JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaylen Lewis is always on the clock.
The Mandarin senior and Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys track and field athlete of the year doesn’t have an offseason. After putting a successful football season behind him, Lewis jumped right into the grind of track.
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And that’s just how he likes it.
“There is no gap. At the end of the day, track is all around and football’s all around,” Lewis said. “So, after football season, I’m straight into track, I’m going indoor, trying to work on my craft. Then right when track is over, I’m in football, trying to work on our craft from that, keep trying to get better.”
Lewis got much better from season to season in both sports, the combination of pushing himself to be elite and the presence of his teammates around him helping him elevate his performance.
Lewis had 17 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery for the 7-4 Mustangs in the fall as a defensive back. And even though Lewis signed with the University of Memphis in football, that wasn’t even his best sport.
“The mind says you really just can’t be average. ... Like you can be happy in the middle, but you always want to be at the top of each sport,” he said.
Lewis was a blur in track and field and saved his best for last. He earned All-News4JAX honors in three events, the 100 200 and 400. He holds school records in each of those events.
Lewis defended his state championship in the 200 with a state-leading time of 20.59. He finished as state runner-up in the 100. Lewis didn’t compete at state in the 400, an event he went 5 for 5 at in first-place finishes during the season. Lewis said he likes all those distances because they challenge him in all different ways.
“On a 400, it’s a lot of room to mess up, but on 100 it’s no room to mess up,” Lewis said. “So, the 200, I mean, it’s like the perfect spot to be in the middle.”
Lewis said the biggest thing from this year’s Mandarin team was the chemistry and his shift to stop thinking as an individual and more like a part of a team.
“I told my team every step of the way, I’m going to bring you all with me,” he said. “So that’s why I would say I have improved significantly because I stopped worrying about myself and thought of being more of a team.”
Teammate Connor Freeland joined Lewis on the podium, surging from the No. 8 seed in the 800 to win the event. Lewis said Mandarin athletes were going ballistic cheering Freeland on during his win.
That duo accounted for 28 of Mandarin’s 46 team points, a total that earned the Mustangs a state runner-up team finish in Class 4A.
Lewis’ final race as a Mandarin athlete came in the 4x400 relay, an event they placed third in as a team.
“It was bittersweet pretty much. I still keep replaying that day, me running with Erik [Lash], Connor, Teryn [Lane] and all them,” Lewis said. “It was really a family aspect. It was crazy. After that 4x4 [relay], I cried. I cried the whole ride home.”
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys track and field team
Event, athlete, school, class, notable
100: Jaylen Lewis, Mandarin, Sr.
Class 4A state runner-up with a 10.38 PR to win region. Runner-up at district, too. Had four wins this season.
200: Jaylen Lewis, Mandarin, Sr.
All-News4JAX athlete of the year. Ran best time of the season (20.59) to win Class 4A state meet. That time led the state. Had five wins in seven meets this season. Headed to Memphis for football.
400: Jaylen Lewis, Mandarin, Sr.
Ran PR of 47.77 to win the Gateway Conference meet. Won all five times that he raced this event, including district.
110 hurdles: Nieko Garnes, Jackson, Sr.
Won six of his events, including district and region, where he posted his best time (14.25). Gateway champ and sixth in Class 2A state meet.
400 hurdles: Nieko Garnes, Jackson, Sr.
Won nine times this year, including sweep of Gateway, district, region and state. Best time (52.67) came in winning Sam Burley Hall of Fame event.
800: Jake Officer, Episcopal, Sr.
Eighth at Class 2A state meet. Region and district champ whose best time came in third-place finish at FSU Relays (1:51.69). Won four times this year.
1600: Miles Wicks, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Ran PR of 4:12.26 to finish third in Class 3A state meet.
3200: Parker Adams, Bolles, Sr.
PR of 8:56.03 to finish as state runner-up in prestigious FSU Relays. Had clean sweep of district, region and state meets.
Discus: Ethan Fox, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Class 4A state champ with PR of 184-5. Dominated the event in his final season. Had 10 wins, including sweep of district and region meets. Finished third at post-high school Nike Outdoor Nationals event to earn All-American honors.
Javelin: James O’Donnell, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Took third place at Class 3A state meet with PR of 189-2 to finish third. Region runner-up. Won three other meets, including district.
Shot put: Colby Cronk, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.
Football star and NC State signee had best throw of season to win region (62-5.25). State champ in 4A who won six of seven meets this year.
High jump: Ja’Khari Jackson, Trinity Christian, So.
PR of 6-4.75 came in winning region. Sixth place at state 1A meet. District champ, too.
Long jump: Nethan Verger, Orange Park, Jr.
PR of 25-0.75 came in winning at Florida Relays.
Triple jump: Carlder Datilus, Orange Park, Sr.
PR of 47-2.25 came in winning the Sam Burley Hall of Fame Invitational. Won five times this year, including Clay County championships. Region runner-up and 11th in 3A state meet.
Pole vault: Tanner Bennett-Cauley, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.
Had PR of 14 feet in winning 5-Star Conference meet. District champ, region runner-up and fourth at state meet. Five total wins this year.
400 relay: Creekside
State-leading time of 40.09 came in the River City Relays.
1600 relay: Mandarin
Time of 3:15.21 ranked No. 7 in Florida and came during eighth-place finish at Pepsi Relays. Third in 4A state meet.
3200 relay: Jackson
Tigers had a second-place finish in the Class 2A state meet with a 7:54.85.
Second team
Event, athlete, school, class, notable
100: Owen Kaye, Raines, Jr.
Ran a PR of 10.47 to take fourth in Bob Hayes Invitational. Won district and region. Finished sixth in 2A state meet. Had seven wins this season.
200: Josh Howell, Creekside, Jr.
PR of 20.92 came in Class 4A state runner-up finish. Second at district and sixth at region.
400: Kedric Wright Jr., Palatka, So.
Best time (47.89) came in winning the HBCU Relays Experience. District and region champ. Class 2A state runner-up.
110 hurdles: Quincy Bend, Westside, Sr.
Class 3A state champ. Ran best time (14.33) in winning district. Had six wins this season.
400 hurdles: Paolo Castro, Creekside, Sr.
PR of 54.85 came in eighth-place finish in Class 4A state meet. Had three wins this year, including at district. Third at region.
800: Connor Freeland, Mandarin, Sr.
Ran PR of 1:53.66 to win Class 4A state meet. Had another win at the season-opening Tocoi Creek Toro Showdown.
1600: Jake Officer, Episcopal, Sr.
Ran a 4:12.51 as PR to win the Bolles Mile Showcase. Region champ who also won season-opening Coach Hunt Classic. Third at Class 2A state meet.
3200: Juan Pablo Castillo Zima, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
PR of 9:07.13 in sixth-place finish at FSU Relays. Runner-up at district and region. Took fourth at state meet.
Discus: Colby Cronk, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.
District champ and runner-up at both region and Class 4A state meet, with best throw of the season (178-8).
Javelin: Luke Twardy, Fernandina Beach, Sr.
PR throw of 188-5 was good enough to win Class 2A state meet. Won seven meets this season. District and region champ, too.
Shot put: King Massey, Raines, Sr.
District, region and state champ in Class 2A. PR of 57-9.75 came in district win. Had 11 wins this year.
High jump: Nate Branch, Trinity Christian, So.
PR of 6-4.25 came in runner-up finish at Raines Last Chance Meet.
Long jump: Devin Collins, Oakleaf, Sr.
Best jump this year came at the Bob Hayes (23-2.75). Region champ. Finished 18th at 4A state meet. Had five total wins this year.
Triple jump: Jalani Thomas, Fletcher, Fr.
Won Gateway Conference championships with a PR of 45-6.5. Added district title in five-win season.
Pole vault: Nathan Williams, Beachside, Jr.
His top height was 13-9.25 at the FSU Relays. Won district and Creekside Last Chance meets.
400 relay: Bolles
Time of 40.94 ranked 10th in the state and came in winning the Thursday Night Spikes meet.
1600 relay: Creekside
Knights clocked a 3:16.94 at the Pepsi Florida Relays, a time that ranks 13th in the state.
3200 relay: Bartram Trail
Bears ran a 7:59.96 for their top time which came in fifth-place effort at 4A state meet.
Honorable mention
Athlete, school, class
Sean Cunningham, Providence, So.
Jayden Dailey, Creekside, Sr.
Ellis Halton, Providence, Sr.
Jeremiah Hamilton, Orange Park, Sr.
Michael Hill, First Coast, Sr.
Teryn Lane, Mandarin, Sr.
Charles Loftin, Providence, Jr.
Jarius Rodgers, Fleming Island, Jr.
Taron Smith, Oakleaf, So.
Corinthians Watson, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.
Mason Williams, Providence, Sr.
