JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cyrus Ways didn’t worry about state records or winning championships.
Ways measured his success in progress.
And there was a lot of it.
Ways, the All-News4JAX boys track and field athlete of the year, won every hurdles event that he competed in during his final season. That included a double gold in the Class 4A state meet, winning the 110 and 300 hurdles in state-leading times. Ways’ times of 13.53 in the 110 at state ranks fourth in the country. His 36.26 in the 300 ranks sixth.
Ways didn’t base success on gold medals or records though. He measured success in his own metrics as an athlete.
“I wasn’t planning on it. I was putting in the work so it just worked out like that,” said the Penn State signee.
Going low at state wasn’t even the most memorable moment of Ways’ career. He said that came before in his final track meet before the pandemic put the brakes on the sporting world in 2020. There, Ways turned in a PR in the 400 by a second and a half. It was progress, and a significant high to end on.
Ways has been around track as long as he can remember, and he’s had two good role models in front of him to lead the way.
His brother, Ceolamar, nine years older, was a star at Nease, signed with North Carolina and earned multiple All-America honors there. He still holds Nease records in four individual events and three relays. Cyrus’ sister Chloe, six years older than him, still holds one school record in the 200 and was on three relay teams that remain Nease recordholders. He credits his brother as
“Definitely a big influence. He always kind of gave me like a benchmark of where I needed to be at,” Ways said. “He always made me like raise my standards because he was always accomplishing more and doing better.”
The big difference between the three — Cyrus deviated from the traditional Ways sprinting path and forged his own dominant identity. While he began focusing on sprints like his brother and sister — 100, 200, 400 — Ways was introduced to the hurdles early in life. It just wasn’t at the forefront of his focus. Ways was far more into the long and high jump events than he was sprinting or hurdling.
“So, I started off with like, just sprinting and doing long jump and high jump. And then I started like, really excelling in high jump and long jump so they just tried to throw me in the hurdles and see if I can translate that springiness and it ended up working out.”
Ways stopped doing the high jump last year, a tough sacrifice and a necessary one. That allowed him to focus solely on perfecting his form and times in the hurdles.
It was a move that paid off. Ways said the motivation to specialize in the hurdles was how the transition came naturally to him.
“I would say how easily it came in the beginning. Because I kind of got the form down quicker than most people can. Hurdles is an acquired taste. So, some people are built for hurdling and some people aren’t. But they just put me in it so early. I got the hang of it very easy.”
Ways won all seven 110 hurdles events that he competed in this year, including the state meet, the Florida Relays and the prestigious Bob Hayes, Ways’ personal headliner. He took five wins in the 300 hurdles, including the Hayes meet.
All-News4JAX boys track and field team
FIRST TEAM
Event, Athlete, School, Class, Notable
100: Traunard Folson, Jackson, Sr.: Ran a PR of 10.43 to win region meet. Took third in Class 2A state meet.
200: Christian Miller, Creekside, So.: PR of 10.47 came in the Bob Hayes. District champ and region runner-up finished fourth in Class 4A state meet.
400: David Terry, Sandalwood, Sr.: District and region champ ran a PR of 48.14. Finished third in 4A state meet.
800: Rheinhardt Harrison, Nease, Sr.: One of the most decorated athletes in state history. Clocked a state-leading low of 1:48.05 this year. Won Class 4A state title.
1600: Aidan Ryan, Bolles, Jr.: State champ with a PR of 4:14.53 in 2A meet. District and region champ, too.
3200: Matthew Stratton, St. Johns CD, Sr.: State champ. Ran PR of 9:06.84. Won five of six events this season.
110 hurdles: Cyrus Ways, Nease, Sr.: All-News4JAX athlete of the year. Penn State signee. State-leading time of 13.53 to win Class 4A state title.
300 hurdles: Cyrus Ways, Nease, State-best time of 36.26 to win Class 4A state title. All-News4JAX athlete of the year. Penn State signee.
High jump: Omarr Dixon, Providence, So.: PR of 6-5 came in Episcopal invitational meet. Finished 4th in 1A state meet.
Long jump: Noah Straley, Bishop Kenny, Sr.: PR of 23-2 came in Thursday Night Spikes. Took 5th at 2A state meet.
Triple jump: Seth Stockton, Columbia, Jr.: PR of 47-6 came in winning Class 3A state meet.
Pole vault: Jonah Casey, Providence, Sr.: Had his PR of 14-5 in the Providence Invitational. State runner-up in 1A state meet.
Shot put: Logan Wylie, Bartram Trail, Sr.: PR of 53-6 came in fourth-place finish in 4A state meet.
Javelin: Henry Gainer, Ponte Vedra, Jr.: Had a PR of 175-6 to finish 3A state runner-up.
Discus: Nathan Lebowitz, Ponte Vedra, Jr.: Dominant season ended with 3A state title at throw of 177-3. Won 10 of 12 events this season.
400 relay: Bolles: Had a low of 42.04 to place 4th in 2A state meet.
1600 relay: Raines: Took 3rd in 3A state meet with a 3:14.89.
3200 relay: Creekside, Posted a state-best time of 7:46.86 to win Class 4A meet.
SECOND TEAM
Event, Athlete, School, Class, Notable
100: Christian Miller, Creekside, So.: Has a best of 10.47 in the Bob Hayes. District champ, region runner-up and 4th at 4A state meet.
200: Quincy Burroughs, Raines, Sr.: Had PR of 21.41 to take 6th in 3A state meet.
400: Noah Straley, Bishop Kenny, Sr.: Low of 48.38 came at Thursday Night Spikes. Took 7th at 2A state meet. Five other meets this year with runs in the 48s.
800: Jesse Benavides, Creekside, Sr.: PR of 1:53.95 came in a 7th-place finish in 4A state meet.
1600: Jesse Benavides, Creekside, Sr.: PR of 4:18.97 came in 6th-place finish in 4A state meet.
3200: Aidan Ryan, Bolles, Jr.: Class 2A state champ. District and region champ, too. PR of 9:10.38 came in FSU Relays.
110 hurdles: Harrison Robinson, Raines, Sr.: Back-to-back Class 3A state champ with a PR of 13.8. Appalachian State signee.
300 hurdles: Harrison Robinson, Raines, Sr.: Finished 7th in 2A state meet with PR of 38.68.
High jump: Antoine Sandy, Fleming Island, Sr.: PR of 6-3 came in Clay County championships. Finished 5th in 3A state meet.
Long jump: Chuwkuelo Modozie, Bartram Trail, Sr.: PR of 23-0 came in winning region. Took 4th in 4A state meet.
Triple jump: Reshawn Latimer, Raines, Sr.: PR of 46-9 came in runner-up jump at region. Took 4th in 3A state meet.
Pole vault: Samuel Martins, Bartram Trail, Sr.: State champ with a 14-3 in 4A meet.
Shot put: Dylan Freet, Tocoi Creek, Jr.: Best throw (53-3) came in winning district. Also region champ and 4th at 2A state meet.
Javelin: Garrison Beach, Suwannee, Sr.: Went 173-7 to PR in region runner-up finish. Class 2A state runner-up.
Discus: Wyatt Underwood, Middleburg, Jr.: Had a best of 164-2 in Middleburg invite.
400 relay: Jackson: Took 5th in 2A state meet with 42.09.
1600 relay: Flagler Palm Coast: Had low of 3:19.29 in runner-up effort in region.
3200 relay: Nease: Had 5th-place showing in 4A state meet with a 7:56.84.