Times' all-Pinellas County boys track and field team

Athlete of the year: Ricy Brown, Countryside, Sr.
Why we picked him: After bursting onto the scene as serious middle-distance contender last season, Brown put in the work to become a champion. He was among the top two runners in the county in cross country and was the county’s dominant runner in the 800 meters this season. But he also was a consistent point scorer in the long jump and ran anchor leg on the 4x800 relay team. At the Class 4A state meet, he won the 800 in a personal-best time of one minute, 53.46 seconds. He joined Admiral Farragut’s Rayshawn Jenkins (110 hurdles) as the only county athletes to win state titles this year.

Most impressive accomplishment: Twice during the regular season, Brown lost in the 800 to Otniel Teixeira of Lake Brantley. Countryside coach Eileen Givens told Brown not to be discouraged because he had not peaked. Sure enough, Brown came through at state. In the 4x800 relay, he ran a 1:53 split as he passed three others to help the Cougars finish fifth. Then came his title in the 800, which he won despite being seeded fifth, and beat Teixeira by .01 of a second.

Did you know? Brown wears three different pairs of shoes and two uniforms during meets.

What’s next: Brown signed with Bethune-Cookman before the region meet in April. He ran in the Golden South meet in Orlando this weekend and will continue to participate in other meets this summer to get ready for next season.

First team
Long jump, Rayshawn Jenkins, Admiral Farragut, Sr.: Fifth at state with a distance of 22-5

Triple jump, Shaquem Griffin, Lakewood, So.: Fifth at state with a distance of 45-7.5

High jump, David Dang, Admiral Farragut, Sr.: State runnerup with a leap of 6-6

Discus, Grant Barker, St. Petersburg, Sr.: 10th at state with a distance of 149-01

Shot put, Emmanuel Watkins, St. Petersburg, Sr.: Eighth at state with a distance of 49-09.75

Pole vault, Edward Galan, Pinellas Park, Sr.: State runnerup with a vault of 15 feet

110 hurdles, Rayshawn Jenkins, Admiral Farragut, Jr.: State champion in 14.92 seconds

300 hurdles, Dennis Pugh, Lakewood, Sr.: Fifth at state in 39.18

100, Jalin Hubbard, Northeast, So.: State qualifier

200,  Jalin Hubbard, Northeast, So.: State qualifier

400, Derek Messmore, Countryside, Sr.: Seventh at state in 49.63

800,  Ricy Brown, Countryside, Sr.: State champion in 1:53.46

1600, Chase Sutton, Seminole, Sr.: Seventh at state in 4:20.99

3200, Chase Sutton, Seminole, Sr.: 10th at state in 9:44.54

4x100 relay (Javaris Little, Shaquill Griffin, Shaquem Griffin, Xavier Harrison), Lakewood: State qualifier

4x400 relay (Jordan Rossi, Wylan Bernitt, Ricy Brown, Derek Messmore), Countryside: Sixth at state in 3:19.48

4x800 relay (Kristof Williams, Connor Benhakuma, Cory Sauerwine, Ricy Brown), Countryside: Fifth at state in 7:56.21

Second team
Long jump: Ricy Brown, Countryside, Sr.; Triple jump: Denzel Thompson, Countryside, Sr.; High jump: Sharrod Harriel, Dunedin, Sr.; Discus: Charles Coleman, St. Petersburg, Sr.; Shot put: Brett Wells, Lakewood, Sr. ; Pole vault: Parker Polgar, Countryside, Sr.; 4x800: Northside Christian (Matthew Montenari, Joe Chapman, Garet Marr, Mario Ojeda); 110 hurdles: Cody Pogorelc, St. Petersburg, Sr.; 100: Xavier Harrison, Lakewood, Sr.; 1600: Jacob Hudak, Seminole, Jr.; 4x100: St. Petersburg (Calvin Robinson, Darian Bentley, David Jones, Marquel Davis); 400: Jerrid Robinson, Gibbs, Sr.; 300 hurdles: Wylan Bernitt, Countryside, Sr.; 800: Matthew Montenari, Northside Christian; 200: David Jones, St. Petersburg, Jr.; 3200: Jacob Hudak, Seminole, Jr.; 4x400: Lakewood (Shai Brown, Raymon Cleveland, Dennis Pugh, Pharez Watkins)

Honorable mention
Admiral Farragut: Blake Arnold (1600), Michael Pitts (discus), 4x100 relay (Napoleon Maxwell, Cortavious Givens, Robert Goddard, Rayshawn Jenkins); Calvary Christian: Derek Barnes (long jump), Kyle Wiedinger (shot put); Clearwater Central Catholic: Grady Trimble (400); Countryside: Denzel Thompson (high jump); Keswick Christian: Jayln Coleman (100); Indian Rocks Christian: Taylor Andres (discus), Sean Culkin (400), Jon Kistemaker (pole vault), Luke Williams (300 hurdles), Tyler Wood (discus), 4x400 relay (Ryan Kaufman, Luke Williams, Sean Culkin, Michael Cavonis); Lakewood: Xavier Harrison (200), Dennis Pugh (110 hurdles); 4x800 relay (Devontae Persha, Pharez Watkins, O’Sha White, Jaquell Phillip); Northeast: William Burrows (pole vault); Northside Christian: Joe Chapman (800), Beaush Feaster (pole vault), Jeff Golden (long jump), Evan Howard (200), Mario Ojeda (800), Kyle Riff (shot put), 4x100 relay (Lucio Ojeda, Jimmy VanDeilen, Jeffrey Golden, Evan Howard), 4x400 relay (Lucio Ojeda, Matthew Montenari, Glen Dorsey, Jimmy VanDeilen); Pinellas Park: Jeremi Powell (triple jump, high jump); St. Petersburg: Darian Bentley (triple jump), Austin Jordan (400), 4x100 relay (Calvin Robinson, David Jones, Marquel Davis, Darian Bentley); St. Petersburg Catholic: Jimmy Briggs (300 hurdles), Connor Cureton (1600), Ryan Green (100), Todd Macon (long jump), Michael Robison (800); Tarpon Springs: Darius Daniels (long jump)

Coach of the year: Eileen Givens, Countryside
Despite graduating most of her distance runners, Givens was able to keep the Cougars on top with team titles at the Ed Wells/Kiwanis meet, as well as conference, district and region meets.