The Seabreeze girl's cross country team was ranked 35th coming into the 2013 season. The Sandcrabs won all their dual meets, were 8th at the UF Mt. Dew Invitational and finished tenth in the flrunners.com Girls Race of Champions. In the post season they claimed a district title and regional runner-up trophy, and were third in a very competitive 3A Cross Counfy Finals. Coach Diaz squad graduates only one runner from that varsity team which is great news. The top four of seniors Alyssa Bayliff (17th), Josie Gray (23rd) and juniors Kianna Bonnett (21st) and Elizabeth Murray all finished in the top thirty last year (27th). They will be joined by juniors Ashley Beers and Sarah Myers, as well as sophomore Lea Gray to round out the top seven.

 

Whoever said workouts weren't meant to be fun was wrong. Coach Diaz credits fun and enjoyable training with bringing out the girls drive and enthusiam to succeed. Due to Seabreeze's proximity to the beach (just a block away), the team trains there during the regular season and the off season. The hard packed sand is easier on the runner's joints, great for training, and makes for a fun environment for the runners. In addition to daily workouts on the Daytona beach sand six of the members of the team as well as Coach Diaz attended the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's long distance running camp this summer at Sassafras Mountain, South Carolina. The runners had the chance to experience an intense and competitive running environment with plenty of hills and off road terrain.

 

Last year was a year of many firsts for the team. It was the first time in the team's history that the whole group made it to regionals or state. The Sandcrabs have a 1-4 split of 30 seconds. If you extend that to their fifth runner it jumps to 1:48 and the average time jumps from  the low 19 minute range to 19:31.79. Their lone weakness is tightening that gap with their 5-6-7 runners. Sarasota looks very strong. The Sandcrabs should be in the mix for that second podium spot, but you can't count out Estero who has won four consecutive state championships.

"Due in part to the successful season we had last year, our freshman turnout has doubled. It is too early to tell which one of them will develop into a top runner though. We will be attending the Embry Riddle Asics Classic in September, UF Mountain Dew Invitational, and hope to be invited again to run in the flrunners.com Race of Champions. Our goals this year are to stay healthy, train smart, and enjoy running."

2014 Returner's Top Times

2	Seabreeze HS (FL)			179
	1) Kianna Bonnet		18:57.30	12
	2) Alyssa Bayliff		19:08.84	15
	3) Josie Gray		19:19.45	22
	4) Elizabeth Murray		19:27.27	28
	5) Lea Gray		20:46.09	102
	Average Time: 19:31.79 Total Time: 1:37:38.95 1-5 Split: 1:48.79
	6) Ashley Beers		22:43.16	272
	7) Sarah Myers		23:38.70	356

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