Bogie's Baxter soars above Pinellas pack

At the state track meet, the Times' track athlete of the year tied the high jump record, placed sixth in the triple jump and helped the 4x100 relay to second place.

By BOB PUTNAM

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 30, 2000

Jimmy Baxter never intended to win medals or break state records when he tried out for track four years ago.

His main goal was to dunk a basketball.

"I was so frustrated because I couldn't dunk my freshman year," Baxter said. "I'd go up for a jam and the ball would just bounce out of the rim."

Baxter said he figured he needed to work on his leg strength, so he participated in running events. But it wasn't until he tried the high jump that he really started to soar.

Four years later, Baxter can jam. The senior from Boca Ciega won the dunk contest at the Pinellas County All-Star Game in March.

His feats in track are even greater.

This season, Baxter twice was most valuable athlete in field events, and tied the state record in the high jump at 7 feet, 2 inches during the regular season.

To make it stand in the record books, though, he would have to jump that height again at the state meet.

He did.

Baxter cleared 7-2 at the state meet, a height that Naples' Joseph Squittieri equaled. Because Baxter cleared his first, he won the state title.

He wasn't finished. He attempted 7-4, a mark that would have made him eligible for an Olympic qualifier. He barely missed, nipping the bar with his heel on his final two attempts.

Baxter had another shot at 7-4 at the Golden South Invitational in Orlando on Saturday. He missed again, but did beat his nemesis, Squittieri, whom he had tied at the regional meet and at state.

Although the high jump was where Baxter made his highest marks, he also performed in other events. At the Class 3A state meet in Gainesville, he finished sixth in the triple jump and ran the first leg on the 4x100 relay team that took second and broke a school record with a time of 42.30 seconds.

For his all-around efforts, Baxter is the Times' All-Pinellas County Boys Track Athlete of the Year.

"I'm happy I was able to do the things I did this year," Baxter said. "I'm not done, though. I plan to do even more."

A USF signee in basketball, Baxter also plans to participate in track. He said he can surpass 7-4, maybe go as high as 7-6 next year.

"There's no telling what I can do," he said.

The Times' Boys Track Coach of the Year is St. Petersburg Catholic's Jeff Ehlert. Dealing with injuries and illnesses throughout the year, Ehlert still guided the Barons to their first district title and a fifth-place showing at the regional.

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