When Broward County heads to Showalter Field in Orlando for this weekend’s 3A and 4A State Track & Field Championships, team titles will be on the line, but there will also be a few individual titles to concentrate on as well.

Deerfield Beach ran the fastest time in the state to win the 4x100-meter relay last Thursday night at the Region 3-4A meet. This impressive group , anchored by a blazing finish from University of Michigan-bound senior Denard Robinson, the Bucks bettered their state-leading t9ime with a 40.82 second run.

Only Miller Grove (Ga.) has run faster time this year with a 40.71, and with the way Robinson and his relay teammates Donte Dotson, Adrian Witty and Cassius McDowell have performed, that mark could fall.

In addition to what the Bucks’ 4x100 does, look for Boyd Anderson’s girls and the Everglades boys team to make a solid run at a state title in 4A.

The Lady Cobra defended their region title with 135 points and will be among state title favorites. The boys’ team title came down to the final 4x400 relay race with Everglades clinching its first team title with 68.50 points.

As he has done all season, Cypress Bay's Austin Gamble, the state's No. 1-ranked and nation's No. 5-ranked discus thrower, won with a throw of 193 feet and tossed a personal-best in the shot put to sweep the throwing events in a county-best 55 feet, 5 inches.

Others in 4A to keep an eye on include Maya Pressley of Coconut Creek, who will be headed to Auburn next fall. She had a state-leading 5-10 mark to win the high jump title.

Mariana Lucena of Cypress Bay is  a favorite win in the 3,200 meters.

ST. THOMAS, FORT LAUDERDALE IN 3A
In 3A, football standout Cody Riggs advanced to the state finals in three events after placing first in the 300 hurdles (37.10) and long jump (23-6.5) and second in the 100 hurdles (14.95) to help lead the St. Thomas Aquinas boys with a team score of 112.

Northeast senior Sean Lange finished first in the 200 (22.06) and second in the 100 with a time of 10.87.

Fort Lauderdale continued to impress on the girls’ side with a team title, edging Miami Jackson. Jahneel Tyrell finished first in the high jump (5-2) and fourth in the triple jump (36-5.5) and long jump (18-0).

SPRING FOOTBALL
Several BCAA teams will be in action over the next few weeks as spring football practice got started across the area last Friday.

Here is a rundown of teams who will be ready to give a preview of the 2009 season:

May 20
Coconut Creek North Broward Prep at Cardinal Gibbons, 4 p.m.
Pines Charter at Cooper City
Monarch at Taravella (Coral Springs)

May 21
Fort Lauderdale at South Broward
Doral Ronald Reagan at Piper
Deerfield Beach at Flanagan
Coral Glades at McArthur
Douglas at Everglades
Westlake Prep at Pompano Beach

May 22
Miramar Red vs Blue
Coconut Creek at Plantation
Hollywood Hills at Coral Springs

May 23
Cypress Bay Blue vs. Gold

May 27
Western at Nova

May 28
Hallandale at South Plantation
Hialeah at Stranahan
Miami High at West Broward (Cooper City)
Ely at Riviera Beach Suncoast
Miami Norland at Dillard

May 29
Pahokee at Boyd Anderson (Lockhart Stadium)
Archbishop McCarthy at Coral Springs Charter

You can reach Larry Blustein via e-mail at FloridaKids1@hotmail.com. He can also be heard every Thursday night (9-10) on the Miami Dolphins High School Gridiron Report on WQAM (560 AM).