Ralph's Musings: Five Star Conference Championships

Ralph Epifanio

 

5 Star Conference XC Championships

Story and Photos by Ralph Epifanio


While in high school, I was determined to be an astronomer. Because the stars and planets existed in a three-dimensional sphere, a career in that science meant a lot of higher level mathematics. (It is not easy finding one star among billions, especially since they move around constantly.) Unfortunately, at the time, calculators were still a novelty, and PCs had yet to be invented, so calculations had to be done with lots of paper and pencils, and a slide rule. (Betcha never seen one, eh?) 

Since I wanted to look up, not down, I reluctantly traded that career for one in the classroom. I still maintained an interest in the night sky, but more in the Tyco Brahe tradition. (I am one of the last naked eye astronomers…maybe it was the nose thing.)

In glancing skyward, you cannot help but notice interesting things with some regularity. On this particular, pre-dawn morning, I observed probably the most brilliant full moon of 2013.  Its sharply defined edges revealed that all traces of the previous evening’s penumbral lunar eclipse had been erased.  Instead, a striking image of a “Hunter’s Moon” (as the first Americans called it) hovered over the Orange City High School campus.  As its glow slowly faded, I wondered who—in the four races to follow--would be the hunters, and who the hunted.

Varsity Girls

Like any well-mannered young adult, each member of the Seabreeze Girls’ team knows how to take her turn, and when it is not hers, to be gracious in “defeat.” So goes the continuing saga—much like those old daytime soaps—of the dominant team in the conference; same actors, different roles.

This time, first out of the box was the 2013 winner of the 5 Star Freshman/Sophomore meet (19:57 in the rain), tenth grader Elizabeth Murray. For awhile, she looked unbeatable, but it didn’t last long. Teammate Kianna Bonnet, now the huntress, chased her down (Grrrrrr!).

“I wanted to make up for the last race here—the Titan Trails Invitational--when I got tripped,” explained Bonnet.

“I knew she was that fast, and I knew she’d be there,” admitted Murray. “I like to start off faster, and she starts off slower…but I like to get out of the box.”

“I was very much confident that I could maintain my pace,” continued Kianna.  “My first mile was 6:00. My second was 12:37—I think that’s what they called out—so I didn’t maintain it, but it was still quite strong.”

“I’ve been adjusting how I’ve been starting, and (also) my race strategy—for the districts—in the last three meets,” explained Murray.  “I’m not quite sure yet how I’ll run the Districts, but I think I’m going to work off Kianna, because she’s right where I want to be.”

Coming back towards the finish--at the end of the first loop—Bonnet seemed to simply step around Murray, and continue on past. Behind them, interspersed among the leaders from other conference teams, were the red shirts of Seabreeze’s third, fourth, fifth, and sixth runners.

The race looped back around and in between the ball fields, and in the next mile and a half—mostly hidden from view by a hedgerow of metal fencing--there was a reshuffling of the runners. When the field reemerged for the last 800, it was led by a thin red line of Seabreeze runners.

“I didn’t realize what had happened until the last 800,” remarked Kianna. “I was surprised to see three of our Seabreeze girls all lined up behind me. I was proud of that, and I was sure we had won the meet. They really picked it up, and looked like they were working really hard.”

Going past the finish and into the last 400, it was Bonnet, then Alyssa Bayliff, Elizabeth Murray, and Josie Gray. In the final fifty meters, Gray tried to catch Murray. It was close, but the order held: Bonnet in 19:49; Bayliff in 20:11.2; Murray in 20:28.7; and Gray in 20:29.0. 

The wait for #5 wasn’t long; Forever Young finished 12th in 21:31.5, and that was that. Kianna Bonnet, speaking for her team, summed it up:

“I think it portends well for the Districts. We would like to win that, and make it into States.”

Team Race – No surprise here: Seabreeze won with 22 (1-2-3-4-12-17-40). Host Orange City’s 82 (7-16-18-33-37-41) held off Flagler-Palm Coast’s 86 (9-13-14-21-29-38-39).  The official results showed nine teams and 74 runners.

Varsity Boys

What a difference a year makes! At this time in 2012, Keneth Pineiro was in the midst of a series of spectacular victories that eventually brought his PR down to 15:34.13 at the 4A Region 1 Meet (where it took Colonial’s Andres Arroyo to end Ken’s streak with his own best time of the season--15:12.61).

Alas, the calendar has changed, and with it his coach—and although unrelated--his luck. Only part way through this season, after two injuries, a major oral surgery, and the resultant down-time, he was finally back at the race where he had won two of his four conference titles. In 2011 he ran 16:22.50, and in 2012 16:03.46. (He was also a two-time Frosh/Soph winner, in 2010 and 2011.) 

“(Earlier this season) I rolled my ankle while we were training in Sperling Park (site of this year’s 4A District 2 Meet), which led to other injuries, so I’ve been in therapy for three weeks.  I also had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. That’s why I’ve been out for the last three weeks. With the new coach, it’s been interesting, but it’s been different. I’m not completely there, but—hopefully—I feel like I’m coming back.

“Today, it was my job to get the two FPC guys to go out fast.”

The top DeLand ‘Dawg, thus become a rabbit, was pursued by the Flagler ‘Dawgs—ironically both teams have the same exact mascot--and in the process pulled along his teammates, Kevin Gilhooley and Taylor Hack. ‘Dawgs--I mean dogs--do, indeed, run in packs.

“Keneth is an awesome runner,” noted Gilhooley. “They sent him out to break up the Flagler pack—to pull them ahead at the first mile--and tire them out.  

“I passed the second place Flagler guy a couple of hundred yards past two miles,” Gilhooley continued, “and then, with about 400 to go, I passed the other one. Then Taylor Hack passed both of the Flagler guys with 400 to go, and we were 1-2-3, which was Coach Madjik’s strategy.

“He”—Keneth—“wasn’t feeling that well, and when I caught up to him with 200 to go, he said ‘Go.’ There was about a ten second gap between me and Taylor. I don’t know where (in the race) the rest of our team finished, but they finished strong too.”

If it seems as if DeLand’s Kevin Gilhooley came out of nowhere to become a 5 Star Conference Champion, he did…sort of.

“I didn’t start until my junior year. That’s one of my biggest regrets. I did break 17”—16:55.60 at FLR XIV—“and that was a big goal. Most of my other goals should come in the next few meets.”

If it was DeLand’s intention to tire out FPC, they certainly did that. However, in the final analysis, it was also a slow course, and between that and their race strategy, the run produced slow times, probably the slowest in 5 Star Conference Championship history.  Gilhooley won in 17:09.6, Pineiro was a second behind (17:10.6), and Hack finished in third place with a 17:20.5.

Team Race – Perhaps running contrary to DeLand’s main intention, Flagler-Palm Coast bunched up behind the DeLand 1-2-3 finish, taking 4-5-6-8-11-17-23 (34 points) before DeLand’s #4 runner finished in 24th place. The Deland Bulldogs were second with 57 (1-2-3-24-27-28-39). New Smyrna Beach was third with a 12-14-16-19-29-43/76 point finish. 85 runners and ten teams ran.

Girls JV

By the time this race started, it was getting mighty toasty on this shade-challenged course. (Why is it that the first thing a school district does when it builds a new school is to cut down all the big trees and replace them with little ones?)  Beginning with the sun’s first appearance, and continuing to rise along with it, were the times. Typical with mid-October “little summer” weather, it was blazing hot by the time this race started. The best way to sum up this race would be “survival of the fittest.”

Mary Alex Bayer, although only a sophomore at Spruce Creek, is destined for great things. Judging by her directness, she will no doubt be a great writer some day, or at the very least, president. For the moment, however, she is the 5 Star Girls JV champion.  

 “Normally, I run varsity,” she explained, “but I’ve been running slower lately, so I was put on JV. As far as winning, I thought I had a shot at it, but wasn’t banking on that.”

And considering the heat, chances are that if the Girls Varsity race were run at this time of day, Alex still probably would have won. (Running when it is cool, as the VG do, makes you soft.)

“I like running distance, but after the first mile, I was in the lead, so I thought I’d go for it. The only one near me was my teammate, Skyler (Stolte, second in 23:47). I knew that because I passed her in the last 200.”

That was in the midst of an up-and-down series of short, steep hills.

“She”—Skyler—“never goes to hill practice, so she can’t run hills.”

Alex’s first place time was 23:47.1.

“I’m a Christian, so I believe that ‘through Him, all things are possible,’ because ‘He gives me strength .’”

And might that include a return to the “Big V”?

Coach Stephan Gallon: “She did what I told her to do, so we’ll see.”

Alex: “But I didn’t get the time.”

Stephan: “22 flat, or better. That’s what we need.”

Alex: “This is one of my slowest times of the year”—she has run as fast as a 21:53.30, at last year’s Hagerty Invitational—“but there are a lot of hills here, so it’s hard. I haven’t met anyone that PRs here. But it’s good preparation, because you have to practice on hard courses if you want to run well on easy ones.”

That last statement, no doubt, will be on the back of a t-shirt before long.

Team Race – It wouldn’t be a 5 Star race if the Spruce Creek Girls JV didn’t run 28 runners and finish 1-2-3-4-5 (6-8). That 15 outscored the next closest team (DeLand)—they had 19 runners—by 57. The day-glow green ‘Dawg-ettes finished 11-12-14-16-19-20-22 for 72 points.  Seabreeze had 81 (9-10-18-21-23-25-26). 91 runners, but only six complete teams, finished.

Boys JV

In meets like this, nothing can be left to chance. For all but a few, when the meet’s over, so is the season. So when the finish line comes into sight, if there’s anything left, that’s the time to leave it behind you. That was the theme, over and over again, as the meet unfolded. This race, however, was its climax, in more ways than one.

Nick Barnes, who ran a 20:36.9 to win the Titan Classic two weeks earlier, knew this course like the back of his hand. But that, and the JVB race lead, didn’t allow him to rest on his laurels, lest the hunter became the hunted.  Oh, he gave it everything he had—including a 34 second improvement in his time over his last race here--right up to the finish. But then, so did Mainland’s Trevor Erickson.

“I was trying to visualize my teammates, focus (on the race), and push,” Trevor explained. “In the last mile, when I was behind, I saw him”—Barnes—“slowing down. My coach”—Max Saylor—“said he was tiring. I was, maybe, five meters behind.

“I pushed even harder. I caught him in my final sprint, about 50 meters from the finish. This is the first race that I’ve won. It feels good.”

In the final results, Erickson’s time is 20:01.1, and Barnes’ 20:02.4.

“I’m running varsity for districts. Today, I switched places with one of my senior friends—Miles Nathan—who ran instead of me. It was (supposed to be) his last race…but he may be running in districts.”

Team Race – Barnes’ grit trickled down the line to his Seabreeze teammates, and finishing 2-3-4-13-15-16-26, they won with 37 points. Spruce Creek had 48 (5-7-10-12-14-28-31), and Mainland 81 (1-6-17-21-36-37-41). 98 runners and seven teams scored.

Footnotes:  It should be noted that, in the past year, the Volusia County School District found it in their “best interest” to vacate the positions of three of their more successful cross country coaches.  Its impact may be seen in the results of this race.

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