First-year Lely boys and girls track coach Jermain Washington went into Saturday’s District Track and Field Meet hoping for a sixth and seventh-place finish. The results ended up being much better than expected with a third-place finish for the boys and a fourth-place finish for the girls.

“The boys definitely exceeded expectations,” said Washington. “The girls did, too.”

Washington said that the good results show that his program is headed in the right direction.

“For us to finish in the top five was way better than we could expect. The last few years there were no kids in every event. So, the kids stepped up for sure. I had all events full, so it gave us a shot.”

Joshua Philogen was a big star for the Trojans, winning the 100 meters and finishing second in the 200 meters. The Lely 4 x 400 team of Loveguens Avena, Joshua Philogene, Don Salomon, and Doff Jacques Louis also took first place. Loveguens Avena won the triple jump and was second in the 400 meters.

Avena, Philogene, Stanley Saintout, and Lensley Bien-Aime finished third in the 4 x 400.

On the women’s side, Celeste Francois was third in the high jump, fourth in the 100m hurdles, and fourth in the 400m hurdles. Aniyah Martin was fourth in the 200m. Tara Louissaint finished fourth in the 400m, and Abigael Francois Crystal Lozano-Palacios, Da’Niyah Martin, and Nathaly Tartabull finished fourth in the 4 x 100 m.

All of the above athletes advance to the May 8 regionals in Charlotte.

“It’s a great day to be a Lely Trojan for sure,” Washington said. “A lot of kids believe in what we are trying to do. If you earn it today, you earn it. No shortcuts in life or in the Lely track and field program. Everyone who made it this far deserves it and earned it – I promise.”