Ralph's Musings: 4A 1 AKA Region Of Death

FHSAA 4A Region 1
Ralph Epifanio


On-Site Coverage

In the grand scheme of things, Cross country is a sport that is all about timing. From that first step in August, to the last in October--if one is so blessed--it should last 12 weeks, give or take a few days. It is those few days that a potentially successful season could be circumscribed.

For some, the season that ended at this meet was doomed in the preceding weeks; for others, it peaked at Lake Nona. For still others, one more week might be just about right. Although these differences can be traced back to August, they are not always. An alternate choice of footwear, a few less miles here and there, perhaps skipping one of those nationally recognized, post-season invitationals, and their possible contributions to beginning the next season with an injury, might have been avoided.

However well-intentioned those big name sponsors of "National Championships" might seem, they are endorsing more than running itself. (Besides promoting themselves) they are also lengthening the season. One more meet means more weeks of training, and a shorter rest cycle between cross country and track (with its own post-season commitments). The suitably rested athlete looks forward to a lifetime sport. This continued pressure on young, talented athletes creates an atmosphere of too many obligations, at too young an age.

A former runner myself, my guess is that the cumulative mileage of those thirty-five years would have allowed me to circumnavigate the earth at least twice. Now stiffly shuffling along toward a final finish line, I view the sport from the other end of the running spectrum. It breaks my heart to see promising athletes, whom I followed all year--and some for years--to fall by the wayside at so important a juncture.

As a photographer, I place a lot of merit--perhaps too much so--on my images. (I think I took at least ten for every mile that I ran.) In reviewing the photographs that were taken at this meet, I believe I can be see whose season ended a week ago, whose reached a pinnacle on this Halloween, and whose regional race might be considered their penultimate success. Look at the Islandwide folder, and see if you agree. In doing so, join me in reflecting whether this race was over before it was over.

Girls Race

It came as no surprise that the "the big three," Winter Park sophomore Rafaella Gibbons, Lake Mary junior Daniela Urzua, and Fletcher junior Kayley Delay would be, together, well ahead of the crowd. The question that remained, however, was who would fall where.

Rafaella: "(The race pace) was a mixture of all of us. Kayley, Daniela, and I were all switching (for the lead). I was trying to surge for most of the race, but at two miles I tied to build a gap. It was kind of gradual then, not all of a sudden that I took the lead. That last time, they didn't follow me."

Daniela: "I think it was where we were getting close to two that she (Raf) started to pull away. We all know that she is incredible. I just wanted her momentum to carry me along until I couldn't hold her pace anymore.

"My mile was 5:28, and two mile was 11:09"--close to her 11:07 two mile PR at the 2014 FHSAA 3200 final which, incidentally, featured these same three athletes--"and my final time was 17:44. That was a PR by about 12 seconds...pretty big. That's what happens when you run with really good people. You do better."

Kayley: "I think lost her at a mile and a half. I just didn't have it; it wasn't my day. I have to be content to place for the state meet, and be ready for that race.

"My time was okay. I was close to my PR"--XC times can't be FAT, so in this case, with a .05 difference, she tied her best--"but towards the end I was feeling pretty bad. But that's okay. I still ran okay."

Girls Team Championship

Winter Park keeps right on rolling along. Placing first (Gibbons), fourth (Hana Herndon in 18:43), eighth (Melanie White in 19:13), ninth (Elizabeth Jenkins in 19:23), and twelfth (Katherine Kuhn in 19:29), they scored 34 points and averaged 18:43. What makes it even more mouth watering for their coaching staff is that five of the seven scorers are underclassmen. The first five are a sophomore, junior, sophomore, junior, and senior, respectively. When Kuhn and Emily Nix (17th in 20:06) graduate, freshman Jennifer Coddington (20:13) should be there to step up.

The other five teams to go on to the state meet are Dr. Phillips (5-11-18-19-38; 91), Mandarin (7-14-27-34-48; 130), Winter Springs (13-15-26-28-65; 147), West Orange (10-29-31-39-40; 149), and Hagerty (6-23-45-61-92; 227).

13 of the top 15 runners advancing are on qualifying teams, but Lake Mary's Urzua and Lyman's Shannon Grace (13th overall in 19:30) also move on. 18 teams and 130 girls ran.

Boys Race

For some runners, reality fell short of expectations. For the most part, however, names fell into place. Lyman's dynamic duo, Josh Jacques and Jordan Armstrong, went one-two, but FPC's Justin Pacifico had something to say about that.

"Coach Halliday really prepared us for the end of the season," Pacifico pontificated. "That's what he does best."

Jacques and Armstrong drew from each other's company for awhile....

Joshua:"At the lake"--a rather generous description of an oddly shaped retention pond--"I made my move. I felt pretty confident of my ability to finish the race on my own. I was trying to do my best, but with no goal in mind. I knew Jordan was behind me, 'mentally' pushing me."

Jordan: "We got out in an honest pace; 4:45 in the first mile. Josh kept pushing it and we kind of disconnected. I found myself alone, but I felt him (Justin Pacifico) there, though, and he kept me honest.

"It was a great finish down the home stretch. I knew where the 400 meters was, and knowing his 800 speed"--Pacifico was third in the 2015 Golden South with a 1:53.34 PR, and a 49.99 best in the 400--"I knew where I had to pick it up.

"At 400 we came up around the ballpark (where the race finished). I swung wide and knew I had to leave it all out there or he would have gotten me. He's a great closer."

Justin: "I passed the second pack of people right near the start. At the mile I was with Dominic Williams (fourth overall, for Robert E. Lee, in 16:03), and after that Jordan Armstrong was 20 or 30 meters ahead. My coach (Halliday) said 'He's not that far off,' and I really started pushing it.

"At two miles he was still in front, so I started pushing it more. At the pond for the second loop, I ended up passing him. It was neck and neck from then on."

As they came into the baseball field and followed the curve of the outfield fence, it was the kind of finish that inspired everyone to boo. (In this case, boo having the Latin meaning: "cry aloud; roar"....Hey, it was Halloween. I had to get that in somewhere.)

Finally reaching the right field corner, marked by a vertical "310"--meaning it was that far to home plate and the finish line--it was an all-or-nothing sprint. Sadly, no one slid home.

Justin: "At the finish, we both sprinted and he ended up in second (15:41), with me in third (15:42)."

Halliday: "He ran the way I wanted him to."

Although Armstrong was a tad off his season and lifetime best 5K (15:32 at this year's SAC), Pacifico ended up running a substantial, 19 second PR.

Jacques, on the other hand, gives you the impression that he has yet to reach his end-all potential. His 15:27 was 11 seconds shy of his 2014 FHSAA winning time (15:16), but taken in toto with his other 15s--12 straight, going back to last season--he might, if pushed, be in the 14s in Tallahassee.

In fifth place was Hagerty's Andrew Stivers, who was going back and forth with Lee's Williams.

"We came around the first mile really fast," Stivers explained. "I think I ran 4:50 or 4:51, so I knew the pace would probably die off a little. Seeing where I was--in fourth--I was trying to find a comfortable pace to finish in.

"Halfway through the third mile, Dominic Williams passed me to finish fourth, and I came in fifth in 16:07, a PR by a second. I think the heat added 15 or 20 seconds to everyone's time"--contrary to the usual 8:30 AM boys' starting time, this one began after 9:30--"but it should be cooler next week in Tallahassee."

The contingent representing this so-called "Region of Death" is quite remarkable in that nearly half of the runners moving on to the state meet will be doing so as a result of sans team. In order of finish, those magnificent seven are: FPC's Pacifico; Lee's Williams; Hagerty's Stivers; Buchholz's Calum McFetridge (16:11); Sandlewood's Terrance Sessoms (16:11); Ocoee's Cole Pruim (16:15); Fleming Island's Evan Fuller (16:15); and Lake Howell's Jan Figueroa (16:16).

Boys Team Championship


(Photo courtesy Coach Schmitt)

It is not often that so high a proportion of the runners make the state meet as individuals. W hile considered an "individual sport," cross country, of course, relies heavily on group placement for team scoring.

Mandarin certainly proved that here. With their top finisher placing 13th (scored ninth)--Michael Cassette in 16:16--and the team amassing 90 points, their 9-10-17-19-35 was ample enough to win. This contributes added weight to what Freedom's Johns Vollmer told me after the meet.

"We"--he and teammate Tim Doyle--"got separated early. It was a big surprise. I fell back--I was a little tired--and Tim kept going. That's our motto: 'keep going.'"

Also going will be Winter Springs (13-22-25-29-44;133); Vollmer's Freedom (7-18-21-42-47; 135); Lyman (1-2-12-46-86; 147); Lake Mary (11-23-33-34-52; 153); and Dr. Phillips (8-20-41-48-65; 182). 17 teams and 127 runners competed.

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