Dreams were crushed when sophomore Jared Hayes fell right before the finish line at the regional track meet that took place in Pompano Beach.

“I was so in shock,” Hayes said. “I was lying on the floor and couldn’t even process what had just happened”

Hayes spent months preparing for the race and was expected to move on to the state track meet.

“I was really disappointed and discouraged at first,” he said. “But after I cooled down and stepped back and looked at the bigger picture, I realized that I just need to come back next year stronger and faster than ever before”

Sophomore Brandon Benitez was also there to witness the race.

“My heart broke when I saw him fall,” Benitez said. “You could hear everyone in the stands gasp when it happened because he was so close to finishing.”

By Kenzie Scott