DeLand High School has an individual state champion in wrestling, a sport where the Bulldogs had never before had a champion. The champ is senior Grace Lashinsky in the 115-pound division in girls wrestling. She was undefeated, with a 38-0 mark, and will continue her education and wrestling career at Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky.
Pine Ridge High School
Rylan Shroyer took first place in the Five Star Weightlifting Championships. He won the Olympic division with a 299-pound total for the two lifts in the 119-pound class, and also won the traditional with a 380-pound lift total. Billy Faulk won the 169-weight class with a total of 555 pounds.
University High School
Travis Caldwell took first place in the unlimited division of the Five Star Weightlifting Championships, with a 630-pound total of two lifts in the traditional division.
The Titans had six competing in the Scholastic Art and Writing Show. Gaining gold-key status were Aybrie Mirino and Makayla Jefts, with two entries. The other three honored were Crimson Rodrigues, Nevaeh Luongo and McKenna Hoffon.
Hannah Judge represented the school in the Bob Hayes meet in Jacksonville. She took fifth in the 1600 meters with a clocking of 5:21.25.
High-school track and field
DeLand High had seven athletes compete in the Bob Hayes Invitational Track Meet. Kylie Neira won the pole-vaulting event with a 11-foot-5.75-inch effort, which was a foot better than second place.
Junior Anna Vandell took second in the high jump with a 5-foot-1.75-inch leap, while Emily Lamb took third in the javelin with a 118-foot-5-inch effort, which was 6 inches short of second place.
Owen and Connor York competed in the javelin throw, with Owen taking fourth at 181 feet and Connor taking sixth at 161 feet, 11 inches.
During the week prior to Spring Holiday, the Volusia/Flagler Freshmen/Sophomore “Rising Stars” Meet took place at Spruce Creek. DeLand came in third, Orange City University seventh and Deltona 10th, while the girls division DeLand was fourth, Deltona seventh and Orange City University ninth.
The boys gained four first-place finishes, with Nalin Rogers winning the 110 high hurdles at 16.91, Connor York winning the 3200 at 10:15.64, Owen Smith winning the discus with a throw of 142 feet, 2 inches, and York claiming the title in the javelin at 156 feet.
Second places were earned by York in the 1600, James Johnson in the 1600, and the 4X100 relay of Chico Apakama, Kaveon Jackson, Rogers and Antario Wright.
Thirds were earned by Jackson, Logan Blades, Johnson and Smith, while fourths were gained by Apakama (2), Rogers (2), Josiah Esteves, Jabari Mikell, Adrian Isaac, Mateo Isaac (2), Johnson and York. Those earning points but no medals were Apakama and Zyon DeLaney.
Keylani Cates won the discus for the girls with a 92-foot-7-inch throw, while taking second in the shot put. Jamy Dillon took second in the javelin. Rylie Barrow (2) gained a third, as did Kadence Bell (2), Justice Lott and Laura Aguilera Espino. Hailey Kinnan earned a fourth, and Cates, Madilyn Russell (2) and Dillon scored points outside of the top four.
Ariella Andre of Deltona claimed two thirds and a fourth, along with Mia Fernandez, Kelsey Assent and Sophia Luberto. Those scoring points but not medaling were Aryanna Montilla, Jade Jones, Leilani Raymore, Kathleen Ferran (2), Anaiah Broussard, Assent, Andre, Fernandez (2), Irati Martinez and Juliana Ortega.
The Deltona boys scoring points were Jatarius Pierre, Howard Haughton, Jaden Andrews and Devin Bederra.
The Orange City University boys had Aden Andrews earning a medal, while Lucas Aspuru, Ray’Mon Hunter, Robert Howard, Ezekiel Davis (2), Tyler Henry, Logan Wells, Andrews, Victor Gadson (2), Jayden Pastrana (2), Caleb Burns (2) and Luis Roman scored points.
Alyssa Dykstra claimed a third, with Yani Gonzalez, Natalie Rivas, Natalie Guevara Santana, Maliah Martinez, Ava Grieves, Dykstra, Jaely Bryant, Kennedi Butler, Shawnicia Forte, Kilee Williams (2) and Ja’Coriye Boone scoring points.
DeLand High School Athletics
Gerald Taz Logan placed eighth in the state wrestling championships in the heavyweight class.
The boy weightlifters moved their season mark to 5-1 in both divisions, with a 50-34 win in Olympic lifts and a 52-32 win in traditional lifts over Pine Ridge.
Gaining firsts were Wyatt Dunne (2), Ryan Hurd (2), Fard Williams, Luke Patterson (2), Johan Rodriguez, Aiden Keeley, Jaxson Van Horn (2) and Jayson Galindo (2). Taking seconds were Rodriguez, Keeley, Noah Hatcher, Jordan Ferrell, Ayden Molina (2), Lukas Gibbs, Erik Copeland (2) and Sam Trivett (2). Thirds were gained by Jacob Lubell, Rishi Patel and Elijah Laureano.
The girls softball team topped New Smyrna Beach, 12-1, with Brianne Yocum hitting a four-bagger, along with Hailey Whidden, who had three RBIs, while Abby Walczer and Emma Launer doubled.
The baseball team beat Flagler Palm Coast, 9-6, Bartram Trail, 11-2, and Father Lopez, 11-1.
The boys tennis team beat Deltona, 7-0, as did the girls, 6-0, while the boys downed Father Lopez, 4-3, and the girls lost 5-2. Both DeLand teams placed sixth in the Five Star Championships.
Friday, March 28, the softball team plays at Atlantic at 4:30 p.m., and the baseball team is at Fleming Island at 6 p.m.
Monday, March 31, finds South Sumter’s softball team here at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the JV baseball team at Seabreeze at 4 p.m.
The varsity baseball team competes in the Five Star Tournament Monday and Tuesday, March 31 and April 1, and Thursday, April 3.
On Tuesday, April 1, the softball team faces Orlando Innovation at home at 6 p.m., then Wednesday, April 2, the team greets Forest at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Friday, April 4, they play host to Sanford at 6 p.m.
