln Park (4:23.27).
“I think he broke through a little barrier, because he got tripped in the second lap but caught himself and stayed with it. Other times he had not done well when that happened,” said David Wilson, Hernando’s cross country coach and an assistant for track. “The plan was to take off with 600 meters left. He just left the rest of the field in the dust. There was such a gap and he held it. It was one of his strongest finishes he’s ever had.
“He has trained for years now and it’s starting to come to fruition. He has a bright future ahead. I think this was a good breakthrough for him.”
Hernando hadn’t boasted any state champs since Leela Hadsock in the 800 back in 2005. The last male to bring back gold for the school was Brian Major, who also captured the 1,600 in 1999.
“Trevor did an awesome job. He stuck to the game plan. He and Coach Wilson had a great game plan coming in. He’s done a great job,” Hernando boys track coach Mike Einsphar said. “So I’m proud of him. I feel like for Hernando, it was a pretty good day today.”
Additionally, Foley was buoyed by the presence of his former teacher at Chocachatti Elementary, Stacy Kissinger.
With two years of prep competition still on the horizon, Foley is not ready to rest on this accomplishment. He said his goal is to win states for cross country, as well as the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in track as both a junior and senior.
“Now my confidence is through the roof,” Foley said. “I know I can go to the state meet and win. That gives me confidence to go into the summer training my butt off and have a great cross country season.”
Also for the Leopards, Christian Dowdell finished 11th in the triple jump (42-7 1/2), while Nature Coast’s Brian Haygood was 15th (40-8 3/4). For Weeki Wachee, Marcus Jones was 13th in the 110 hurdles (16.10), and the 4×100 of Donte Hauer, Sebastian Class, Montae Bostick and Shawn O’Gorman placed 15th (45.49).
Four girls from the county garnered state medals for finishing in the top eight, with Nature Coast senior Ashley Gentz notching two with a fourth-place 57.58 in the 400 and seventh-place 17-9 3/4 in the long jump. She was 10th in the 200 (25.73). She finishes her prep track career with five state medals.
Fellow Lady Shark Jouie Miller took fifth in the shot put (37-4 3/4). In the discus, Central’s Arreon Walter came in fifth (114-1) and Weeki Wachee’s Seytia Hill placed seventh (109-6).
Nature Coast’s Annelise Rentas was 12th in the triple jump (33-11), followed by teammate Kaitlyn Pierce in 13th (33-4). Eboni Johnson finished 15th in the 400 (1:03.11). The 4×400 of Velma Brinson, Gentz, Johnson and Pierce combined for an 11th-place 4:06.47.
Hernando’s Kaitlyn Batten was disqualified in the 100 hurdles, and Springstead’s Jacy Scharlow competed in the girls high jump in 3A, tying for 10th (5-0).
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardtjr.