FLR 16: Middle School Race Preview


It's hard to believe, but this Saturday will be the 15th running of the middle school division at the FLR Invitational. What started off as a handful of local junior high runners has turned into one of the biggest meets on a quickly-growing FLYRA middle school XC calendar. For those of you who don't follow middle school running, you are in for a real treat -- each year, the races get bigger and the kids get faster. Here's a quick primer on what you'll see at zero-dark-twenty on Saturday.

First off, you know a race is important when they put it before the National Anthem. It's Jason's way of saying, "America, you're great and all, but first we need to drink our coffee and watch these 11-year olds throw down some seven minute miles." Priorities, people.

Another great thing about middle school XC is how it avoids much of the drama surrounding the high school division. While high school coaches spend hours debating whether this kid from this Region from this Class would beat that kid from that Region from that Class, we just throw all of the runners in one State Championship and let them sort it out. And at FLR 16, Jason takes it one step further: we throw all of the boys and girls together in a single race, and 20 minutes later you know who's faster! (Note: it is often the girls.)

We also have no course distance controversies, mainly because we don't really have a course distance. 3000 meters is the most common, but FLR 16 is two miles. Disney is usually 3200 meters. And some races are 2500 meters for some reason. And the private school kids run 5K for their high school. And for those of you who are torn between metric and imperial units, there's always the conversion-friendly 2.1 mile race distance. Basically we just put up a start line and a finish line and let them figure it out.

Now that you're up to speed on the sport, here's a quick preview of this year's boys and girls races. (And apologies to any teams and kids who were omitted -- the middle school database isn't the easiest thing to navigate…)

GIRLS TEAM RACE



Defending champion Miami Elite is back and ready to defend its title, but with last year's winner (Rahyah Andressohn) and runner-up (Natalie Varela) electing to run high school during the early season, the competition is wide open. The Tampa-area club teams seem to be well-positioned: the HTTR Tornadoes have an incredible top four, and the very deep Hillsborough Harriers continue to prove that good talent can overcome bad coaching. (Full disclosure: I am that bad coach.) Also look for returning podium finishers Destin Middle School and Tavares Middle School to be in the mix.

BOYS TEAM RACE

The three-time defending champion Belen Jesuit boys lost several of their top runners from 2014 to high school, but based on their 21-point showing at the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair, they seem to have reloaded just nicely. Their main competition should come from the upstart Hillsborough Harriers, who put five across the line under 12:00 at Florida Horse Park. The Elite Runner team out of Ft. Myers has an incredible 1-2 punch, and last year's state runner-up Tavares Middle School is always a threat.

INDIVIDUAL GIRLS (in alphabetical order):


(Photo of Elle Pleune by Chris Tucker)

Jacquelyn Abanses (Hillsborough Harriers) Converted soccer player won first race at Florida Horse Park

Valerie Lastra (Miami Elite) Strong 4th place showing at State outdoor 3000m

Bella Pawloski (HTTR Tornadoes) Defending State runner-up grabbed big win at PreHEAT

Ellie Pleune (Hillsborough Harriers) Already has a 2nd and a 3rd in 2015 -- is FLR her first 1st?

Gabby Salyer (Holy Trinity) No 2015 performances, but ran sub-19 5K at Pre-State in 2014

Keleigh Scallon (HTTR Tornadoes) Two top-3 performances already -- expect big things from this one.

Jordan Shapiro (Miami Elite) Another Top 10 finisher from State outdoor 3000m.


Other Girls to Watch:

Jessie Carff (HTTR Tornadoes)

Lydia Friedman (Hillsborough Harriers)

Maguire Holahan (Destin)

Adriana Montalvo (Tavares MS)

Amelie Nichol (Fernandina Beach)

Emma Solis (HTTR Tornadoes)

Marianna Tuthill (Hillsborough Harriers)


INDIVIDUAL BOYS (in alphabetical order):

Kenan Collignon (Tavares MS) Latest in a long line of great Tavares runners.

Liam Holston (Elite Runner Ft. Myers) One of the strongest #2 runners in the state; top-3 finish in Ft. Myers.

Reed Legg (Hillsborough Harriers) National-caliber triathlete has run two fast times in first two meets ever

John McKenzie (Seffner Christian) One-half of the fabled McKenzie Brothers. No, not those McKenzie Brothers.

Paul McKenzie (Seffner Christian) If you didn't get my last joke, go Google McKenzie Brothers.

Torin O'Brien (Hoover MS) Runner-up at Katie Caples by 0:01

Casey Pleune (Hillsborough Harriers) Yet another Pleune with podium aspirations; big runner-up finish at Florida Horse Park.

Liam Quintana (Breakaway TC) Already posted a sub-19 XC 5K in 2015

Austin San Juan (Belen Jesuit) Belen's fastest boy -- expect him to contend.

Kyle Skinner (Elite Runner Ft. Myers) Picked up first win at Ft. Myers Invite.


Other Boys to Watch:

Jackson Babington (Tavares MS)

Liam Ballard (Hillsborough Harriers)

Ethan Bhatt (Hillsborough Harriers)

Matthew Bryan (Belen Jesuit)

Carlos Catala (Miami Elite)

Derek Fortmayer (Ascension Catholic)

Braxton Legg (Hillsborough Harriers)

John McKenzie (Seffner Christian)

Eduardo Morasso (Belen Jesuit)

Gabriel Nunes (Miami Elite)

Vicente Sanchez (Belen Jesuit)

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