FHSAA 1A track: Foundation’s CJ Bronaugh thanks big brother for football speed and 100- and 200-meter titles
JACKSONVILLE — Technically, Foundation Academy’s Christopher “CJ” Bronaugh didn’t get to share a gold-medal performance with his big brother in Wednesday’s FHSAA Class 1A state track and field championship meet.
They wanted to duplicate their 2023 winning effort in the 4×100-meter relay but were beaten to the finish line by Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna and settled for silver.
But in the individual sprints, CJ dominated with victories in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and said the support given him by his sibling senior, James “JT” Bronaugh, was what spurred him to this year become an elite sprinter and speedy college football prospect as a 6-1, 171-pound safety and receiver.
“Last year I really didn’t put as much effort into track. I was just doing the basics,” CJ said between his victories at the University of North Florida. “I’m a lot bigger and stronger and my stride is so much better now. I worked hard and I had my brother always helping me.”
Long and powerful strides showed as CJ won the 100 in 10.51 seconds and the 200 in 21.19. He’ll rejoin the Foundation football team Monday for several days of practice before the Lions play one of many Orlando spring-practice games vs. South Lake at home on May 24.
Becoming bigger and faster has attracted major recruiting interest for CJ, who said he received a FSU football scholarship offer on Tuesday. That goes alongside offers from USF, Syracuse and Minnesota.
Orlando Christian Prep senior Joshua Demosthenes (110 hurdles) and Mount Dora Christian Academy junior Tanner Shick (high jump) also were boys event champions. Maisey Anderson, a senior, gave MDCA a second champion by winning the girls shot put.
The Master’s Academy senior Ava Wyant finished second in the girls 1,600 (4:59.63) and third in the 800 (2:13.73) in fast races. Both were won by Arkansas recruit Madeleine Gear, a senior at Foundation Christian of Valrico.
Wyant, who won the 800 as a junior, is the fastest Orlando area girl in both distances this season.
Bronaugh’s wind-legal 100 area best of 10.38 is second fastest nationally among sophomores and is tied for No. 7 for all grade levels according to MileSplit. His 200 best of 21.14 is a top 10 U.S. mark for sophomores.
Chaminade-Madonna of Broward County won the 4×100 with its season-best time of 41.42 seconds. Foundation was second at 41.92, not far off its season best of 41.80.
Last season, Foundation won the title with a school-record 41.45 and brought all four legs back. But JT, an Eastern Michigan football signee, was hampered by hamstring issues all season and that showed again Wednesday. He limped off the track after the race.
“I ran just the 4×100, not the 100 this year because I wanted to give it up for my guys,” JT said. “I tried.”
Foundation finished fourth in the boys team standings. Benjamin of Palm Beach won the title.
Admiral Farragut of St. Petersburg won the girls championship.
Anderson heaved the shot 39 feet 10 inches to win by nearly two feet.
Demosthenes, who placed seventh in the 1A hurdles final as a junior, ran a 14.78 into the wind to win going away.
“I had more experience, more determination, more hunger coming in this year,” he said.
He played football every year since sixth grade for OCP but hopes to garner a track scholarship for college.
Schick and DeVaughn Stallworth, a Master’s Academy senior, both had high jump clearances of 6-feet, 3 ½-inches in difficult conditions following a rainstorm. They were followed by Orangewood Christian sophomore Parker Forness, who placed third at 6-1 ½ to give District 7 the top three spots.
Shchick prevailed because he had fewer misses. He cleanly cleared his first three heights before missing three tries at 6-5 ½.
“The rain washed all my [runway tape] marks off. That threw a lot of guys off,” said Shick, who owns a best of 6-6 ¾. “It was all about being ready to clear that next height.”
Stallworth, a Master’s basketball player who signed to play hoops for Division III Marymount University of Virginia, tried track for the first time this year.
Orangewood Christian junior Caleb Shrode was boosted by a 4.6 meters per second wind at his back for a 23-2¾ long jump mark that tops the area for 2024. He placed second behind Justin Woulard of Melbourne Central Catholic, who sailed a wind-aided 24-1½.
Loralei Flores, a Geneva School junior, was runner-up in the girls pole vault with a 10-10 clearance.
The Class 2A meet is Thursday, followed by 3A on Friday and 4A on Saturday.
Edgewater jumper aims high with FHSAA track and field championships ahead
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
