With Region week behind us we can now look toward the State Finals. Let's see what our volunteer pollsters have to say heading into the biggest race of the season!
And on a personal note, I want to thank all of the volunteer pollsters for all the work they put into these rankings this season. Much of the time the work it put in without appreciation, but I truly appreciate the continuous effort put in all season long. Thank you pollsters! And with that being said, here are the final State rankings!
*Updated to include 2A Girls*
GIRLS STATE RANKINGS
1A Girls Rankings
By Sue O'Malley (FLCHS) somalley@fatherlopez.org
Team Rankings:
Winning Region titles this week were: Maclay (R1), Circle Christian (R2), Cambridge Christian (R3) and Miami Country Day School (R4). The best competition of the weekend was R2. Circle Christian defeated Oak Hall by only 7 points!
Commentary: 4 new teams that are in
the rankings did not compete at the state meet last year. Welcome to Tally!
You're off to great
place.
Today
Is your day.
Your mountain is waiting
So get on your way!
Best wishes to all the
teams this weekend! Best wishes to all the seniors racing for the last time in
their high school jerseys!
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments
1. (1) Oak Hall= 19:41. The Golden Eagles fought a tremendous battle with the defending state champion team of Circle Christian at the R2 meet this past weekend. This team is going to be very hungry this Saturday for sure! The Golden Eagles finished 2nd last season at the state meet.
2. (2) Circle Christian=19:33. The Centurions won another region title this past weekend in R2 defeating Oak Hall. Can they win another title? I would bet on them this weekend!
3. (3) Cambridge Christian School = 19:36 team average. Cambridge won their school's first region title. They won the R3 meet and look for them to be on the attack this weekend! They will come in as a new team in 1A this weekend.
4. (4) Father Lopez=Team average of 20:01. The Green Wave have so much more to give. They refuse to give up! Team finished 3rd in R3 where they were expected but want more. Let's see them give their black jerseys the ride of their life this weekend! FLOP finished 5th last season hoping to move up.
5. (5) Maclay= Team average 20:27. The Marauders easily won another region title! Watch this team this weekly. They are definitely on the hunt and could be a dark horse for a podium spot. The Mauraders finished 4th last season at the state meet.
6. (6) Lakeland Christian=21:01. The Vikings had a fabulous race this past weekend finishing 4th in R2 and looked strong. The Vikings did not compete last season at the state meet.
7. (7) Holy Trinity=Team average 21:08. Team finished 5th in the R2 team and have been very consistent all season. Look for a great run from this team this weekend! HT finished 3rd last season at the state meet.
8. (8) Shorecrest Prep=21:10. The Team finished 5th in R3 this weekend. They were beaten by Canterbury and Bell Creek. This team did not compete last season at the state meet.
9. (12) Miami Country Day School=Team average 21:17. Won another region title. Another team that has run strong this season. This team will definitely be pushed this weekend. Team finished 6th last season at the state meet.
10. (10) Canterbury School (Ft. Myers) = Team average of 21:12. Team was runner up in R3 this weekend. Team finished 7th last year at the state meet.
11. (12) Providence= Team average of 21:47 The Stallions finished 2nd this weekend to Maclay in R1. Finished 15th last year at the state meet.
12. (11) Out of the Door Academy=Team average of 21:56. Thunder placed 2nd this weekend in R3. Team finished 9th at the state meet last year.
13. (14) Baker Senior High School=21:51. Team finished 4th in R1. Team finished 16th last year at the state meet.
14. (13) The Geneva School=22:00 average. The Knights finished6th in R2 this weekend. Team finished 19th last year at the state meet.
15. (NR) St. Joseph Academy=22:17 Welcome to the rankings! Team ran strong in R1 to place 3rd in that region. Team did not compete last year in the state meet.
Other teams to watch out for:
Bell Creek (R1), Community Christian School (R1), City of Life Christian Academy (R2) and Pensacola Christian Academy(R1).
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Here are the #7 season pre-state rankings! With the cooler weather forecast this upcoming weekend we should see outstanding performances this state weekend! With Cambridge Christian in the mix too should add to the excitement for sure. The future looks really bright with all these young ladies coming up the next couple of years.
The five S's of xc running are: Stamina, Speed, Strength, Skill and Spirit; but the greatest of these is Spirit. Run the race with head your feet but most of all with your whole heart!
Run with Heart and Sole!
Wishing everyone an amazing state meet! Thank you to all the seniors who dedicated 4 years to their teams may you have the race of your life and many memories of your incredible 4 years of high school xc.
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade - School = Comments
1. (1) Sinkenesh Parker (11)-Circle Christian=18:15. Sinkenesh will be the favorite for sure this weekend. This young lady is so poised and well deserves the number 1 ranking. Sinkenesh won her second straight region title this weekend in R2 with a time of 18:56.
2. (2) Jessica Edwards, (11) Canterbury Ft. Meyers=18:24.6 Jessica finished 3rd this weekend in R3 with a time of 19:43. She finished 9th last season at the state meet. Let's see her on the podium again in the runner up spot this weekend.
3. (3) Elaina Black, (6)-Cambridge Christian=18:36 Elaina won the R3 Title this weekend with a time of 19:06. Watch for her this weekend! She is a dark horse for sure.
4. (4) Laci Watford, (10)-University Christian=18:46.2. Laci finished 2nd in R1 with a time of 19:51. Laci finished 4th last year at the state meet.
5. (5) Lauren Jones, (10)-Oak Hall=18:55. Lauren was runner up this past weekend at R2 with a time of 19:17. Lauren finished 3rd at the state meet last year.
6. (6) Claire McDonnell, (12)-Father Lopez= 19:01. Claire finished 12 at the R2 meet this weekend. This young lady has had amazing career at FLOP and would love to see her medal at this state meet.
7. (7) Lydia Friedman, (12)- Cambridge Christian=19:02. Lydia was the runner up in R3 this past weeekdn with a time of 19:28. Lydia raced in 2A last season a the state meet and finished
8. (8) Samatha Gayton, (12)-Father Lopez=19:02. Samantha raced to a 7th place finished this past weekend in R2. This young lady has had amazing 4 years. Her goal is to finally medal at the state xc meet and I believe she will finally get her wish! Sam raced in 4A last season and finished 18th with a time of 19:04.
9. (9) Ella Porcher, Maclay (9)=19:15. Ella won her a region title this weekend in R1 with a time of 19:41. Ella finished 8th last year in the state meet.
10. (11) Anna Grace Fagot, (10)-Circle Christian=19:35. Anna finished 5th in the R2 meet with a time of 19:59. Anna will definitely improve on her 48th place finish last season at the state meet.
11. (12) Katie Beam, (9) First Baptist Academy=19:37. Kaite finished 11th in R3 meet with a time of 20:52. Katie placed 10th last season in the state meet.
12. (13) Brooke MCewen, (12)- Circle Christian=19:41. Amazing 4 years this young lady has had. Brooke finished 4th at the R2 meet with a time of 19:44. She placed 7th at the state meet last season.
13. (14) Harrison Grooms, (11)-Oak Hall= 19:42. Harrison placed 6th at the R2 meet with a time of 20:03. Harrison will look to improve on her 48th place finish last season at the state meet.
14. (15) Cecily Anderton, (9)-Florida HEAT=19:46. Cecily won the R4 title with a time of 20:31. Big improvement for her as she did not compete last season at the state meet.
15. (NR) Sydney Miller (9)-Oak Hall=19:52 Sydney placed 4th at the R2 meet with a time of 19:53. Sydney finished 22nd last year at the state meet and should improve on that placing.
Other individuals to watch out for:
Moriah Friedman (Cambridge Christian), Mary Peck (FLOP), Gabby Auliso (Oak Hall), Ally Means (Oak Hall) and Brooke Demon (International Community School)
2A Girls Rankings
by Patrick Skipper, Weeki Wachee High School
(fotoskip@gmail.com)
Commentary by Dylan Hermelee, Carrollton School
Team Rankings:
Dylan and I were very close on our Team and Individual Rankings - but remember: "For Entertainment Purposes Only"!
Commentary: There were some BIG shakeups in this weeks rankings. Although we are in "survive and advance" mode, some performances from last week have to be noticed both in the individual and team races! We are going all in this week and providing you with the top 32 teams and 60 individual qualifiers!
Rank. School: Comments
***Please note that we only ranked the top 8 teams from each Region***
Top 10
1. Pine Crest: Stays strong at #1. They rested their #3 runner at the Region meet and still managed to win fairly easy. Having the best top 3 in the state, Pine Crest looks to bring the State Championship trophy back to South Florida.
2. Bolles: Holds strong at #2. If the Regional results hold steady at States, it looks like it will be a two team race between Pine Crest and Bolles. This should be one to watch for sure!
3. Montverde Academy - Held off Satellite and Trinity Prep in their Region. They looked solid in the process, but with a 20:32 team average, they are a good distance behind Pine Crest and Bolles at this point.
4. St Brendan - They earned a Regional Runner-up finish in Region 4, defeating King's Academy in the process. This team looks like its getting better every week. They are a team to look out for at States.
5. King's Academy - Lost to St Brendan by 5pts and even though they finished 3rd in their Region they still look like a top 5 team in the State.
6. Satellite - They beat Trinity Prep at their Region meet and sported a 20:53 team average. They could be in the top 5 at the State meet with a tight 1:40 1-5 split.
7. Trinity Prep - Falls down 1 spot to 7th this week due to their 15pt loss to Satellite. They are another team with top 5 potential.
8. Academy of Holy Names - They won their Region easily. With their #1 runner competing for a individual State title, Holy Names looks like a lock for a top 10 finish..
9. Bishop Kenny - Solid runner up finish at their Region meet. The sported a sub 21min team average and had a close 54 second 1-5 split.
10. South Walton - Makes the b9iggest jump this week to join the top 10 after a 3rd place finish in their Region and a 21:19 team average.
11. Berkley Prep - Stays strong at 11. Ran well for an easy 2nd place in their Region. Sporting a 21:31 team average at their Region meet, they look to jump into the top 10 at States.
12. Carrollton - We finished 4th place at our Region meet the sported a 30pt gap between 2nd and 5th. The Cyclones look to make a top 10 finish at the State meet this weekend.
13. Gulliver - 5th in their Region but were only 30pts out of 2nd. They ran their entire top 5 again at the Region meet and could make some noise at States.
14: Lemon Bay - Narrowly edged Bishop Verot for a 3rd place finish at their Region meet. With a 58 second 1-5 split their pack looks strong and ready for States.
15: Citrus HS - With a 4th place finish at their Region meet they round out the top 15 teams. They had a solid 21:28 team average, but they had a nearly 3 minute gap between their 1-5 runners. They have an additional 3 minute gap between their 5-6. If someone in their top 5 drops out, they could be in trouble.
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Here are the individual State rankings!
Rank) Name (Grade) - School - Comments
***Please note that we only ranked 15 athletes from each Region and 7 athletes per team.***
1) Eleanor Tymorek (11) - St Andrews - Her Region meet, defeating Tsion Yared in the process. It was a hot day and a slow course, yet she still managed to go 18 flat. The race for individual champion might be just as exciting as the team race this year!
2) Tsion Yared (12) - Pine Crest - She didn't run at Districts, but she looked smooth at her Region meet. She is still in the hunt for the individual title, but she will have to make up the 15 second gap Eleanor put on her at the Regional meet.
3) Emily Faulhaber (12) - Pine Crest - R4 - Cruised to a 3rd place finish in her Region. Looks ready for states.
4) Megan Houghes (12) - Holy Names - Easily won her region meet with a time of 19 minutes. She will be looking for a top 5 finish at the State meet.
5) Maya Beleznay (12) - Did not run at the Regional meet, but I've heard she will be running at States. She rounds out the top 5.
7) Elizabeth Csikai (9) - Bolles - 8th at her Region meet, but with the team title secured, she didn't need to win the race to help her team. Look for a big performance on Saturday from this young star.
8) Billie Castillo (12) - Titusville - Easily won a strong Region 2 meet. She has one of the fastest times in the state and could potentially get a top 5 finish to cap off her senior year.
9) Jillian Candelino (9) - Came out of nowhere to win her Region meet and gets a spot in the top 10 after doing so.
10) Cristal Gomez (10) - Frostproof - Runner up finish to Megan Hughes at her Region meet. She's running fast when it matter most.
11) Riley Jaszczak (10) - Titusville - R2 - 2nd to her teammate at the Regional Championship (noticing a trend?) and easily ahead of the #3 runner in her Region. It will be exciting to see what she can do at the State Meet.
12) Leah Pelham (12) - Paxon School - Runner up finish at her Region meet and prevented Bolles from getting a perfect score.
13) Isabella Pawliski (11) - Calvary Christian Clearwater - 3rd at her Region meet and has run some fast times this season. She will be in the hunt for a podium finish at the State meet.
14) Emma Hencock (9) - St Brendan - 4th in her Region and looked smooth as could be while doing it. This is another young runner looking for a podium finish.
15) Ella Mickler (9) - Bolles - 5th at her Region meet, but again, Bolles had the meet easily won and she l;ikely saved something for States.
16) Natalie Varela (12) - Gulliver - R4 - She won her District meet convincingly, but finished 5th in her Region. She's always in the hunt for a podium at the State meet.
17) Mackenzie Scordato (10) - Citrus - 3rd in her Region with an impressive 19:31. She will be looking to crack the top 20 at the state meet.
18) Lily Henne (10) - Monverde - She hasn't been running well lately, but as the 4th place finisher at last year's State meet, you gotta think she has something up her sleeve.
19) Camryn Williams (11) - Finished 4th at her Region meet and set a new PR in the process. She's peaking at the right time!
20) Layne Rivera (11) - Bolles - With a 3rd place finish at her Region meet, she rounds out the top 20
3A Girls Rankings
By Ghost Writer, ryanraposo@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Brace yourself Florida...we have 7 teams (St. Augustine, Sunlake, Robinson, Winter Springs, Leon, Harmony, Fort Myers) fighting for 2 trophies and bragging rights for the next year. Bottom line: It's going to be close and every athlete on each team will need to contribute. Which teams will go home with the hardware? Which teams will go home empty handed? Either way, running first on Saturday in low 40 degree temps will produce fast times...look for many PRs on an amazing course! Let's all go home with smiles on our faces and the will to come back again next season stronger and faster!
Rank. School = Comments
1. St. Augustine HS- Region 1 Champions! The Yellow Jackets put the beat down on their competition in Region 1, winning by 60 points. These girls have been fun to watch all season! They ran a 19:43 team average last month at ARP to beat out other top teams, so there is no doubt they will be fighting for a trophy. Can they top off a great season with a walk to the top of the podium?
2. Winter Springs HS- Region 2 Champions! These girls were able to hold off Robinson by 2 points to bring home the hardware...an impressive 19:39 team average at region will put them in the hunt for a podium finish in Tally!
3. Robinson HS- Finished just behind Winter Springs for the runner-up trophy with a 20:00 team average in Region 2...these girls will benefit from their 1:13 1-5 split. Close the gap from 2-3 and they can really mix things up in the super close battle for a 3A team champion! Ran a 20:07 team average in Tally last month...
4. Leon HS = 20:39 team average at Region 1 for 3rd place; home course advantage will be a real thing, with a 20:04 average at FSU Pre-State last month. These young ladies will no doubt come ready for redemption after missing out on the hardware last weekend in a tie breaker to Ponte Vedra...never forget, everyone is important!
5. Harmony HS = The Longhorns beat Sunlake in the Region 2 meet last weekend. They are young and improving at the right time. Don't be surprised to see them break into the top 5.
6. Fort Myers HS = Region 3 Champions! The Green Wave ran a 20:19 average with their #2 injured. Expecting to have her back closer to form this weekend. These girls ran a 20:09 average at FSU last month, so they know how to race at ARP. Always well-coached and looking to compete!
7. Sunlake HS = Finished 4th in Region 2 behind Winter Springs, Robinson, and Harmony; will be led by Liina Winborn in the quest for a podium finish. These girls came out of the gate in August fast...can they finish fast against top competition?
8. Ponte Vedra HS = These girls beat out Leon HS in a tie breaker for the runner-up spot in Region 1! You can't top the 29 SECOND 1-5 split...they will be ready for Tally. They will need to improve upon their 20:47 team average at FSU Pre-State if they want to break into the top 5.
10. Osceola HS = Finished 3rd in the Region 3 meet ahead of Estero; Led by Taylor Stone, it will be nice to see what they can do at ARP since they did not compete at FSU this season.
11. Dillard HS = Region 4 champions! These young ladies have the pack mentality perfected! The question will be if they can maintain the pack on a tricky course like ARP? Led by Christiana Coleman with a 20:34 average on the not so fast South Fork course, a top 10 finish is not out of the question.
12. Estero HS = Finished 4th in the Region 3 meet; led by Mia Perez and her 19:10 at FSU last month, it's time to see these girls band together and bring a top 10 finish home.
13. Naples HS = Region 3 runner-up with a 21:03 average, this team edged out Osceola by 1 point!!! Their impressive 1-5 split will be helpful in Tally.
14. Fort Walton Beach HS = 21:01 team average at Region 1 to finish 4th, led by Kambry Smith
15. Cape Coral = These girls finished 5th in Region 3, beating out other rnked teams such as Braden River, Charlotte, and St. Petersburg in head to head competition. Their 21:13 team average at Region should go lower at ARP!
16. Braden River HS = This team finished 6th in Region 3 with a 21:27 average. Need to focus on their 1-5 split...
17. Choctawhatchee HS = Finished 5th in Region 1 with a 21:19 average, beating out Matanzas...top 15 is in sight!
18. Matanzas HS = Finished 6th in Region 1 with a 21:29 average...top 15 is in sight!
19. Charlotte HS = Finished 7thg in Region 3 with a 21:36 average...also need to close the gap 1-5
20. South Fork HS = Finished 4th in Region 4 with injuries, sickness, and lost shoes...the Bulldogs always seem to find a way.
21. St. Petersburg HS = Finished 8th for the last spot out of Region 3, with a 22:00 average
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: OH BOY!!! There is absolutely nothing better than getting all the top talent on one stage! We have quite a few girls who are confident, gutsy, and willing to lay it on the line.... all for that coveted crown of STATE CHAMPION!
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade - School = Comments
1. (1) Stephy Ormsby, 12- Fort Myers = Stephy went uncontested at the Region 3 meet, finishing with a 17:56 on the tough Holloway Park course. Experience should prevail in the 3A hunt for a state champion...expect fast times!
2. (3) Valerie Lastra, 12- Mater Academy = Valerie is back!!! She went uncontested after nursing muscle tightness at the Region 4 meet with an 18:17 on the less than quick and muddy South Fork course. Valerie is smart, gutsy, and experienced, so look for her to fight to defend her 3A title. Can't wait to see that smile out on the course!
3. (2) Caroline Wells,10 - Winter Springs = Caroline finished in 17:58 at her region meet. An 18:02 at FSU Pre-State gives us a good indicator that we will see a huge PR from Caroline on the ARP this weekend. It is going to be an exciting battle with Ormsby from Fort Myers for the title!
4. (4) Reilly Barber, 10- St. Augustine = Reilly finished with a 19:06 as runner-up in the Region 1 meet! With an 18:24 at the FSU Pre-State meet, there is no doubt she will race fast on Saturday! I'd love to see her challenge for a top 5 finish and end a great season with a nice PR!
5. (8) Liina Winborn, 12- Sunlake = Liina is the Region 2 runner-up with an 18:14! She has experience at ARP and is looking to lead her team to a top 5 finish. Look for her in the lead pack at the gun!
6. (7) Kambry Smith, 11- Fort Walton Beach = Region 1 champion in 18:42! Kambry's consistency all season is impressive. Expect to see her on the podium!
7. (9) Taylor Stone, 12- Osceola = Taylor ran 18:54 at the Region 3 meet at Holloway Park, finishing 2nd. She has a solid history of peak performances at the ARP, so I anticipate a strong race on Saturday from this Wake Forest commit.
8. (11) Madison Niederriter, 12- St. Augustine = Finished 3rd at Region 1 with a 19:13 and a 19:06 earlier this season at FSU. Madison will be joining Reilly Barber in the push for a state championship for the St. Augustine girls. Be smart, but aggressive!
9. (6) Kana Kosaka, 9 - Robinson = Finished in 19:18 for 6th at the Region 2 meet; Kana will look to lower her PR at ARP to lead her team to a top finish!
10. (17) Alanie Rivera, 10 - Harmony = Finished 3rd in the Region 2 meet with a huge PR of 19:03! How exciting!!! Being smart at ARP could put her on the podium in the top 10...
11. (14) Ani Veltcheva, 10- Gainesville = Finished in 19:22 for 4th in Region 1; last four races have been consistent. Ani is a competitor and will be ready for the battle on Saturday for a top 10 finish.
12. (10) Hannah Martin, 12- South Fork = Hannah finished 4th at Region 4 in the mud with 19:54. She is excited to race on her favorite course in Tally (ran 19:01 last month there) where her experience and motivation will help her to a podium finish!
13. (12) Mia Perez, 12- Estero = Mia finished 3rd with a 19:27 at Holloway Park, which was a 21 second improvement from her last race on the course this season. She is moving in the right direction!
14. (15) Ellie Fluman, 12- St. Augustine = Great job at Region 1 meet, finishing 5th in 19:24 to help her team to the region title! Ellie should make every effort to go with her #1 and 2 teammates...look for a nice PR on Saturday.
15. (16) Brooke Mullins, 11- Harmony = Finished 4th at her region meet in 19:11...another big PR by a Longhorn! Working together with Alanie will make this pair a force to be reckoned with!
16. (22) Elayna Bahr, 12- Winter Springs HS = Finished in 5th with a 19:16- her best race of the season. Nice to see a senior working hard to finish on a high note! Elayna will need to have a big race in Tally to help her team to the podium.
17. (13) Avery Calabro, 11- Leon = 19:39 for 6th at the Region 1 meet; racing well, hope to see her with fresh legs in Tally!
18. (20) Christiana Coleman, 8 - Dillard = Ran a 19:39 at South Fork to finish 2nd; Christiana has run fast at ARP before (19:10 last year), so look for her to fight for a medal finish.
19. (19) Ashton Rainey, 10 - Robinson = 19:31 in Region 2; Expect a solid race from this young lady as she follows the lead of her teammate, Kana Kosaka! Leave it on the course!
20. (18) Ashley Fitzgerald, 8 - American Heritage = Two solid performances at South Fork for District and Region (19:30 and 19:40), finishing 3rd at Region; Ashley will need to be smart in Tally. Don't get pulled into the craziness on the first lap!
4A Girls Rankings
by Ryan Raposo, Florida National University, ryanraposo@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Heading into the State Championship it's safe to say there were not many team surprises at the Region meets. 31 of the 32 teams I ranked last week advanced to State. I really didn't verify if teams didn't run their top 5 kids, as most squads shouldn't be holding anyone out at this point. Overall Region 2 was the fastest race this pace week (as noted by the ton of PRs), followed by Regions 1 and 3, and lastly Region 4 (where the change of PRing on a Wednesday afternoon at Larry & Penny is microscopic). Because of this there will be some variations in the rankings, adding some time to Region 2 and cutting time from Region 4. The State meet continues to look like four races to me: a race for the podium, a top 5/10 pack, a 15-25 pack, and the bottom group. All of that being said, here's the final 4A Girls Rankings of the season...
Rank. (Previous Rank) School, Region Place- Region Team Avg, & Spread = Comments
The Contenders:
1. (1) Newsome, R2 #1- 19:03 avg, 1:30 spread = This is the team to beat. How they win: Keep doing what they have the last month of the season. They've consistently shown they're the best, with a great meet at FSU and 4 of their top 5 PRing at Region. Their pack should bring home the championship.
2. (3) Chiles, R1 #1- 19:28 avg, 2:15 spread = Chiles is in the driver seat for the podium, however they'll need help from their #3 and #5 to secure a runner-up; #4 just PRed at Region. How they win: Newsome slips up a little bit and they get a big PR from their #5.
3. (2) Plant, R2 #2- 19:27 avg, 2:27 spread = Never count out Plant. If there is one team who can win the big one, it's Coach Harrison's team; I know from experience. How they win: If they can tighten up the pack a little bit from the back end, they'll be on the podium for sure.
Large Pack #1 = Shooting for Top 5 / Top 10:
Commentary: ANY of these teams could slide up or down 5-6 slots depending on who has a good or bad day. I gave advantages to teams with tighter packs because the sheer size of adding 8 more teams should add more points throughout this meet. The better your 4-5-6 and the less point should stagger into your team score. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what FSU showed us just a month ago.
4. (5) Braddock, R4 #1- 19:57 avg, 35s spread = They had a solid day at Region with much improvement from District. If everyone is healthy, and someone above them slips up, they have a shot at making the podium.
5. (4) Sarasota, R2 #3- 19:41 avg, 1:02 spread = They drop a spot solely because of the Region course differences and greater spread, even with 4 of their top 5 PRing. They too could work their way onto a podium on the right day.
6. (7) Mandarin, R1 #2- 19:54 avg, 27s spread = They jump a spot with a great pack and solid Region race (huge improvement from District), and they also have a lot of upward mobility (podium?) if they continue running well.
7. (10) Creekside, R1 #3- 20:00 avg, 2:16 spread = A solid performance similar to how I thought they would be running all season. On the right day they could potentially make top 5 if the back half of their varsity steps up.
8. (14) George Jenkins, R2 #4- 19:42 avg, 2:05 spread = Another team that had a great Region and appears to be putting it together when it matters most. Big PRs from #3-5-6 helps a lot.
9. (13) Lourdes, R4 #2- 20:19 avg, 35s spread = This is the sleeper pick. Big bump because of the difficult Region, but how much will the pack move up together? Will the top 10 state streak continue?
10. (8) Winter Park, R3 #T1- 20:01 avg, 1:11 spread = Beat TC at the Region with the tie-breaker.
11. (6) Timber Creek, R3 #T2- 19:52 avg, 2:27 spread = A notch behind WP because of the larger spread.
12. (9) Lakewood Ranch, R2 #5- 20:10 avg, 1:47 spread = They could be top 10 or just a notch outside.
13. (12) Spanish River, R3 #3- 20:05 avg, 2:24 spread = Consistently 10-13th this season.
14. (22) Niceville, R1 #4- 20:09 avg, 2:04 spread = The biggest jump this week thanks to a lot of PRs and SBs.
Large Pack #2 = Not likely Top 10, likely Top 15-25:
15. (16) Jupiter, R3 #4- 20:14 avg, 1:34 spread
16. (15) Dr. Phillips, R3 #5- 20:20 avg, 1:29 spread
17. (19) Oviedo, R1 #5- 20:27 avg, 1:36 spread
18. (17) Buchholz, R1 #6- 20:25 avg, 1:42 spread
19. (11) Fleming Island, R1 #7- 20:28 avg, 1:32 spread
20. (NR) Spruce Creek, R1 #8- 20:44 avg, 1:48 spread
21. (23) Steinbrenner, R2 #6- 20:35 avg, 3:07 spread
22. (20) Riverview, R2 #7- 20:25 avg, 4:49 spread
23. (24) Windermere, R3 #6- 20:38 avg, 1:44 spread
24. (25) Wharton, R2 #8- 21:08 avg, 1:50 spread
25. (26) Boone, R3 #7- 20:55 avg, 3:19 spread
26. (18) Viera, R3 #8- 20:53 avg, 2:07 spread
Bottom 6, aka Region 4:
27. (27) St. Thomas, R4 #3- 21:41 avg, 1:42 spread
28. (28) Coral Reef, R4 #4- 21:35 avg, 4:29 spread
29. (29) Doral, R4 #5- 22:54 avg, 1:49 spread
30. (30) Ferguson, R4 #6- 22:56 avg, 3:31 spread
31. (31) Coral Park, R4 #7- 23:27 avg, 3:25 spread
32. (32) Ft. Lauderdale, R4 #8- 23:51 avg, 52s spread
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: It's the same group we've seen all season and with a ton of great performances in the various Region meets. I manipulated the rankings a bit based on course difference as well as overall season bests / personal records. But no matter what I put down, it's going to be a really fast one. Top 15 under 18:45? Good luck girls!
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade - School = Comments
1. (2) Parker Valby, 12 - East Lake = 17:07, Champion in Region 2 = Late start to the season but hitting hard when it counts the most.
2. (1) Alyssa Hendrix, 12 - Riverview = 17:13, Runner-up in Region 2 = A narrow runner-up at Region, you can be sure she'll put up a fight for the win.
3. (5) Mary Ellen Eudaly, 10 - HB Plant = 17:52, 3rd in Region 2 =
4. (3) Caroline Lehman, 10 - Manatee = 18:05, 4th in Region 2
5. (14) Ashley Klingenberg, 12 - Lake Brantley = 18:20, Champion in Region 1
6. (7) Caitlin Wilkey, 11 - Chiles = 18:25, 2nd in Region 1
7. (13) Alyson Churchill, 12 - Chiles = 18:27, 3rd in Region 1
8. (4) Amber Schulz, 10 - Timber Creek = 18:22, Champion in Region 3
9. (12) Keleigh Scallon, 11 - Newsome = 18:19, 5th in Region 2
10. (16) Jacquelyn Abanses, 11 - Steinbrenner = 18:23, 6th in Region 2
11. (18) Elizabeth Iliff, 11 - Creekside = 18:36, 4th in Region 1
12. (6) Emma Solis, 12 - Newsome = 18:29, 7th in Region 2
13. (BOLO) Lillian Holtery, 11 - Niceville = 18:39, 5th in Region 1
14. (15) Krystal Rodriguez, 11 - Coral Reef = 19:28, Champion in Region 4
15. (9) Ariana Jimenez, 12 - Apopka = 18:49, 6th in Region 1
16. (BOLO) Alica Ruiz, 11 - George Jenkins = 18:45, 8th in Region 2
17. (10) Arlie Rubin, 10 - Plant = 18:46, 9th in Region 2
18. (20) Rylee Pustilnik, 12 - Spanish River = 18:56, Runner-up in Region 3
19. (NR) Naila Etique, 11 - Nease = 19:08, 7th in Region 1
20. (19) Anna Sentner, 12 - George Jenkins = 19:03, 10th in Region 2
21. (8) Jessica Neal, 10 - Lakewood Ranch = 19:07, 11th in Region 2
22. (11) Emma Noel, 11 - Winter Park = 19:19, 3rd in Region 3
23. (BOLO) Blake Petrick, 11 - Creekside = 19:22, 8th in Region 1
24. (17) Isabella Babilonia, 11 - Viera = 19:23, 4th in Region 3
BOYS STATE RANKINGS
1A Boys Rankings
by Paul Opitz, Out of Door Academy, paul.opitz65@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Looks likes some very competitive races for the next couple of spots after the top 2.
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments
1. (1) Seffner Christian Academy = avg 17:01 at the always hilly Holloway Park. The most consistent team all year, I am going with the Region 3 Champs, the second year in a row this team has won a region title congratulations on those victories.
2. (2) Oak Hall = won Region 2 avg 17:21 Holloway Park
The next group
6. (BOLO) Pensacola Christian Academy = 2nd Region 1 avg 17:55
7. (7) St. Francis Catholic HS = 3rd Region 2 Holloway Park avg 17:53
8. (11) Southwest Florida Christian Academy = 3rd Region 3 Holloway Park avg 17:58
9. (11) Marco Island Charter = 4th Region 3 Holloway Park 18:06 avg
10. (NR) Bishop Snyder = 3rd Region 1 avg 18:19
11. (9) Lakeland Christian School = 4th Region 2 avg 18:18
12. (8) Circle Christian Academy = 5th Region 2 avg 18:27
13. (6) Indian Rocks Christian = 5th Region 3 avg 18:25
14. (12) Father Lopez Catholic = 7th Region 2 avg 18:44
15. (BOLO) St Stephens Episcopal = 6th Region 3 avg 18:28
16. (BOLO) St. Johns Country Day School = 5th Region 1 avg 18:19
Faithfully submitted
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: After the #1, the next several spots should be very close.
Rank. Name, Grade, School = Comments
1. (1) Junious Brown, 12, Maclay = won Region 1 in 15:59, undefeated against all 1a runners. several races under 16, a very consistent season.
2. (3) Austin Motini, 11, Oak Hall = won Region 3, Holloway Park 16:24
3. (2) Reed Legg, 12, Cambridge Christian = won Region 2 Holloway Park 16:20
4. (4) Matthew Stratton, 10, St John Country Day = 2nd Region 1 16:19
5. (5) John Mckenzie, 12, Seffner Christian Academy = 2nd Region 3 Holloway Park 16:27
6. (7) Jonathan Pitchford, 11, Marathon = won Region 4 at Tradewinds park in 17:12
7. (14) Tristan McWilliam, 10, OUT OF DOOR ACADEMY = OUT OF DOOR ACADEMY 3rd at Regoin 3 Holloway Park 16:30
8. (10) Xander Peacock, 12, Blounstown = 3rd at Region 1
The next pack of Harriers running for those coveted state medals
9. (9) Seth Martinez- Lakeland Christian = 2nd at Region 2 Holloway Park 16:44
10. (8) Adam Nipper, 11, Seffner Christian Academy = 4th at Region 3 in 16:49
11. (BOLO) Ethan Tank, 11, Southwest Florida Christian Academy = 5th at Region 3 in 16:52
12. (11) Riley Noveck, 09, Mt Dora Christian Academy = 3rd at Region 3 in 16:47
13. (BOLO) Phillip Henderson, Admiral Farragut = 6th at Region 3 17:03
14. (BOLO) Tom Valente, 12, Mt Dora Christian Academy = 4th at Region 2 in 16:56
15. (15) Caden Montini, 09, Oak Hall = 7th at Region 2 in 17:05
Other fast runners:
(NR) David Keen, 12, North Florida Christian
(BOLO) Mitchell Curtis, 11, Mt Dora
(NR) Mahari Van Der Reit, 10, Foundation
(16) Asher Dorbin, 10, Oak Hall
(12) Paul Mckenzie, 12, Seffner Christian Academy
(BOLO) Mateo Luna, 10, Indian Rocks Christian
(BOLO) Dalin Mitchell, 11, Seffner Christian
(BOLO) Braxton Legg, 09, Cambridge Christian
2A Boys Rankings
by
Zach White, Mount Dora Christian Academy
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Here are the rankings headed to the State Meet, but at this point, they don't mean anything! Teams- show the State what you are made of! I can't wait to see how it all shakes out! Good luck!
Here are the TEAM RANKINGS State Meet
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comment
1. Satellite- Been the number 1 team all year and I don't see it changing on Saturday. This team will have a chance to make NXN with a good race on November 30th at WakeMed.
2. Bolles- Went from having a solid 1 to a solid 2 and now they have developed a solid trio of guys headed to the State Meet. Very good team.
3. Berkeley Prep- Been very dominant at most races this year. I'm very interested to see how they stack up against Bolles this weekend.
4. Lake Highland Prep- Has consistently proven to be a top 5 team. Excited to see what kind of noise they can make at State.
5. Bishop Moore- Lost to Trinity Prep at Regionals, but I still think they have a top 5 team in the State and I look forward to seeing how high they can finish this weekend.
6. Trinity Prep- Had a much better race this weekend and has proven that they are definitely a good team. Curious to see where they finish this weekend. They have some good momentum right now.
7. King's Academy- Was very solid at their Regional Meet. Beat Saint Andrew's by a decent margin. Might could move into top 5 at State with a good race!
8. Saint Andrew's High School- A very good team. It will be very close between them and many of these other schools. They will surely be looking to redeem their loss from this past week.
9. Labelle HS- Tough to get a good pulse on this team. They were great at Districts and then were a completely different team at Regionals. I look forward to finding out who they really are at State.
10. Astronaut & Cocoa Beach- Tied at Regionals. Let's see who is better at the State Meet!
Other Teams to watch out for:
Pine Crest, West Shore, MonteVerde, The Villages
Individual Rankings: State Meet
Commentary: I did not change much this week, except moving Justin into the top 4. I chose to keep everything pretty much the same, because I don't think Regionals is the best thing in the world to base the individual State rankings on. Some were relaxing the week before State and some were pressing. No commentary out next to the individuals this week. Words don't matter anymore. The only thing that matters is what each of these runners does on Saturday! Proud of all of them!!
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade - School = Comments
1. Gabriel Montague- Satellite
2. Robert Pedroza-Key West
3. Josh Kraver- Satellite
4. Justin Wilson- Satellite
5. Will Brady- Bolles
6. Gavin O'Brien- Astronaut
7. Cole Rutkowski- Bolles
8. Ethan Lipham- Berkeley Prep
9. Josh Stern-Satellite
10. Colby Steger-Satellite
Other Individuals to watch out for:
Brayden Cheek, Hudson Rowan, Cameron Dunn, James Simkins, Colin Duhnoski, Kai Cheatham,
Simon Devoss
3A Boys Rankings
by Amanda Vereecke, Fort Myers High
School, fhsaa3arankings@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: There is no question as to who the top 3A team is. I don't think there is a question who the runner up team in 3A will be. It will be interesting how the rest of this shakes out. Good luck to all teams competing this weekend!
1. Belen Jesuit- These guys have been at the top all season.
2. Robinson High School- Commanding win of a tough Region 2, winning by 53 points.
3. Leon- Won Region 1 by 60 points.
4. Sunlake- Third place by 1 point in an extremely competitive region 2, ranking above Tampa Jesuit based on season performance and gut instinct.
5. Tampa Jesuit- Second place by 1 point in region 2. I think I may have under-ranked this team all year.
6. Lake Wales- This team is seeing some breakout performances late in the season. Led by a strong group up front-it will be exciting to see if they have the depth for a top 5 team finish.
7. Fort Myers- Had a DNF from #1 runner Liam Holston (flu-he will be back this week!), but still pulled off the regional win by 1 point. Region 3 was interesting to say the least.
8. Ponte Vedra- This team continues to have a pretty tight spread.
9. Naples- Second place in region 3 by 1 point.
10. Choctawatchee- Consistent!
11. Stanton Prep
12. Gainesville
13. Ida Baker
14. Mitchell
15. Fort Walton Beach
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: While this past weekend saw an upset of our consistent #1, Ethan Geiger, he is remaining as our favorite for a state title (rumor has it there may have been a wrong turn---but this could just be a rumor). THIS IS TOUGH!
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade - School
1. (1) Ethan Geiger, 12 - Robinson High School = I believe in Ethan Geiger.
2. (2) Anderson Denton, 12 - Lake Wales = Upset Geiger to win the R2 title, had a great race at Great American earlier this season.
3. (3) Thomas Weiler, 12 - South Fork HS = Consistent season for this UNF commit!
4. (5) Adam Magoulas, 10 - Belen Jesuit = Continually leads his team, won region 4.
5. (4) Diego Gomez, 11 - Belen Jesuit = Consistently in the top for Belen.
6. (6) Mac Updike, 11- Lake Wales = Broke 16 with a new PR at regionals!
7. (8) Lewis Benitez-Chaparro, 12 - Ocala Vanguard = Region win for this UF commit.
8. (7) Javier Vento, 11 - Belen Jesuit = Defending champion keeps improving.
9. (10) Francisco Ramirez 11 - Pace HS = Ran a fantastic race for 2nd place in region 1.
10. (14) Dieumerci Ufitimana, 12 - St. Petersburg = Ran away from the field for a win in region 3.
11. (WL) Richard Bennett, 12 - Robinson = Ran close to a PR at the region.
12. (11) Jackson Yarbrough, 10 - Leon = 3rd place in region 1.
13. (WL) Sebastian Castillo, 11 - Belen Jesuit = Scoring runner on the top ranked team.
14. (WL) Colby Robbins, 10 - Sunlake = Ran in a tough region 2, has been in our rankings throughout the season.
15. (9) Liam Holston, 11 - Fort Myers = Hoping he is fully recovered from the flu, attempted to race at regionals, resulted in a DNF.
Watchlist:
Colby Robbins, 10 - Sunlake
Aiden Arnold, 11 - Winter Springs
Jake Rogers, 9 - Leon
Ladrius Tellis, 11 - Lake Wales
Darius Johnson, 11 - Choctawatchee
Colsen Palmer, 10 - Fort Myers
Aiden Villasuso, 11 - Belen Jesuit
4A Boys Final State Rankings
by 4A Pollster, 4Apollster@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Last week's Region Meets saw the two most recent state champions, Sarasota and Oviedo, reassert themselves with 2nd and 3rd place performances respectively. It's probably a case of too little - too late, however, as the 4A State Meet seems most likely to be won by one of four teams. The two teams most likely to prevail are the regions 1 and 2 champions, Bartram Trail and Steinbrenner. They are similar to each other in that each features a very tight pack of runners with a team average in the very low 16's. Steinbrenner appears to have a very slight edge base on times, but these two teams have not gone head-to-head all year. If you're looking for a possible upset, watch out for both Nease and HB Plant. These two teams can also win it all. Nease lost in a tie-breaker to Steinbrenner at Pre-State and then by a mere 3 points to Bartram at the Region Meet. Nease and Plant have more in common than their mascots (Panthers), but they have not gone head-to-head this season. Nease appears to be faster in the front, but Plant is deeper in the back, which is critical in such a large, competitive meet. The rest of the 4A field is easily the strongest field of teams in recent years and should make for some very exciting racing. This pollster can't wait!
Here are my predictions for this year's State Meet. This week's rankings used a combination of top-5 p.r. average, top-5 season average, meaningful head-to-head competition and plain old gut instinct.
Final 4A Boys Team Rankings
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = (Top-5 P.R. avg. / Top-5 Season avg.)
1. (1) Steinbrenner HS = (16:07 / 16:31)
2. (2) Bartram Trail HS = (16:12 / 16:40)
3. (3) Nease HS = (15:59 / 16:49)
4. (4) H.B. Plant HS = (16:12 / 16:40)
5. (6) Windermere HS = (16:19 / 16:51)
6. (5) Newsome HS = (16:21 / 16:59)
7. (13) Oviedo HS = (16:24 / 17:12)
8. (11) Sarasota HS = (16:31 / 17:16)
9. (10) Columbus HS = (16:34 / 17:03)
10. (8) Niceville HS = (16:32 / 16:59)
11. (7) Fleming Island HS = (16:22 / 17:03)
12. (14) Spanish River HS = (16:27 / 17:09)
13. (9) Creekside HS = (16:26 / 17:17)
14. (15) Mandarin HS = (16:42 / 17:13)
15. (12) Chiles HS = (16:36 / 17:08)
Other teams to watch for:
(NR) St. Cloud HS = (16:43 / 17:09)
(NR) Vierra HS = (16:42 / 17:19)
(NR) Dr. Phillips HS = (16:47 / 17:19)
(NR) St. Thomas Aquinas HS = (17:03 / 17:22)
(NR) Ft. Lauderdale HS = (16:51 / 17:28)
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: This week's rankings used a combination of season best time, the average of each runner's best 4 times and meaningful, recent head-to-head competition.
Name, Grade / School Season Best / Avg. Top 4 Times
1. Rheinhart Harrison, 10 Nease 15:23 / 15:53
2. Jake Turner, 12 Armwood 15:24 / 15:40
3. Zachary Cloud, 12 St Cloud 15:32 / 15:45
4. Bradley Ball, 11 Nease 15:34 / 15:45
5. Keith Gibson, 12 H.B. Plant 15:36 / 15:50
6. Justin Tackling, 12 Nease 15:36 / 16:03
7. Onix Ortiz Vazquez, 12 Windermere 15:46 / 16:04
8. Josh King, 12 Steinbrenner 15:50 / 15:58
9. Seth Martinez, 11 Lennard 15:48 / 16:04
10. Ryan Maney, 10 H.B. Plant 15:52 / 16:04
11. Michael Fiore, 11 Fort Lauderdale 15:55 / 16:04
12. Joe Wester, 11 Jupiter 15:57 / 16:04
13. Jahari White, 11 Bartram Trail 15:53 / 16:11
14. Blake Walker, 11 Steinbrenner 15:55 / 16:16
15. Jared Hammil, 11 Wharton 15:55 / 16:10
16. Dominic Acosta, 12 Newsome 16:02 / 16:06
17. Kaden Levings, 09 Niceville 15:58 / 16:10
18. Cameron Wallizada, Fleming Island 16:03 / 16:10
19. Zach Harrigan, Steinbrenner 16:07 / 16:15
20. John-Anthony Hernandez, 12 St. Cloud 16:03 / 16:17
Other Runners to Watch for:
Jalani White, 11 Bartram Trail 16:02 / 16:20
Will Livesay, 12 Fleming Island 16:03 / 16:20
John Lesh, 12 Dwyer 16:11 / 16:14
Colton Berquist, 11 Winter Garden 15:53 / 16:22
Wynne Thomas, 11 HB Plant 16:15 / 16:21
Liam Pirie, 12 Windermere 16:13 / 16:23
Taylor Dreyer, 10 Riverview 16:12 / 16:28
Michael Toppi, 10 Viera 16:12 / 16:25
Mac Williams, 09 Creekside 16:04 / 16:24
Gabe Lara, 12 Steinbrenner 16:17 / 16:21
Important Reminder:
- Please remember that all of these rankings are done by volunteer coaches and are meant to increase the overall enjoyment of the sport for athletes, coaches, parents, and fans. They are just for fun and should not have a lot of weight put on them. But if you have issues (such as a missed athlete or team), please email the individual pollster for your classification & gender.
- Please direct any major concerns to FACA Rankings Representative: Ryan Raposo @ ryanraposo@gmail.com
With Region week behind us we can now look toward the State Finals. Let's see what our volunteer pollsters have to say heading into the biggest race of the season!
And on a personal note, I want to thank all of the volunteer pollsters for all the work they put into these rankings this season. Much of the time the work it put in without appreciation, but I truly appreciate the continuous effort put in all season long. Thank you pollsters! And with that being said, here are the final State rankings!