Braylen Bennett lit up the monitor scene this yr for American Heritage.
The Patriots junior, who was instrumental within the faculty profitable the 4A state soccer championship within the fall, closed out his junior marketing campaign with three extra state championship medals in monitor.
“I believe the season was good,” stated Bennett, who got here again from a hip harm in his freshman yr that plagued him by means of final yr as effectively, forcing him to proceed with bodily remedy. “As this season went on, my occasions stored dropping. I felt I used to be getting higher, stronger, and sooner by the top.”
Bennett stated he grew up watching former Heritage vast receiver Anthony Schwartz, who additionally ran monitor. He was a world-class sprinter who signed with the Cleveland Browns after enjoying at Auburn. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins final summer season earlier than being positioned on injured reserve.
“I watched him rising up, and he is likely one of the causes I got here right here as a result of I might do each (sports activities),” stated Bennett, who performs cornerback on the gridiron. “I really feel like I’m carrying on what he did.”
Bennett captured the 100-meter (10.59), and 200-meter dashes (20.66) and was a member of the first-place 4×100 relay workforce, together with brother Brandon, Cayden Smith and Amare Nugent, on the weather-plagued 3A state monitor and subject championship meet on the College of North Florida.
They didn’t break the state meet file of 39.39, which the college set in 2024 (Bennett was part of that relay, too), however they got here shut as they clocked a state-best 40.46 and helped the Patriots to a sixth-place workforce end.
“This season confirmed me I’m extra able to what I believed I could possibly be,” Bennett stated. “I at all times knew I used to be good on the sport, however this yr confirmed me how actually good I could be. It made my confidence larger.”
Bennett, who remains to be undecided on a school and expects some readability this summer season after taking his visits and enjoying in a large number of 7-on-7s and going to soccer camps, want to play soccer and run in faculty.
“Successful these two occasions was massive,” stated American Heritage coach Greg Bryant. “I type of noticed that coming after we ran the E16 (The Ellis Elite 16 Monitor and Discipline Invitational), his mindset simply went to a different degree. It was simply rising and rising and rising. I knew the occasions would come.”
