The 2025 Bosshardt Realty All Area small school girls track and field team (1A-2A) is led by a couple of Oak Hall runners who competed in multiple events at the Class 1A state meet in May.
Oak Hall junior Estella Collante placed second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 14.91 seconds. Collante finished just behind Sofia Balestreri of Benjamin School (West Palm Beach), who had a time of 2:14.47. Collante’s best time of the season in the 800 came at the Region 2-1A meet a week earlier, where she had a time of 2:14.00 to finish first.
Collante also helped the Oak Hall 4×800 relay team finish seventh at the state meet in Jacksonville and also led the 4×400 relay team to a 10th-place finish, along with finishing 18th in the 1600 meters with a time of 5:42:07.
At the regional meet, she also led Oak Hall to a win in the 4×800 relay and finished second in the 1600, helping lead the Eagles to a second-place regional finish. On top of this, Collante was the Alachua County champion in the 800 and 1600.
“Estella Collante is the kind of athlete who leads with heart, grit and quiet determination, always rising to the moment,” Oak Hall track and field coach Edwin McTureous said.
Also helping lead Oak Hall girls to a 20th-place finish at the state meet is freshman sprinter and jumper Samantha Baines.
Baines finished sixth in the 100 with a season-best time of 15.28 seconds and placed 15th in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet, 5¾ inches. She was also part of Oak Hall’s 4×400 relay team.
Baines won the 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles and long jump at the District 5-1A meet, and also won all three events at the Alachua County Championships.
“Samantha Baines brings relentless effort and a fearless spirit to every practice and competition,” McTureous said.
Next up is Union County sophomore Amia Bethea. Bethea placed fifth in the 100 at the 2A state meet in Jacksonville with a time of 11.87 seconds, not far behind the winner’s time of 11.51.
Bethea also placed seventh in the 200 with a time of 25.14.
The final member of the All Area small school girls team is Branford senior Alex Whitfield. Whitfield set school records in the 200 and 400 and on the 4×100, 4×400, and 4×800 relay teams. She placed seventh in the 1A state meet in the 400 with a time of 58.87.
Moving to the All Area big school girls track and field team (3A-4A), Buchholz senior Gianna Rizzo finished eighth in the 200 at the 4A state meet with a time of 24.49.
“Gianna Rizzo has always been a talented competitor, but this past December, she became a dominant force on the track,” said Buchholz track and field distance coach Gregory Meyers. “Her dedication—arriving early, staying late, and consistently pushing herself—earned her a spot in the SEC at the University of Alabama. Gianna shattered a 30-year-old school record in the 100 meters and was a key contributor to three record-breaking relay teams (4×100, 4×200 and 4×400), with the 4×400 setting a county record.
“While her achievements thus far are remarkable, her season is not over—she is preparing for the National Championships in Philadelphia, where she hopes to set another school record in the 200 meters and earn additional All-American honors.”
Gainesville High’s representative on the big school team is senior sprinter Aaliyha McClellon. She placed eighth in the 100 hurdles at the 3A state meet with a time of 12.31 seconds. The winning time was 11.74 by Ariyanna Griggs of Dillard (Fort Lauderdale).
“Aaliyah has been a dominating force in the local area and throughout her high school career,” Gainesville coach Terrell Battle said. “She had a major setback going into her junior year, but coming back for her senior year, she was more than determined to regain her place as top sprinter in North Central Florida.”
The final member of the Big School team is Eastside senior jumper Tyesha Smith. She placed fourth in the 2A state triple jump with a leap of 37 feet, 10 inches.