Student athletes from three Diocese of Venice Catholic high schools recently competed at the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships on May 6 and 7, 2026, at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
Aaron Kleuner, a graduating senior at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, is the javelin class 2a state champion with a throw of 58.95 meters (193-feet 5-inches). The next best throw in the competition was 54.32 meters (178-feet 2-inches).
Bishop Verot sent 12 athletes to the competition, with the senior Jadrien Carmo, taking second in the 400 dash, with a time of 46.63, and third in the 200 dash, with a time of 21.12. Overall, the Verot boys team combined to finish seventh out of 66 teams.
A day earlier, in the 1a competition on May 6, athletes represented St. John Neuman Catholic High School in Naples. Senior Logan Bartelt placed second in the 800, with a time of 1:55.15 (second by .13 seconds). Another senior, Mason Armstrong, took fifth in the shot put with a throw of 15.05 meters (49-feet 41/2-inches). The two athletes earned enough points for the team to finish 21st among 49 teams.
Also, at the 2a competition, Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota entered 18 athletes. The boy’s 4×100 relay team finished seventh.
In weightlifting, also making states was Kaleb Exume of Cardinal Mooney, who participated in the 1a finals on May 6, at RP Funding Arena in Lakeland. In the unlimited weight class, Kaleb finished second in both the Traditional format, with a combined lift of 680 pounds, and second in the Olympic format, with a combined lift of 545 pounds.
Congratulations to all of the student athletes at the Diocesan Catholic high schools for having an outstanding year!
