FACA Pre-Season XC Rankings

As the 2015 cross country season has just started coming together, it's about that time to start looking at who all of the top teams and individuals are around the state with our bi-weekly FACA State Rankings. Before we get rolling in the next few days, some of our pollster put together some Pre-Season Rankings just to highlight who they thought would be the top returners coming back.

Here's a small portion of what's to come in the weeks ahead...


3A Girls Rankings

By: Steve Farnsworth, Lecanto HS, farnsworthfarm@yahoo.com

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Pre-season rankings are largely based on 2014 PRs for 2015 returning runners, plus transfers and incoming freshmen when known. May be a bit biased toward Region 1 because of PRs from fast Region 1 meet; bias should disappear when 2015 times are used.

Rank, Team, Region = Comments

1. Ft. Myers, 3. The Green Wave have the best returning runners and are the pre-season favorites.

2. Chiles, 1. The Timberwolves could catch Ft. Myers if they develop a stronger No. 5 runner.

3. Columbia, 1. The Tigers have a solid group of returning runners

4. Ft. Walton Beach, 1. The Vikings have benefitted from a top transfer in Maddie Fulmer.

5. Niceville, 1. The Eagles look to have another strong team in 2015.

6. Creekside, 1. Despite losing 3 of their top 5 runners, the defending state champs are still a top-10 team.

7. Choctawhatchee, 1. The Choctaws' fortunes go up and down with those of the Lindsay sisters.

8. Nease, 1. A solid team, but may struggle to get out of tough Region 1.

9. St. Augustine, 1. Despite having the top runner in the state, this team needs more depth to get out its region.

10. Ocala Vanguard, 2. Although they lost their top two runners, the Knights should get back to the state meet.

11. Merritt Island, 4. The Mustangs are projected to be the top team in Region 4, even with graduation losses.

12. Ponte Vedra, 1. Another good team that will struggle to get out of a tough region.

13. Estero, 3. The Wildcats have a strong top 3, but need better 4 and 5 runners to move into the top ten.

14. Seabreeze, 2. The Sandcrabs are projected to be the number two team in Region 2.

15. Land O'Lakes, 2. The Gators have no star runners, but are a solid team that runs in a tight pack.

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: Pre-season rankings are based on a combination of 2014 XC PR, 2014 state meet time, and 2015 3200 time, and may not completely agree with the 2014 PR posted.

Rank, Name, Grade, Team, 2014 XC PR / Comments

1. Kelly Aponte, 12, St. Augustine, 18:17. Top returning runner from 2014 state meet, finishing 2nd.

2. Emma Tucker, 12, Chiles, 18:44. 3rd in 2014 state meet, strong 2015 track season.

3. Tara Openshaw, 10, Creekside, 18:23. Will try to improve on superb freshman year.

4. Kara Funke, 11, Leesburg, 18:45. Fourth at 2014 state meet, seems to have an advantage on hilly courses.

5. Devin Molloy, 11, Barron Collier, 18:21. Up and down runner capable of putting up great times.

6. Alexandra Wallace, 12, Chiles, 18:53. Second in the 3200 at state meet.

7. Kristin Gear, 11, Ft. Myers, 18:46. State 1600 champ, needs to show she's as strong at longer distances.

8. Lauren Stanford, 11, Bartram Trail, 18:33. Had a great 2014 XC season and looks to improve in 2015.

9. Breeana Salcedo, 12, Estero, 18:45. Part of Estero's state championship 4 x 800 team.

10. Kianna Bonnet, 12, Seabreeze, 18:43. A very tough runner when not limited by injuries.

11. Bridget Morse, 10, Columbia, 18:52. Should improve on a very strong freshman year.

12. Claire Farnsworth, 12, Lecanto, 18:39. Had a tough 2014 state meet, looking for redemption in 2015.

13. Daley Cline, 12, Estero, 19:03. Somewhat better at shorter distances, but still a very good XC runner.

14. Claire Crist, 11, Niceville, 18:45. The leader of the strong Niceville squad.

15. Megan Giovaniello, 11, Estero, 18:45. Hasn't raced much, but puts up good times when she does.

16. Katie Potts, 12, Nease, 19:01. Ran very well at the end of the 2014 XC season.

17. Abby Fisher, 10, Ft, Myers, 18:50. One of the reasons the Green Wave is ranked No. 1.

18. Emily Onimus, 12, St. Augustine, 18:52. Kelly Aponte's best friend and running partner.

19. Maggie Parrish, 12, Chamberlain, 19:14. Top girl 3A runner in the Tampa Bay area.

20. Emma Rudman, 12, Ft. Walton Beach, 18:59. Capable of moving much higher if she regains 2013 form.



2A Boys Rankings

By: Bryan Garcia, H.B. Plant High School, bcgfalcons@yahoo.com

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Cross country season is once again upon us! I took into account cross country and track times when evaluating how to rank teams. 2A has changed a great deal in a year, but Trinity Prep is the one consistent as they look to win their 3rd team state championship in a row. TP could be looking at one of the best teams to ever walk through it's hallowed halls and is the favorite in Region 2. However, Satellite will definitely make things interesting with the addition of Coach Butler and crew. With the team SHS has put together, they will be a strong runner-up contender. Pine Crest looks like they will be fighthing them for the runner-up trophy this season and also turning Region 4 into an all out war. Labelle is the top team in Region 3 with a solid 1-2 punch up front. Bishop Kenny and Bolles will be a in a similar fight as SHS and PC in Region 1. This year promises to be a good one!

Rank. (Previous Rank) Team, Region = Comments

1. Trinity Prep, Dist. 8; Reg. 2 = The clear favorite, TP looks ready for a state championship run. They have 3 sub 9:40/3 state medalists in the 3200m from the spring leading the team and are 10:08 at 5.

2. Pine Crest, Dist. 15; Reg. 4 = PC will be in position for a podium run in 2015. Won the 2A 4x8 state title, which returns 3 individuals including a 3200m state medalist, plus a seperate 3200m state medalist.

3. Satellite, Dist. 13; Reg. 4 = By far the most intriguing team in 2A. Satellite has not made it to the State Meet since 2008 which will inevitably, this year will be different as they will compete for a podium finish.

4. Labelle, Dist. 12; Reg. 3 = Labelle has 2 top 20 returners from cross country last season, which includes 1 state medalist in the 1600m in the spring. Another top 5 finish seems likely.

5. Bishop Kenny, Dist. 4; Reg. 1 = At the State Meet in the fall, they had the best 1-5 time split at 27 seconds. Their top 5 3200m times were seperated by 16 seconds (9:58-10:14). BK is one to watch.

6. Bolles, Dist. 4; Reg. 1 = Possibly the youngest team in the state, experience will not deter Bolles. They had 6 guys sub 11 in the 3200 and a frontrunner that looks to make them one of the best in the state.

7. Calvary Chr., Dist. 13; Reg. 4 = It doesn't hurt to have the defending state champion on your team. Along with Joel Lacy, this team has a good, young core of runners. Look for back to back to 10 finishes.

8. Ransom Ever., Dist. 16; Reg.4 = With senior Gabriel Correa leading RE, look for a top 10 finish. They are bringing back 5 sub 5 minute 1600 guys back from the spring and will look for a top 10 finish.

9. West FL. TC., Dist. 1; Reg.1 = West Florida Tech was 16th at the State Meet last season. They had a meet Saturday with 4 guys under 18 minutes to start the season. This is a core that will look for the top 10.

10. Immokalee, Dist. 12; Reg. 3 = Immokalee is bringing back a strong core of runners. What seems to be an endless run of individual front runners, Alejandro Ruiz will hope to lead this team to another top 10 finish.

11. Lemon Bay, Dist. 11; Reg. 3 = Coming off the 2014 cross country season, Lemon Bay will be in contention for a top 10 finish. They will be fighting it out with Lely and Immokalee in Region 2.

12. Lely; Dist. 12; Reg. 3 = Moving in from 3A, Lely was 8th in a tough 3A Region 3. This team had a great track season and will be in a tight fight for with Lemon Bay and Immokalee.

13. Titusville, Dist. 13; Reg. 4 = Returning 2 time state medalist Mason Jones, Titusville will be looking for a strong 2015 season. Their in a competitive Region 4 and will have to be on their game late in the season.

14. Astronaut, Dist. 13; Reg. 4 = With a solid mix of veteran experience, Astronaut is looking for their first return to the State Meet since 2010. This team will have a top 15 shot if they can get out of a crazy Region 4.

15. Lake High. Pr., Dist. 8; Reg. 2 = After a 2014 top 15 finish, this team looks like it could be headed back their in 2015. With Anderson Bobo upfront, this team looks to be the next best team in Region 2 after TP.

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: When it comes to the 2A individuals, more things could not be up in the air. With Joel Lacy and Gabriel Correa, I have to assume they will be 1-2 in some order. But Trinity Prep's Big 3 cannot be counted out. Caleb Pottorff had a great track season and will ride that momentum into a top 5 spot. With the progress Satellite has made, it's hard to say that any of those guy's couldn't medal. State medals will be hard to come by in 2015!

Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade -- Team = Time / Comments

1. Joel Lacy, 12th - Calvary Christian = Lacy brings another 2 state medals from track the last since 2014. With the number 2 best returning time (15:45), watch for Lacy to win another state title.

2. Gabriel Correa, 12th - Ransom Everglades = The fastest returner (15:42), Correa medaled with a 3rd place finish. He was the runner-up last year, but expect him to be all up in it in November.

3. Jesse Millson, 12th - Trinity Prep = Millson's insane track season has to at least place him 3rd. He was 7th last year at the State Meet in 2014, but went 9:27 in the 3200m in the spring to finish 2nd.

4. Chas Cook, 12th - Trinity Prep = Cook went back to back with Millson at the State Meet in the spring in the 3200m (9:28). Went 15:41 in May on the track and is a contender for a state title.

5. Caleb Pottorff, 11th - Lincoln Park = Pottorff brings back both the best 1600m (4:19) and 3200m (9:26) time in 2A. After placing 4th at the State Meet in the spring, he too is in the state title run.

6. Trent Mandato, 11th - Trinity Prep = Placing 4th last year (16:00), Mandato went 9:39 in the 3200m in the spring and then later medaled to place 7th. Could be headed for another top 5 finish in November.

7. Mason Jones, 11th - Titusville = Picked up 6th place finishes last fall (16:10) and in the 3200m in the spring (9:41). Jones is capable of running with just about anyone in the state on any given day.

8. Michael Kennedy, 11th - Pine Crest = After finishing 9th last fall (16:21), Kennedy had a great track season going 9:36 for 3200m. He placed 5th in the spring and will look for a similar result in the fall.

9. Trevor Kattenberg, 11th -- Satellite = The most intriguing runner in 2A, Kattenberg went 5th in 1A (16:12) and went 15:51 at Foot Locker last fall. 9:39 3200m in 2014; 9:56 to place 8th this past spring.

10. Antonio Gomez, 10th -- Frostproof = The only returner to double at the State Meet in the spring, Gomez was 5th in 1600 (4:29) and 12th in 10:02 3200. Look for the sophomore to add another state medal.

11. Ryan Welch, 12th - Pine Crest = Welch had one of the biggest break outs of anyone in 2A in the spring. He finished 32nd last fall before picking up his first state medal in the 3200m in 9:43.

12. Omar Figueroa, 12th -- Labelle = Finished 5th in the spring in the 1600m in 4:29. Figueroa started cross country last year finishing 18th (16:31) and he could very well be in the top 10 in 2015.

13. Sidney Perry, 12th - Satellite = Perry didn't qualify for the State Meet last year, but busted out a 9:49 3200m performance this spring. He is another guy that is one great day away from a state medal.

14. Charles Hicks, 9th -- Bolles = The only freshmen to find the top 25, Hicks ran 9:56 in the spring as an 8th grader to finish 10th in the 3200m at the State Meet. He has a great shot at the top 15.

15. Alejandro Ruiz, 12th -- Immokalee = Finshed 17th last fall (16:30) and then placed 11th in the 3200 at the State Meet (9:59). Ruiz will be in the hunt for a top 15 finish in November.

16. Trevor Foley, 10th -- Hernando = The defending Region 2 champion (16:34). He placed 13th in the 1600m in the spring to qualify that saw his freshmen year include PR's of 4:26 and 9:53 in the 3200.

17. Austin Camps, 11th - West Shore = Camps finished 8th last fall in 16:16, following that up with a 16:12 at Foot Locker. With a 10:07 3200m PR, you cannot count this kid out of a shot at a state medal.

18. Leonal Ochoa, 11th - Berkeley Prep = With a 16th place in the fall (16:30), Ochoa will be looking for another top 20 finish. He went 10:01 in the spring in the 3200m and will be a guy to watch in Region 3.

19. Preston Copenhaver, 11th - Trinity Prep = With a big Foot Locker race last fall (16:28) and a 10:08 3200m PR in the spring, Copenhaver is looking to make big strides (pun intended) toward a top 20 finish.

20. Jake Gilbert, 12th - Pine Crest = Finishing 28th last cross country season (16:46), Gilbert had a great track season going 10:01 for the 3200m. The senior will make a big push for the top 20 in 2015.

21. Patrick Salas, 11th - Trinity Prep = Wrapping up one of the deepest Trinity Prep team's ever, Salas went 16:49 last fall. He followed that up with a 10:05 3200m and ran 16:38 for the 5,000 in the spring.

22. Egan Kattenberg, 11th -- Satellite = Finishing 15th in 1A last year, Kattenberg has a PR of 16:15. He went 10:01 in the 3200m in the spring. He will be aiming for a top 20 finish again this fall.

23. Nic Jacobsen, 12th - St. Andrews = Jacobsen ran 16:16 last fall and then went 4:27 in the 1600m and 9:58 in the 3200m in the spring. The senior will be vying for a top 20 position in November.

24. Anderson Bobo, 12th - Lake Highland Prep = Bobo had a strong track season with PR's of 4:34 in the 1600m and 9:56 in the 3200m. He ran 16:27 last fall and should be in the top 25 by seasons end.

25. Enrique Jimenez, 12th -- Labelle = Jimenez is coming off of his first cross country season that saw him finish in 16:31 at the State Meet to place 19th. His second year should see the senior finish in the top 25 once again in 2015.

Notable name(s) left off:

John Caccitore transferred to Satellite High School for the fall. The junior ran 9:47 in the spring for the 3200m and placed 18th in the fall in 1A (16:53). He followed that up with a 16:16 finish at Foot Locker. He had an up and down track season, but could bust it out under Coach Butler and be a top 20 guy in 2015.

Danny Ferro was 14th at the State Meet last fall. He had a good track season running 4:40 for the 1600 and 10:24 for the 3200, but we will have to see if that translates into another top 15 finish this season.



3A Boys Rankings

By: Eric Pino, Christopher Columbus HS, epino@columbushs.com

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Being new to this and not too familiar with the 3A classification, I thought the best way to come up with ranking was using a combination of FLRunners database tools such as a 3A Virtual meet (all teams), a virtual meet of last year's State Meet (using only those teams), as well as mile and 2 mile times from Track Season. If there were transfers or additions that I'm not aware of, I will be after the racing gets underway. These rankings were done prior to any week 1 training.

This year seems to be a 2 team race for the win, followed by two, 2 team pockets fighting amongst each other to round out the top 6. The field opens up from there.

Rank. (Previous Rank) Team, Region = Comments

1. (N/A) Belen Jesuit, 4 = Mirror images of Creekside as I see it. There is a 2 sec difference in total time (based off PR) over Creekside which is incidental. Each runner is separated by less than 7 seconds (5 of the 7 are less than 3 secs apart). I give Belen a slight edge right now because of the amount of seniors they have and how often they've competed at the highest level (plus I know they have a farm of runners that can step up).

2. (N/A) Creekside, 1 = Mirror image of Belen (see notes above). 5/7 runners are juniors which is a could be dangerous for Belen if the boys matured physically and make that jump sometimes seen Soph to Junior year. What Creekside does have on Belen is 1-5 split that is 5 secs faster (based on PR). Is 5 secs a big deal? Probably not but when it's this close, it may be enough.

50 point drop on different virtual meets to the next tier.

3. (N/A) Ocala Vangaurd, 2 = They'll lead the chase pack behind the front 2. The are in sight of the top teams up front but as 4,5,6 start to tally up they begin to fall behind. If you look at their team average it is 7secs behind the front 2 but that's because of the amazing work that Fitzpatrick puts in the front with a 15:35 PR. With 4 under 16:35 they'll be up top all year. Sometimes this can be a good motivation for the rest of the train to shorten the gap.

4. (N/A) Chiles HS, 1 = The difference between Ocala & Chiles is the 1 & 5. Runners 2,3,4 are neck and neck. The gap to Joey is hard to close but #5 & 6 can always make big moves. They also seam to have a deeper team by having their 6 & 7 under 18 as opposed to their counterparts in Ocala. Another team to be applauded with 4 under 16:35.

50 point drop on different virtual meets to the next tier.

5. (N/A) Fort Myers HS, 3 = The leader of the next small pocket. This is closer than the Belen/Creekside battle up top. The first 3 guys are identical to BTs and though their 4 trails by a little they do have the faster 5 and when the 5 is going to score in the 100s, it's usually the faster 5 that seems to win.

6. (N/A) Bartram Trail, 1 = Just steps behind Ft. Myers & also with 3 under 17 is BT. They do have the better 4 over FM & their 6 & 7 are faster in case anyone should go down throughout the season but the role of the 5th is what decides things in these place ranges.

100-130 point drop on different virtual meets to the next tier. I have 3 different virtuals with 3 completely different results for the next 5. Needless to say, it's going to be a close top 10 rounding out.

7. (N/A) Liberty HS, 2 = They are way ahead of the next 4 teams if you go 4 deep…and even though you don't I still think the gap is big enough for them to hold off the rest (I know it contrary to my previous argument but different circumstance). They are lower on some virtuals and breakdowns but once it becomes a 24 team race it changes the circumstance.

8. (N/A) Niceville, 1 = A very close pack of 4 leading the way just 16s apart gives them the chance to stay in the top 10 but what holds them back is missing a front runner. They have the 2nd slowest #1 time out of the top 18 schools. The upside of this is having more runners with an opportunity to make up ground. Most programs have a 1 that even with a large improvement only makes up a few points, Niceville has 4 guys that together can make up a lot of ground.

9. (N/A) Ponte Vedra, 1 = Having 2 guys in the 16s gives them a chance to make the top 10.

10. (N/A) Gainesville, 2 = The fastest 1-2 punch of the pack but they are also the only team in the pack scoring over 100 with their 4 & 5.

11. (N/A) Viera, 4 = They have a nice team average with their 2-5 coming in 20 seconds apart but they need to move up the pack to get in the top 10.

12. (N/A) Pace, 1 = 1 guy way clear of the 17 mark and the rest of the floating around with a 1730 avg is good but needs to continue to progress to crack top 10.

13. (N/A) Fort Walton beach HS, 1 = 3 in the 16s is only something that 8 teams in 3A can do. As most teams around this level, they need some of the 4-7 to step up.

14. (N/A) Land O'Lakes HS, 2 = 38 sec split 1-5 and only 10 more to their 7th is awesome.

15. (N/A) Leon HS, 1 = 1 in the 15s, and 2 in the 16s is great. 4 & 5 cannot be in the top 18s to contend for a top 10 spot. They need those guys to shoot down to have a chance. Perhaps an incoming freshman could help.

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: I went with a virtual meet on this one, using some "compare athletes" functions to do some close calls. If there was injury keeping the athlete back I apologize for not being informed.

Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade -- Team = Time / Comments

1. (N/A) Steven Cross, 12-- Merritt Island HS = 15:01 Best in the state. 15:01.

2. (N/A) Joey Fitzpatrick, 10 = 15:35 Ocala Vanguard = spent most of the season in the 16:00s and then dropped into the 15s for states and the post season.

3. (N/A) Adam Wallenfelsz, 12 -- Leon HS = 15:35 Was a bit inconsistent with times in the 15,16,& 17 last year. Shows the impressive potential when he's on.

4. (N/A) Nicholas Deal, 11 -- Creekside HS = 15:59 Spent the last 6 races of the season in the low 16 & shined brightest at regions and footlocker.

5. (N/A) Jaime Lopez, 12 -- 16:01Belen Jesuit Preparatory School = Edges out Joshua because head to head record against each other.

6. (N/A) Joshua Collins, 10 -- 16:01.20 Belen Jesuit Preparatory School = Always within 10s of his team mate. As he matures we'll likely see large strides.

7. (N/A) Jonathan Jackson, 12- Nease HS = 15:49 Great PR but that was 26s faster than any other time he ran all year.

8. (N/A) Marshal Dillon, 12 -- Charlotte HS = 16:01.85 Amazingly consistent season spending the majority of the year in the 16s and then PRing when it mattered at the ARP.

9. (N/A) Matthew Clark, 11 -- Creekside HS = 16:04 Another athlete whose best attribute may be his consistency. 16s all year and a 16:04, 16:05, & 16:06 in 3 of his 4 post season races.

10. (N/A) Austin Dodson, 12 -- Chiles HS = 16:05

11. (N/A) Blake Lowery, 12 -- Gainesville HS = 16:06

12. (N/A) Austin Camps, 11 -- West Shore = 16:12

13. (N/A) Jordan Bubar, 12 -- Bartram Trail HS = 16:12

14. (N/A) Stephen Fedec, 12 -- Ft. Myers HS = 16:17

15. (N/A) Sam Shaffer, 12 -- Viera HS = 16:17

16. (N/A) Redondo Beauplan, 12 Bellview HS = 16:19

17. N/A) Matthew Cashin, 11 -- Leon HS = 16:22 He was 2:2 last year vs Bruno so he gets the nod

18 (N/A) Bruno Zayas, 12 -- Belen Jesuit Preparatory School = 16:22

19. (17. (N/A) Gavin Gresham, 12 --Ponte Vedra = 16:22

20. (N/A) Joseph Storey, 11-- Creekside HS = 16:24



4A Boys Rankings

By: Jorge Fleitas, Dr. Phillips HS, jfleitas28@gmail.com

Team Rankings:

Rank. Team = Comments

1. Lyman - can score 14 pts between 3 guys. I believe this make them untouchable. These guys have been working all summer and I just don't see anyone catching them....

2. Columbus - with the Gables transfer this team has a great 1,2, and 3. Any other year and Columbus takes home the trophy but I think they fall short to Lyman

3. St. Thomas- on paper they should win! But without coach Trish Butler at the helm I see them out of a podium spot... The word threw the grape vine is she is returning to FTL.

4. Winter Park - the park has the potential to win it all, but they don't have a front runner in the top 10. That my friends place them in the 4th slot.

5. Sarasota- welcome to 4A!!! Less aggressive up front than 3A but, the depth that 4A brings will shock you... I believe the newbies end up in the 5th slot in November...

6. Freedom- this team had a breakout track season... On paper they should be the #1 team! They have 4 guys under 10:06 in the 3200...

7. Ferguson- pack running will make Ferguson a force in 2015 but they will need a front runner to make a podium finish...

8. Coral Reef- they are just as good as Lyman and Columbus threw #4 the problem is can they find a #5....

9. Sickles- Always find a way to place in the top half of the field at the state meet... The Gryphons bring back a nice young team that has the potential to drop a lot of time...

10. Mandarin- led by Liberty should round up the top 10 in 2015... But this may be a long shot pending if they can make it out of the Region of Death....check out the next 8 teams to look out for... They all come from Region 1...

In the hunt in alphabetical order:

Boone, Dr. Phillips, Flagler Palm Coast, John I Leonard, Lake Mary, Lake Nona, Olympia, West Orange, and Winter Springs.

Good Luck this season and Have fun!!!




Notes:

- Due to the flrunners change in website formatting, our old ranking templates became useless and after multiple hours of trying to modify the old templates, I started a new one from scratch that should hopefully work. Unfortunately because of this, not every pollster put together a pre-season ranking, only those who had spent some extra time on their own compiling information.

- Please remember that all of these rankings are done by volunteers and are meant to increase the overall enjoyment of the sport for athletes, coaches, parents, and fans. They are just for fun and should not have a lot of weight put on them. But if you have issues (such as a missed athlete or team), please email the individual pollster for your classification / gender.

- Please direct any major concerns to Flrunners Administrator / FACA Rankings Representative: Coach Ryan Raposo- ryanraposo@gmail.com