Whether it's football, basketball, soccer, softball, baseball, volleyball or tennis, BCAA players and teams have made a solid impact in athletics so far this year.

This spring, area track and field athletes have proven that they can compete against some of the state's best as well. While last weekend's BCAA Track & Field Championships at Coral Springs High gave us some memorable performances, it's the remainder of the season that will see a number of individuals and teams showcase their many talents statewide.

On the boys' side, relay teams have looked very impressive as Northeast, Dillard and Everglades appear to be the squads to beat in the 4x800. The 4x100 will showcase a speedy Deerfield Beach (41.34) squad, but also shine the spotlight on Coral Springs 41.58, Boyd Anderson and South Broward. Ely (3:18.08), Dillard and Northeast have set the pace in the 4x400.

Sprinters have also done quite well with Tremaine Grant (14.20) of Dillard, Cody Riggs (St. Thomas) and Everglades' Catrell Butler leading the way in the 110 high hurdles. Versatile University of Michigan-bound football player Denard Robinson (10.44) of Deerfield Beach has proven to be the quickest athlete in the area. Demar Dorsey (Boyd Anderson), Andre Thomas (South Broward) and Vernon Bush of Hallandale are also impressive in the 100.

Andre Thomas (21.61), Jarmal Jones (Coral Springs), Jenove Blanford (South Broward) and Bush have blazed a trail in the 200, and 1. Cody Riggs (37.28), Phillip Dorsett (St. Thomas) and Tremaine Grant have all impressed in the 300 hurdles.

Middle distance runners include Northeast's Pascal Orelus (48.31), Adika Smith (Dillard), Arman Hall (St. Thomas) and Ely's Wayne Haughton in the 400, and Stephan Chung (1:58.07) from St. Thomas, Richard Smith (Flanagan) and Casey Jostine (Hallandale) in the 800.

Long distance runners Ryan Toledo (4:30.38) of South Plantation, Bashir Ahmed (Miramar) and Santiago Zerda of Coral Glades have set the pace in the 1,600 meters. Brad Robeson from Douglas (9:54.80) has been the best in the 3200, but Zerda and Sean Pulver of Cardinal Gibbons are right there as well.

The field events have produced many athletes who are pushing national status as well as being among the best so far in the state of Florida.

Cody Riggs (23-7 ?), Bryan Bynes (Boyd Anderson), Dedric Dukes (St. Thomas) and  Western's Jevonte Croal are out ahead in the long jump, and Boyd Anderson's Travis Reynolds (45-11 ?), Edgar Sayles (Ely), David Shepherd (St. Thomas) and Ohio State-bound football standout Duron Carter of St, Thomas have shown that they are as good as you get in the triple jump.

Stranahan's Nesly Marcellon (49-6 ?), Sony Theodate (Fort Lauderdale) and Garth Jobb from St. Thomas have looked good with impressive throws in the shot put, and the state's top-rated discus thrower, Austin Gamble (201-5 ?) from Cypress Bay, has more than set the pace with John Marmarosa (St. Thomas) and Samuel Carrington of Fort Lauderdale also doing well.

You can call the high jump one of the most competitive events in the BCAA with Pierce Kafka (Pompano Beach); Bryan Bynes (Boyd Anderson); Courtland Rich (Deerfield Beach) and Ely's Cyrus Johnson all jumping 6-4. Taravella's Drew Marcello (14-6) leads the way in the pole vault with David Shepherd and Hunter Moon (St. Thomas) making major strides.

While the boys have proven to be impressive so far this season, the girls are not far behind at all. Several athletes have established themselves as leaders to win a state title at the end of this month.

Sprinters include Shantrell Atkins (14.69) of Everglades in the 110 high hurdles is one of the best, but so is teammate Danielle Avery, and Boyd Anderson teammates Jasmine King and Kerona Parnell. Hallandale's  Kyri Tabor (11.79) is the fastest athlete so far in the 100, but Camree Jackson (South Broward), Raneisha Lamar (Pompano Beach) and Boyd Anderson's Shayla Sanders have been in the spotlight as well.

Other sprinters to keep an eye on include Boyd Anderson's Jasmine King (44.79), Maya Pressley (Coconut Creek) and Avery in the 300 hurdles, and Tabor (24.64), Kirsten Nieuwendam (St. Thomas) and Camree Jackson in the 200.

Middle distance runners Eva Pierce (56.02) and Sharniece Supal from Boyd Anderson, Allison Richmond (Everglades) and Boyd Anderson's ) Imani Sudlow have set the pace in the 400, and Boyd Anderson's Rachael James (2:17.35) and Sudlow, Brianna Oscar (Fort Lauderdale) and Alex Payne (St. Thomas) have led the way in the 800.

Long distance runners have also stepped in the spotlight with Macy Huskey (5:12.32) of Cardinal Gibbons, Nicole Suarez (St. Thomas) and Mariana Lucena from Cypress Bay leading the way in the 1600, and Cypress Bay's Mariana Lucena (11:09.71), Nicole Suarez (St. Thomas) and Izzy Amaro from Pembroke Pines Charter in the 3200.

Relays have also been impressive with Boyd Anderson (47.42), Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale and Ely putting up great times in the 4x100, and Boyd Anderson (3:47.78), Everglades, Fort Lauderdale and St. Thomas Aquinas in the 4x400.

The field events have been led by Fort Lauderdale's Jahneel Tyrell (18-1 ?) in the long jump. Boyd Anderson's Shayla Sanders and Megen Marmarosa of St. Thomas have also done well. Kinnesha Jones (37-9 ?) of Boyd Anderson is out in front in the triple jump with Jahneel Tyrell (Fort Lauderdale) and Hallandale's Natresha Lee in the mix as well.

Fort Lauderdale's Sasha-Ann Lebert (38-0) has set a mark to shoot fro in the shot put event – with Christelle Willis (South Broward) and Britney Dixon of Boyd Anderson not far behind. Shamona Haughton (119-02) of Boyd Anderson has looked sharp in the discus, but Dawn Owens (Nova), Ashley Murray (Fort Lauderdale) and Melinda Mackey of Ely are gaining ground.

Coconut Creek's Maya Pressley (5-8) leads the way in the high jump, but keep an eye on Julia Frederick (Coral Springs), Jahneel Tyrell (Fort Lauderdale) and Rebecca Goldring of Douglas as well. Kaela Fudali (9-3) of St. Thomas and teammate Sarah Houghtaling (St. Thomas) lead the way in the pole vault with Marissa Folz (Cardinal Gibbons) right behind.

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).