David And Goliath Showdown Highlights Anclote Invitational


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Osceola sophomore Hunter McCann has had his eye on winning this meet for a long time. After finishing runner-up a year ago to Jesuit’s Tim O’Loughlin, McCann wasn’t going to let anyone take first place away from him Saturday morning.

Enter senior Trevor Quandt of Indian Rocks Christian. Quandt ran a scorching 16.43 at Taylor Park a week ago where he was barely challenged. The 6 foot 2 senior was an imposing obstacle for the 5 foot 4 inch McCann.

“I wanted to keep pace with him early,” McCann said. “I think he made me work for it.”

It was actually Fivay senior Kenneth Walker that set the pace for Quandt in the early going. Osceola sophomore Abimael Jimenez pushed the lead group through the middle of the course. By the two-mile mark, it was all McCann and Quandt.

“I passed him, he got me back,” McCann said. “Then all at once I knew he was dying, I knew by what he was doing.”

McCann made his move on the last turn before the final straightaway and did not look back. Quandt challenged it but he couldn’t catch the swift sophomore who finished in 18:05.6 ahead of Quandt’s 18:08.3. The course at Anclote was particularly difficult, resulting in slower times but not diminished competition.

“The mulch area in the woods was so soft it was kind of like sand,” Mitchell junior Emily Kerns said. “It felt nice to run on for your legs but it makes for slower times.”

Kerns left no doubts on the course Saturday morning cruising to a dominant win in 21:08.6. Out of the gates, Palm Harbor senior Sarah Raymon led the pack with Kerns tight on her heels. By the halfway point a timer yelled out, “nine-forty” to Kerns, then ten seconds ahead of the field. Kerns did not relent and burned out the rest of the course more than 30 seconds ahead of the field.

Kerns had mixed emotions after the race. The 21:08 was way off her time from just a week ago at Lecanto but Anclote is a more difficult course and it marked Kerns’ first win of the cross country season.

“It was my first win of the season so I’m happy about that,” Kerns said.

McCann’s contribution helped the Osceola boys repeat as team champions at Anclote. Winning by a narrow margin over Robinson a year ago, the Osceola boys stormed in for the team title with just 57 points to second place Wiregrass Ranch’s 105. Jimenez took third for Osceola in 18:16.1, senior Reggie Cape finished eighth in 18:30.1 and freshman Ryan Vanmiddlesworth finished in the top 20.

The Palm Harbor Hurricanes improved on their result from a year ago when they finished runner up to Robinson. Raymond wound up in third, leading the way for PHU with a 21:51.2. Junior Jenna Thompson grabbed the tenth spot for the Hurricanes in 22:56.8 and senior Brianna Paczynski finished 12th in 23:11.2. Overall the Hurricanes came in with 58 points to Boca Ciega’s 93.