- Girls Virtual Meet (Based On District Times) l Boys Virtual Meet (Based On District Times)
- Girls Virtual Meet (Based On Season Bests) l Boys Virtual Meet (Based On Season Bests)
Held on the tough Holloway Park Course, 4A-2 will be part of Friday morning's triple regional (1A-2, 3A-3 and 4A-2) hosted by Tampa Bay HEAT. We take a look at both the girls and boys individual and team battles and see how our database thinks the meet will play out in our virtual meet feature. Also, remember to stay tuned to flrunners.com for on-site coverage, results, and a recap of all the action!
On the girl's side, Riverview's Bailey Hertenstein looks to repeat as the individual winner. With a PR over 50 seconds faster than anyone else in the field, it's unlikely anyone else will be able to catch the currently undefeated sophomore. The pack behind her includes the George Jenkins duo of Emily English (4A-5 champion) and Victoria Jung, Sarasota junior Sage Lyons (4A-8 champion), and Alisha Deschenas (4A-6 champion). Based on season bests, it'll take a sub-20 effort to place in the top 15, but due to the difficulty of the Holloway Park course, the qualifying times run Friday will likely be slower than times set earlier in the season on faster courses.
The team race for the girls is anything but a lock, with 4A-6 champions Wharton narrowly beating 4A-8 champions Sarasota's average time, 20:06 to 20:09, based on district results. With the larger field in the regional race, the team spread will be important in separating first from second. Tampa's Plant, who lost to Wharton by nine points at districts with a 20:20 average, also has a pretty secure qualifying spot. Newsome (4A-7 champs, 20:58 average), Steinbrenner (3rd in 4A-6, 20:42 average), George Jenkins (4A-5 champs, 20:31 average) and Sarasota Riverview (4A-8 runner-up, 20:39 average) look to be fighting for the final three spots, with North Port (3rd in 4A-8, 21:05 average) and Lakewood Ranch (4th in 4A-8, 21:13 average) also having a shot at qualifying if any of the above falter.
Like the girls, the individual honors on the boy's side are all but a lock for Sarasota's Adam Bradtmueller, the 4A-8 winner. Bradtmueller has placed no worse than 11th in all of his races this season and placed first in all but three, including a win at the Seffner Christian Invitational on the Holloway Park course. With his PR of 15:23.70 from Pre-State, he is the only one in the field to have broken 16 this year. 4A-5 winner Tristen Montalvo of St. Cloud, 4A-6 winner Paris Williams of Sickles and 4A-7 winner Haftom Fliegelman of Durant round out the other district champions who will lead the first pack behind Bradtmueller. Expect Plant's 1-2-3 punch of Rob Leverone, Quasan Markowski and Walker Thomas (second, third and fourth at 4A-6, respectively), Sarasota's Brady Hill (second at 4A-8) and Sarasota Riverview's Warran Grajalez (third at 4A-8) to round out the chase pack. Based on season bests, a top 15 finish will take a 16:45 effort, although expect the Holloway Park course to slow down the times as a whole.
Bradtmueller's Sarasota looks to be the favorites for the team title with a 16:53 average from their 4A-8 win, but Plant is close behind with its 16:56 average to win 4A-6. Steinbrenner, only 13 points behind Plant at districts with a 17:12 average, also looks to place in the top three. Wiregrass Ranch (third at 4A-6, 17:23 average) North Port (second at 4A-8, 17:33 average), Lakewood Ranch (third at 4A-8, 17:42 average). 4A-5 champions St. Cloud (17:47 average), 4A-5 runner-ups George Jenkins (17:51 average, one point behind St. Cloud) and 4A-7 champions Newsome (17:55 average) can also compete for a spot, especially if any of the above teams have an off day.