I want to give another congratulations to everyone who competed in the state meet this past Saturday. What a long season every runner has endured and the biggest meet of the year was a fitting way to finish the season.
Many state champions were crowned Saturday and I give each one of them, team or individual, a huge congratulations for an exceptional effort. Whether up in the Panhandle or down south by the beach, Florida cross country has looked strong all season from top to bottom.
First, I have to give a special shout out to our freshmen Briana Burnett who ran an hour before we did, and finished 7th in her first state meet!
The 4A boys’ race was the last race of the day, and I could not be prouder of the Timber Creek team for finishing a close third in the state. To go from being ranked 12th in 4A in the preseason polls to a top three finish at the state meet is the biggest accomplishment of the season without a doubt. Even though individually it was a rough race for me, I was just one piece to a seven person puzzle, and it worked out as we finished the highest as a team in school history!
In retrospection, the finest part of the day was the awards ceremony without a doubt. When I got up to receive my medal at the end of the ceremony, to go down the line of other top ten finishers and congratulate them was great, but to see a teammate of mine to be on the podium with me was the cherry on top. Honestly, I am exceptionally proud of my teammate Michael Nazareth. To go from being last individually in the 4A Region 1 meet his freshmen year, to a 17:20 man sophomore year, and now a sub-16 and state medalist his junior year is as good as anything I’ve witnessed. I’ve watched him put in hard work this past year and he has become as dedicated as runners come. It is scary to think that he will be back not only for track, but his senior season next year too. Well done Michael, you deserve it man!
As for the freshmen trio (Jared, JJ, Ryan), Matt, our sole senior Carlos, Austin, and both JV and Varsity girls’ teams of TC; it has been a great season with you all I am proud of each one of you.
It has been a good cross country season Flrunners! Thank you Todd for allowing me to share my season with all of you and I wish everyone the best of luck for the remainder of the year!
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