Broward 4A-3A boys’ track athlete of the year: Braylen Bennett, American Heritage junior

Braylen Bennett lit up the track scene this year for American Heritage.

The Patriots junior, who was instrumental in the school winning the 4A state football championship in the fall, closed out his junior campaign with three more state championship medals in track.

“I think the season was good,” said Bennett, who came back from a hip injury in his freshman year that plagued him through last year as well, forcing him to continue with physical therapy. “As this season went on, my times kept dropping. I felt I was getting better, stronger, and faster by the end.”

Bennett said he grew up watching former Heritage wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, who also ran track. He was a world-class sprinter who signed with the Cleveland Browns after playing at Auburn. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins last summer before being placed on injured reserve.

“I watched him growing up, and he is one of the reasons I came here because I could do both (sports),” said Bennett, who plays cornerback on the gridiron. “I feel like I am 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 team, along with brother Brandon, Cayden Smith and Amare Nugent, at the weather-plagued 3A state track and field championship meet at the University of North Florida.

They didn’t break the state meet record of 39.39, which the school set in 2024 (Bennett was a part of that relay, too), but they came close as they clocked a state-best 40.46 and helped the Patriots to a sixth-place team finish.

“This season showed me I am more capable of what I thought I could be,” Bennett said. “I always knew I was good at the sport, but this year showed me how really good I can be. It made my confidence higher.”

Bennett, who is still undecided on a college and expects some clarity this summer after taking his visits and playing in a multitude of 7-on-7s and going to football camps, would like to play football and run in college.

“Winning those two events was big,” said American Heritage coach Greg Bryant. “I kind of saw that coming after we ran the E16 (The Ellis Elite 16 Track and Field Invitational), his mindset just went to another level. It was just rising and rising and rising. I knew the times would come.”