YOUNG BLOOD

LAKEWOOD RANCH — It’s a feat rarely accomplished by an individual athlete.

In fact, more often than not, an athlete can go his or her entire prep career without winning a district title, advancing to the playoffs or competing for a state championship.

And yet for Lakewood Ranch sophomore Devin McDermott and freshmen Kristin Zarrella and Ashley Platt, competing in state meets has become almost commonplace.

On May 7, the girls helped lead the Lady Mustangs track and field team to a ninth-place finish at the Class 3A state finals in Winter Park — their third state meet of the year.

“To get to go to states for three different things — few people get to do that, so we’re really lucky,” Zarrella said.

Zarrella led the way for the Lady Mustangs, finishing third in the 1,600-meter run (5:05.47) and sixth in the 3,200-meter run (11:29.50) before anchoring the 3,200-meter relay, which also included Platt and fellow freshmen Olivia Ortiz and Natalie Novak, to a third-place finish.

Ortiz finished seventh in both the 1,600 and 3,200, while Novak finished sixth in the 800 and 15th in the 1,600 relay, which also included McDermott, freshman Sarah Wolfe and senior Kristen Hagaman.

While McDermott competed in the state track meet last season as a freshman, Zarrella and Platt got their first taste of state competition this past fall during cross country season. After winning nearly every meet throughout the season and capturing county, district and regional titles, the girls found themselves ranked third in the state.

In their first state meet of the year — and for Zarrella and Platt the first state meet of their prep careers — McDermott, Zarrella and Platt helped power the girls cross country team to a second-place finish at the Class 3A state finals Nov. 21.

“Cross country wasn’t expected to go to states — let alone do as well as we did,” Platt said. “I didn’t even think I could run.”

Zarrella agreed.

“That (cross country) was my first experience at states, and I was really excited,” she said. “I love the cross country team and I was (glad) we were able to experience it together.”

Three months later, the girls were back at it. Following their historic cross country season, they joined the Lady Mustangs varsity soccer team. Although at the time, the girls had no idea they would be making history yet again.

On Feb. 10, the girls participated in their second state meet of the season, as the girls soccer team advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals.

“It’s exciting to see the different aspects of each sport,” McDermott said. “It’s interesting to see all the different players and to go with (different) groups. You’re doing something different each time, so it’s always an exciting experience.”

Now with track season officially over and their third state meet behind them, McDermott, Zarrella and Platt will take a short break before spending the summer training for the upcoming cross country season and another run at a state championship.

“A lot of people say how amazing it is,” McDermott said of competing in three state meets. “We have so much talent, and it’s just going to carry on from year to year. So it makes you wonder what we’ll be able to do in years to come.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].