Apopka’s track and field team saw two athletes punch their tickets to the state meet Saturday, as the Blue Darters competed in the Class 4A Region 1 Championships at Seminole High School. 

Senior Mandy Zheng and sophomore Jillian Davis each delivered qualifying performances, highlighting a smaller Apopka group that competed across multiple events. 

Zheng secured her spot in the state meet with a fourth-place finish in the girls high jump, clearing 1.57 meters. The mark was enough to earn one of the final qualifying positions, sending her to Jacksonville to represent the Blue Darters on the state stage. 

Sophomore D’Ari Harmon also competed in the event, clearing 1.47 meters and finishing just outside the scoring placements. 

On the track, Davis continued her strong postseason run in the girls 800-meter race. After dominating the district meet and finishing 7.57 seconds faster than the field, Davis placed fourth at regionals with a time of 2:17.82. Her performance held up through final qualifiers, officially earning her a berth at the state meet. 

Apopka also saw action in relay events and sprints, though participation was limited compared to the district meet. 

The girls 4×100 relay team — which captured a district title with a time of 48.72 — earned a spot but did not compete at regionals. The group consisted of Chloe Aungst, Fabianna Foga, Zheng and Harmon. 

On the boys side, the 4×100 relay team of Jakyvion Kemp, Johnson Navilsaint, Jalen Laster and Jayden Pierre placed 10th with a time of 42.86. The group had previously advanced out of districts after a tightly contested race, clocking a 42.65 to qualify. 

Freshman Fabianna Foga, one of Apopka’s top sprinters, earned a spot but did not compete in either the 200-meter or 400-meter races at regionals. At the district meet, she placed second in both events, running 57.85 in the 400 and 25.24 in the 200. 

In the girls 4×400 relay, Apopka finished ninth out of 16 teams with a time of 4:04.01. The team had entered regionals as district champions after posting a 3:59.31 the week prior. 

Despite a limited roster and some non-participants, Apopka was able to produce two state qualifiers and gain valuable postseason experience. 

Zheng and Davis will now represent the Blue Darters at the Class 4A state championships Saturday at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where they will compete against the top athletes in Florida to close out the season.