Post girls track and field athlete of the year: Shamaz Quince, Palm Beach Lakes

Friday, June 08, 2012
by Matt Porter

Palm Beach Lakes senior Shamaz Quince was one of the better long and triple jumpers in the county entering her senior season. She figured she'd compete in those events in college.

Then one day early in the season, she started "messing around" with the hurdles. Palm Beach Lakes coach Jerome Groover, who produces quality jumpers and hurdlers every year, noticed her and raised an eyebrow.

"He said, 'Hey, you really can do this," Quince said.

That's an understatement.

Quince went from novice to standout with lightning speed, becoming the county champion in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Though she didn't qualify for states in the hurdles, she kept up her jumping technique. She took the county title in the triple jump before winning silver at regionals in both the long and triple jumps. At the Class 3A state meet in Jacksonville, she won bronze in the long jump and took sixth in the triple.

She was at her best in an MVP performance at the Palm Beach County Championships. She won the triple jump with a mark of 37 feet, 5 inches and won both hurdles races. She won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.49 seconds, then clocked 46.21 in the 300-meter finals. She also ran a leg on Lakes' silver-medal 1,600-meter relay. Lakes won the team title.

"Coming from not knowing how to do something, to being MVP of a meet like that was amazing," Quince said. "I adapted pretty fast. I'm proud of myself, but I have a lot to work on."

Quince, who is considering Akron, Michigan State and Savannah State, will try to do both jumps and hurdles in college. After the success she's had, why not?

"It was really my first year, so I couldn't be disappointed," Quince said. "I definitely have a lot of time to progress and get better."

~ matt_porter@pbpost.com

FIRST TEAM

MIRIAM PIERRE

Santaluces, Sr.

Dominated shot put (43 feet, 6 ½ inches) at Class 4A states.

CLAIRWIN DAMEUS

Santaluces, Sr.

Silver in 100, 300 hurdles at Class 4A states, anchored 1,600 relay (seventh).

ALEXA WOOD

Park Vista, Sr.

Took third in the triple jump, seventh in the long at Class 4A states.

ERIN FORD

Royal Palm Beach, Fr.

County champ in 100, 200; took fourth in the 400 at Class 4A states.

TIAH SANBORN

Lake Worth, Jr.

Finished tied for fifth in high jump (5-4) at Class 3A states.

KIMBERLY RUCH

King's Academy, Sr.

Silver (400 relay), bronze (100) and fifth (200) at 1A states; regional long jump gold.

STACEY DESTIN

Boynton Beach, Fr.

Class 3A regional champion in high jump at 5-foot-6.

COURTENEY ZBOYAN

Jupiter, Fr.

Won 3,200 at county championships, silver at regionals, seventh at states.

MEREDITH ANDERSON

Benjamin, Sr.

Gold in 1,600 at county championships and regionals, eighth at states.

DARNETT HILL

Pahokee, Sr.

Bronze in the long jump at Class 2A states, silver at regionals.

SECOND TEAM

Danielle Livingstone, Seminole Ridge, Soph.

Michelle Howell, Seminole Ridge, Jr.

Shakira Bartley, Lake Worth, Jr.

Ivana Ford, Suncoast, Fr.

Angela Alvarez, St. Andrew's, Sr.

Bianca Joseph, Suncoast, Soph.

Alexandria Jackson, Seminole Ridge, Jr.

Aluntrea Davis, Suncoast, Jr.

Fabrianna Nation, Glades Central, Soph.

Tatianna Etienne, Lake Worth, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Benjamin: Jeanelle Ackerman, Ariel Adams, Riley Burke, Taylor Cogsil, Alana Dresner, Meg Downy; Boca Raton: Olivia Nicholson; Boynton Beach: Marlee Francois; Cardinal Newman: Josie Paine; Dreyfoos: Jenna Meyers-Sinnett; Dwyer: Alexis Newkirk, Brianna Jackson, Mercedes Johnson, Shanice Pettigrew, Isha Richardson, Vanessa Ucelo; Glades Central: Berneta Boldon, Carvel Lawrence, Carnisha Michel, Tamara Nicholas; Inlet Grove: Alon Lewis; Jupiter: Lauren Geck, Shelby McCartney, Melissa Westmoreland; Jupiter Christian: Stephanie Kumler; King's Academy: Sarah Collins, Julia Corley, Avery Eddlemon, Tia Francavilla, Danielle Hurme, Ashley Pisciottano, Cat Urso, Katie Wentz; Lake Worth: Oneisha Glover; Palm Beach Central: Markeria Brown; Palm Beach Gardens: Jaylisha Griffith, Kelsey Nilsem; Palm Beach Lakes: Ashanty Cox, Shanovia Dove, Gina Louis; Park Vista: Laurel Brennan, Laura Davant, Samantha Dobson, Kaley Doyle, Sarah Olson, Kylie Steele, Yves Vaughn; Pope John Paul: Monica Falgons, Christine Sullivan; St. Andrew's: Amanda Ford; Santaluces: Camille Grant, Kerianne Saddler, Essence Williams; Seminole Ridge: Kiana Favors, Anisa Kornegayl, Yanisa Montour; Spanish River: Ellyn Snider; Suncoast: Yanique Brooks, Fabiana Ingram, Kayla Pratt, Stacey Wilson; Village Academy: Ingide Ossirus, Jazmine Patterson; Wellington: Morgan Campbell, Amber Radcliff.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jerome Groover

Palm Beach Lakes

Won county championships and placed eighth at Class 3A regionals

BEST OF THE TREASURE COAST

Centennial: Keshuntay Graham, Khayla Pannell; Fort Pierce Central: Larnique Collins, Lasonja Edwards, Jimeka Fair, Tiayona Hilliard, Ebony Joseph, Tiara Robinson; John Carroll: Hunter Sullivan; Lincoln Park: Stephanie Ball, Kelly Hensley, Tia-Rose Raymond, Kelly O'Hara; Martin County: Chantelle Brodie, Abby Remsburg; South Fork: Laurie Scott, Kelly Sime.