In preparation for tomorrow's State Championship here are the final FACA State Rankings of the 2021 season!
GIRLS STATE RANKINGS
1A Girls Rankings
By Sue O'Malley (FLCHS) somalley@fatherlopez.org
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Mile 3 of the XC race! Best wishes to all the teams this week and remember strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you thought were impossible! Go for the Impossible! When those legs give out race from the heart!
Rank. (Previous Rank) School: Comments
1. (1) Cambridge Christian: Could this squad have a perfect score come states time? The Lancers won their region meet. The Lancers will be the team to beat at the state meet! The race will be for 2nd place.
2. (2) Oak Hall: The Eagles soared in the region on Saturday!. This region is by far the most competitive region in the state! This team knows their competition and will give everything they have at the state championships where anything could happen!
3. (5) Maclay: Maclay wins another region title! Top 3 finish in their sights for sure!
4. (4) Pensacola Christian Academy: The Warriors will definitely win their region. Watch this team at the state championship. Last year due to Covid and the meet being moved to Sunday this team was not able to compete so they are hungry to show their toughness this year. Look for this team to go for a top 3 finish to make up from last year and Covid!
5. (3) Circle Christian: The Centurions know how to race! A dark horse team for sure for the state championships!
6. (7) Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart: The Tornadoes will storm their way to a possible top 5 on Friday!
7. (BOLO) Providence School: The Stallions stampede in their region with as strong 3rd place finish. Can the Stallions stampede to a top 10 finish on Friday?
8. (6) Benjamin School: Team Orange and Blue have been strong all season and should be a contender for a top 10 finish!
9. (8) South Florida Heat: This team turned on the heat this season for sure. The Heat will put the steam on as they go for a top 10 finish on Friday!
10. (10) Lakeland Christian: The Vikings will make another voyage to the state stage and always race strong. Look for the Vikings to discover another top 10 finish.
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Cambridge Lancer Girls hold the #1-2-3-6 positions in the 6th and final round of rankings! These girls are in their homestretch of their season! Region meets were held this past week and now the big stage is set for Friday November 12th at Apalachee Region State Park. Congrats to all of the teams on a job well done at their region meet! Those regions that raced on Saturday in adverse conditions congrats to you to show your mental toughness and not letting the weather deter your goals. I want to wish everyone a wonderful state meet. Thank you to all the seniors who are their team's heroes and sacrificing their time commitment and leadership to continue their team's tradition.
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade School = Comments
1. (1) Mary Ellen Eudaly 12th Cambridge Christian School = 17:51, Remains at the top of the mountain! Mary Ellen is my pick to win it all on Friday. Mary Ellen won her region meet in style and will not disappoint on Friday.
2. (2) Caroline Lehman 12th Cambridge Christian = 17:59, Caroline finished 2nd to her teammate Mary Ellen at the regional meet. She will be the favorite to be runner up on Friday!
3. (3) Elaina Black 8th Cambridge Christian = 18:05, This young lady just keeps her stride going! Elaina finished 3rd at their region meet. Elaina was the runner up last year at the state meet. Could be a real darkhorse on Friday! And to think she will have another 4 years after this amazing season.
4. (4) Lauren Jones 12th Oak Hall = 18:23, Lauren won her region meet in very wet cold and rainy conditions but she looked so tough and intimidating on Saturday! Lauren is another one to keep your eye on Friday. She gets better and stronger every postseason. Let's see Lauren fly and soar her Eagles team on Friday!
5. (5) Ava Pouich 11th Evangelical Christian School = 18:28, Ava was 5th in her region meet. Ava looks like she should crack the top 5 at the state meet!
6. (6) Madeliene Gear 10th Cambridge Christian School = 18:48, Madeline was 4th in her region meet. Look for Madeline to definitely be in the top 10 on Friday!
7. (11) Raeanne Tutton 10th Pensacola Christian Academy = 19:10, RaeAnne races up 4 spots! RaeAnne also sets a new PR to win her region! RaeAnne has shown a lot of strength and confidence in this postseason! I see a top 10 finish on Friday!
8. (12) Jaimee Tutton 8th Pensacola Christian Academy = 19:10, Jaimee, the sister of RaeAnne ran stride to stride with her sister at the region meet. Both raced to a new PR of 18:53! It was a photo finish at the region meet for these sisters! Friday will be exciting to see each other push each other to a top 10 finish! And she has 4 more years!
9. (14) Laci Watford 12th University Christian School = 19:22, Laci races up 5 spots in the rankings! Laci finished 3rd in the region meet and 6th last year at the state meet. Look for Laci to be in the pack on Friday for a top 10 finish!
10. (7) Gabriella Santucci 11th Canterbury School (Fort Myers) = 19:05, Gabriella placed 9th in the region meet and will be one to watch on Friday. She will definitely have a shot of a top 10 on Friday!
11. (8) Susan Grace Koeppel 10th Maclay = 19:05, Susan was 4th in the region. Maclay is a well-coached team and will be a threat for a top 10 finish on Friday.
12. (9) Addison Dempsey 10th Cardinal Mooney = 19:06, Addison placed 6th in the very competitive region with Cambridge Christian. Addison will be the only runner from her team advancing and does have a great shot of the top 10!
13. (10) Sydney Miller 11th Oak Hall = 19:07, Sydney finished 3rd at the region meet under adverse weather conditions. Sydney will be one to watch to help her team to one of the first two spots for that title.
14. (13) Alivia Dragstedt 9th Oak Hall School = 19:14, Alivia finished 4th at the region meet. Alivia looked strong on Saturday and will not let anything stop her on Friday!
15. (BOLO) Mary Clayton Soto 10th Maclay = 19:15, Mary Clayton saved the best for the end and did in style by placing 5th at the region meet. Looks like Mary Clayton will be making her state debut! Let's make it memorable!
Others to watch out for:
(15) Andrea Montaner 10th Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
(BOLO) Grace DeJesus 10th Circle Christian
(BOLO) Sarah Rudolph 12th Circle Christian
(BOLO) Ava Wyatt Master's Academy
(BOLO) Reagan Smith Pensacola Christian Academy
(BOLO) Katie Beam 11th Baptist Academy
(BOLO) Elizabeth Poe 12th Tampa Bay Heat
Ella Beckett Keswisk Christian
2A Girls Rankings
By David Suarez, Gulliver Prep, dsuarez@gulliverprep.org
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Your final 2A Girls rankings of the year. After some blazing fast region meets it's time to take it all into consideration and set up the final rankings going into this Friday's FHSAA XC State championships. Of course as we all know, rankings do not matter as much as who shows up on race day. I am definitely going to make an effort to go wheel the New World course sometime soon as everyone seems to be running very fast there lately and teams leaving with everyone in their varsity PR'ing makes it very questionable. The chunk of points sit between the 20-21 minute range, teams who can get ahead of those packs will make the top spots. Anything can happen in this sport and hopefully we're in for a great race on Friday.
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments
1. (1) Bolles HS = An entire top 7 of sub 20 minute girls, the individual favorite, and the historic quality of showing up when it counts, the Bolles girls have sat as favorites all year and will stay there this final week as the championship is there's to lose. It will take a lot to beat this girls team. Individuals may break up the pack but the scoring will be somewhere between 50-60 points is my guess.
2. (2) St. Brendan = Looks like all the trouble I've given them over the year for a #5 has caused them to step up. With their entire varsity group PR'ing at the region meet, they are stepping up when it counts. Comfortably won their region meet, 19:46 team average, and a great front runner in Emma Hencock, 11. They are now my choice for favorites for the podium, but it won't come easy with the teams behind them breathing down their neck.
3. (3) Bishop Kenny HS= Another team whose entire varsity PR'ed at the region meet. 19:58 team average but what makes them strong is the 1:06 1-5 spread. Strong pack which gives them an edge over other teams. New world course is obviously lightning quick, so we'll need to see how it translates on to ARP.
4. (13) North Bay Haven = A third team whose entire varsity PR'ed at their region meet. They finished 2nd to Bolles but they have a bit of work to do on the #4 and #5 in order to beat the teams above. Great #1-3 though which will score low points.
5. (5) Episcopal School of Jacksonville = Finished 4th in the very fast region 1. 20:27 team average with a great front runner in Lucrezia Gowdy, 9. They lacked some power at the #5 spot which will cost them some points but I think they'll be okay and push for a top 5 finish.
6. (9) Satellite HS = Satellite girls won their region by 8 points but with the Doug Butler factor we count them in for anything. A young squad of girls who have been consistent all season. Expecting a big performance from them this week.
7. (7) South Walton HS = South Walton girls had a great showing once again at their region meet finishing 5th in the strong region 1. They have strength from #1-5. Running a 20:28 team average. Their #4-5 fall a bit behind the chunk of 20-21 minute pack girls that will be at the state meet but not too far behind where they cost too many points.
8. (6) Gulliver Prep = Ran without their #4 at the region 4 meet and still finished comfortably 2nd to a very strong St. Brendan side. 20:35 team average and a 1:04 1-5 split gives them a good chance to finish ahead of what they're ranked. If they're all healthy on the starting line they will make some noise.
9. (4) Mount Dora HS = Finished 2nd at Region 2 to Satellite. With their consistently in form #1-2 punch they can score low points at the state meet to move up some places. Weakness at #5 could cost them some points however.
10. (8) Berkeley Prep = Did not run well at their region meet finishing 4th however they have had a great season and if they perform as they have so far this season they will definitely be in the top 10 and will be looking to finish very high in the team scores.
11. (Unranked) Clearwater Central Catholic HS
12. (10) Bishop Verot HS
13. (12) American Heritage HS/MS Boca/Delray
14. (11) Lake Highland Prep
15. (14) Academy of Holy Names
Other teams to look out for:
Pine Crest HS
The Kings Academy
Montverde Academy
Tocoi Creek High School
Cardinal Gibbons HS
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Final 2A Girls Individual rankings are here. I think the race for 2nd place will be a very entertaining one and will play a pivotal role in the team scores as well. Some people really stepped up at the region meet. I think it'll take around 19:20 to make the top 15 this season and get an individual medal.
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade -- School = Comments
1. (1) Jillian Candelino, 11 - Bolles HS = Remains at the top of the individual rankings once again. It will be very hard for anyone to beat Jillian. Very interested in seeing how she goes for it in this race, will she leave it until late or will she go for it from the gun.
2. (5) Emma Hencock, 11 - St. Brendan HS = Looked incredibly strong in her region meet. Broke the front pack with a mile to go and never looked back. 18:39 is very fast and has been coming all season. Will be interesting to see her run on ARP for the first time this season.
3. (2) Madison Carr, 9 - Astronaut HS = 18:45 to easily win her region by almost 30 seconds. The battle between her and Emma for the 2nd place spot is going to be a very good one.
4. (10) Carlyn Bobo, 11 - Lake Placid HS = Comfortably won her region meet in 19:05 against a strong Elizabeth Williamson who has been good all season. She can definitely mix it up for the #2 spot as well.
5. (4) Brooke Hooper, 10 - Pine Crest HS = Finished 2nd in Region 4 to Hencock in 18:46 for a pr. She was well in the race for almost 3 miles before falling behind but she will definitely be going for it once again this Friday.
6. (7) Avery Frontrath, 10 - The Kings Academy = Took the lead from the gun at Region 4 and it cost her late in the race as she slowly faded and fell off from the 2 ahead of her. If she can run a smarter, less aggressive race at the state meet she can be in the mix for the #2 spot as well.
7. (3) Elizabeth Williamson, 9 - Academy of Holy Names = Finished 2nd in Region 3 in 19:17 but her breakout race came at ARP at Pre-State earlier this season. If she can replicate that race she will definitely be contesting for a 2nd place finish.
8. (8) Lucrezie Gowdy, 9 - Episcopal School of Jacksonville = Will be looking to score low points to help her team's chances at a podium push. Finished 2nd to Jillian Candelino in Region 1 in 19:03. Has been consistently in the low 19 minute range all year and could make a charge for the sub 19 minute barrier at the State meet.
9. (9) Hannah Douglas, 9 - Mount Dora HS = 2nd place to Madison Carr in 19:13 at Region 2. Has been consistent all season and is a young name trying to mix it in with the bets to help her teams point count.
10. (6) Paige Jaszczak, 12 - Titusville HS = 19:16 for 3rd place at Region 2. Has also been quietly consistent all year long and will be the most experienced out of the top 10 ranked girls as the only senior.
11. (Unranked) Hadley Ropp, 12 - Bolles HS
12. (Unranked) Gabriela Page, 9 - St. Brendan HS
13. (11) Ella Mickler, 11 - Bolles HS
14. (12) Elizabeth Mcclure, 9 - Bolles HS
15. (13) Mackenzie De Lisle, 9 -Bishop Verot HS
Other names to look out for:
Elizabeth Csikai, 11 - Bolles HS
Riley Jaszczak, 12 - Titusville HS
Michelle Smith, 10 - Montverde Academy
Morgan Cox, 11 - Trinity Prep
Hannah Buchanan, 12 - South Walton HS
3A Girls Rankings
by Bonnie Fleming, The Pine School, bfleming@thepineschool.org
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Congratulations to our top 32 teams in 3A! The week of region meets brought many exciting races, in even more exciting conditions! Wind, rain, mud, and low temperatures around the state made for interesting conditions that many athletes hadn't experienced all season; however, teams stepped up to the challenge and threw down some great times! In looking over results from all classifications, it was clear that several teams felt the need to "tempo" a region championship, so don't let those numbers sway you. Once the gun goes off in Tally on Friday, the rubber will meet the road. I'm excited to see these 32 teams show their heart, grit, and determination all the way to the finish line.
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments
1. (1) Ponte Vedra HS- Having put all 7 girls in the top 20 in Region 1, these young ladies easily brought home the trophy. Heading to Tally with 3 girls ranked in the top 15, I see some even nicer hardware in their future!
2. (2) Our Lady of Lourdes Academy- The winner of Region 4, OLL battled Dillard and came home with several new PRs along with great momentum coming into Tally. These girls are always well coached and it just might be their time to make the podium.
3. (3) Osceola HS- Easily won Region 3, these girls will challenge for the podium and no one will be surprised if they pull it off! An impressive 45 second 1-5 split won't hurt the mission either!
4. (6) St. Augustine HS- Runner-up in Region 1, they have the man (uh, woman) power to maintain a top 5 finish.
5. (4) Fleming Island HS- Consistent racing throughout the state series and a 56 second 1-5 split could bring this team into the top 5! Got beat by Leon in Region, so this will be a fun one to watch!
6. (12) Leon HS- Most of these girls are still chasing times from the New World course; unfortunately, that doesn't help in their battle to overtake St. Augustine. Hoping to see them have their best race of the season on the biggest stage!
7. (5) Dillard HS- Runner-up in Region 4 to OLL, these ladies also beat out St. Thomas Aquinas at BCAA; they missed out on the 2020 season, so it'll be pretty exciting to watch them race again on the big stage.
8. (10) St. Thomas Aquinas HS- PRs all around in their 3rd place finish in Region 4, finishing just 4 points behind Dillard; they are consistently dropping time at just the perfect moment...and the trip to Tally will keep them motivated to finish strong!
9. (7) Winter Springs HS- Most of these girls are still chasing times from the Hagerty Invitational. With Wells taking the top spot, it will be up to runners 2-5 to solidify a top 10 finish. They have great leadership, just need to work together in their two obvious packs to make it happen.
10. (11) Bishop Moore HS- Again, 3 of their top 5 are still chasing times from New World; however, they should have what it takes to hold onto a top 10 spot.
11. (9) Seabreeze HS
12. (15) Fort Myers HS
13. (NR) Wakulla HS
14. (8) Sunlake HS
15. (NR) Naples HS
16. (NR) Ocala Vanguard HS
17. (13) Choctawhatchee HS
18. (NR) American Heritage
19. (14) Estero HS
20. (NR) St. Petersburg HS
21. (NR) Matanzas HS
22. (NR) Fort Walton Beach HS
23. (NR) Land O' Lakes HS
24. (NR) South Fork HS
25. (NR) Robinson HS
26. (NR) New Smyrna Beach HS
27. (NR) Northeast HS
28. (NR) River Ridge HS
29. (NR) Rockledge HS
30. (NR) Merritt Island HS
31. (NR) South Fort Myers HS
32. (NR) Charlotte HS
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: With the top spot locked in, there will certainly be a battle for 2-10! Anything can happen in head to head competition, as we all know, and this race will no doubt be one to watch! We have seen plenty of movement amongst the rankings throughout the season and were not able to see some of the top 10 teams compete at Pre-State. Can't wait to see how this shakes out! Welcome to the big dance, ladies! Your hard work has paid off and now you have one last opportunity to end XC 2021 on a high note!
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, School = Comments
1. (1) Caroline Wells, Winter Springs HS
2. (2) Sophia Bushkell, Ponte Vedra HS
3. (7) Addison Boyer, South Fork HS
4. (5) Christiana Coleman, Dillard HS
5. (3) Ashley Fitzgerald, American Heritage HS
6. (4) Olivia Fraga, Our Lady of Lourdes
7. (6) Lily Henne, Lake Minneola HS
8. (18) Cristal Gomez, Lake Wales HS
9. (10) Pippa Worden, Ocala Vanguard HS
10. (8) Ellie Mortiz, Ponte Vedra HS
11. (9) Reilly Barber, St. Augustine HS
12. (11) Lillee Tang, Leon HS
13. (NR) Tessa Massa, Fletcher HS
14. (14) Paige McCaul, Bishop Moore HS
15. (NR) Malinda Underwood, Rockledge HS
16. (NR) Grace Finneran, St. Thomas Aquinas
17. (12) Amelia Tackling, Ponte Vedra HS
18. (13) Abigail Clements, Osceola HS
19. (20) Johanna Diez, Our Lady of Lourdes
20. (NR) Ani Veltcheva, Gainesville HS
Other individuals to watch out for: (15) Belicia O'Grady, Fort Walton Beach HS; (NR) Allie Knotts, Fleming Island HS; Olivia Rodriguez, Our Lady of Lourdes; (16) Catalina Veldwijk, Lecanto HS
4A Girls Rankings
by Dylan Hermelee, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, coachhermelee@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Hello all, and welcome back to the final edition of the state rankings. After months of training, the stage has finally been set for the big show down. Here are my predictions for the 4A State Championship meet.
Rank. School = Comments
1. Buchholz HS = After being ranked 2nd all season, I'm finally bumping Buchholz up to first. They won their region with ease and with Megan Wells not running at District or Regionals for Newsome, Buchholz is primed to win it all.
2. Newsome HS = Newsome falls back to 2nd this round. They won their region but barely edged out a good Lakewood Ranch team in the process. I don't know the status of Wells racing at States. Unless she does, I don't see them winning.
3. Timber Creek HS = Timber Creek holds down 3rd place. With Newsome potentially missing their #1 runner, Timber Creek has a real shot to make the podium this year.
4. Lakewood Ranch HS = Move up to 4th after a 2nd place finish in their region to Newsome.
5. Niceville HS = Niceville got beat pretty bad by Buchholz at their region meet, but that's not because they aren't fast, it's just that Buchholz looks that good. Niceville rounds out the top 5 this round.
6. HB Plant HS = HB Plant comes in at 6th after a 3rd place finish at their region meet.
7. G Holmes Braddock = Braddock clocks in at 7th after winning their region with ease. They should be fresh for the state meet, so look out for their best performance to date.
8. Winter Park HS = After a runner up finish to Timber Creek and narrowly edging Park Vista with a tied score through 5 runners, Winter Park is peaking at the right time and looks poised to finish in the top 10.
9. Olympia HS = Freshman Emily Knopfle won her region meet and helped lead her team to a 3rd place finish. Olympia stays in the top 10 another week.
10. Creekside HS = Creekside was 4th in their region, but keeps their top 10 spot. Now will they finish in the top 10 at the State meet?
Other teams to watch out for:
11. Spanish River HS
12. Mandarin HS
13. Park Vista HS
14. Wharton HS
15. George Jenkins HS
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: We have some big moves this round. Season PR's are fun, but Regional finishes matter most at this point in the season.
Rank. Name, Grade -- School = Comments
1. Amber Schulz, 12 -- Timber Creek HS -- Schulz won her Region with ease and holds down the top spot for every round of rankings.
2. Emily Knopfle, 9 -- Olympia -- Knopfle won her region and defeated 3rd ranked Kate Drummond in the process. Does the freshman have what it takes to win it all?
3. Kate Drummond, 11 -- Buhholtz HS -- She has had an excellent season, but a loss to Knopfle at her region meet knocks her down to 3rd. She's still a lock for the podium though.
4. Penelope Sosa, 12 -- Coral Park -- She won her region with ease and should be fresh for the state championship race.
5. Megan Dolan, 11 -- Boone HS -- She was runner up to Schultz at her region meet and is looking to make the podium this year.
6. Brooke Reif, 12 - Wharton HS -- The Region 2 individual champion won by a whopping 39 seconds. She is one to watch out for on Friday.
7. Kendall Houghes, 12 -- Newsome HS -- 3rd at her region meet, but she still looks on pace to make the podium this year.
8. Jada Williams, 11 -- Flagler Palm Coast HS = Jada was 3rd in her region but finished behind 2 of the top 3 girls in 4A. She's another name to look out for on Friday.
9. Annabella Cardona, 10 -- G Holmes Braddock HS = She won her region with ease, but how will she stack up against the rest of the state?
10. Grace Marston 12- Lakewood Ranch HS -- Region runner up and gets the last spot in the top 10.
11. Catalina Edwards, 11 -- Celebration HS- She was 3rd in her region and seems to be peaking at the right time.
12. Emma O'day, 11 -- Boca Raton HS -- 4th in her region and looking to make her first State XC meet podium.
13. Kaylin Olivarez, 9 -- Niceville HS -- She was 4th in her region and might sneak on the state podium.
14. Lucy Voss, 10 -- Buchholz HS -- She was 5th at her region meet and her team will need a top 15 finish from her if it is going to have a shot at winning the State Championship.
15. Zoe Pustilnik, 12 -- Spanish River -- She gets the final podium spot in the rankings this year.
Other individuals to watch out for:
16. Hannah Foley, 11 -- Boone HS -- 13th in the Select race at FSU.
17. Brooke Gerrits 11- Viera HS
18. Ella Menke, 11 -Venice HS
19. Kelly Davis 12 -- Chiles HS
BOYS STATE RANKINGS
1A Boys Rankings
By Paul Opitz, Out of Door Academy, paul.opitz65@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Here are the final state rankings for your 1A boys! I'm going with Circle Christian over Oak Hall, barely, not an all effort at the Region meet gives them fresher legs?
1. (1) Circle Christian = Region 2 runner-up, 18:00 avg
2. (2) Oak Hall = Region 2 champs, 17:24 avg
3. (3) Indian Rocks Christian = won the toughest Region 3 in the state
4. (5) Pensacola Christian Academy = won Region 1, 16:51 avg
5. (4) Cambridge Christian = 2nd at Regon 3, 17:28 avg
6. (6) Seffner Christian (2 time defending champs) = 4th at Region 3, 17:39 avg
7. (8) SW Fla Christian Academy = 3rd at Region 3 17:47 avg
8. (9) Out of Door Academy = 5th at Region 3, won 1st ever District 6 title in history, good luck men on Friday
9. (7) St Francis Catholic = 3rd at Region 2, 18:10 avg
10. (BOLO) Maclay = 2nd Region 1, 17:48 avg
11. (BOLO) Palmer Trinity Region 4 champs, 17:53 avg
12. (BOLO) St Johns Country Day = 3rd Region 1, 17:44 avg
13. (NR) Providence School = 4th Region 1, 18:16 avg
14. (NR) Bishop Snyder = 5th Region 1, 18:16 avg
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Here are the final state rankings for your 1A boys!
Rank. Name, Grade -- School = Comments
1. (1) Matthew Stratton, 12 - St Johns Country Day = blazed with a new PR of 15:05, in winning Region 1, could be a Foot Locker Finalist
The next runners, 2-7, should be real close and go under the coveted 16min mark at Tally
2. (2) Mateo Luna, 12 - Indian Rocks Christian = great racing all season, won Region 3 in 15:48 at Holloway Park
3. (3) Caden Montini, 11 - Oak Hall = with 2 sub 16 min efforts, won Region 2 in 16:56
4. (4) Jack DeJesus, 11 - Circle Christian = won district 4, also has two sub 16 min efforts this year
5. (11) Jonathan Tutton, 12 - Pensacola Christian = 2nd at Region 1, with a new PR of 16:02, won district 1
6. (7) Tristan (T money) McWilliam, 12 - Out of Door Academy = set 3 school records this year, 15:50 PR, won district 6, 2nd at Region 3 in 16:01 at tough hilly Lake Holloway Park
7. (T-5) Christian Giller, 12 - Seffner Christian = 1st at district 5, 3rd at Region 3 in 16:07
8. (10) Braxton Legg, 11 - Cambridge Christian = 4th at Region 3 in 16:22
9. (BOLO) Andrew Brix, 11 - Pensacola Christian = 5th at Region 1 in 16:27
10. (9) Asher Dorbin, 12 - Oak Hall = 2nd at Region 2 in 17:06
11. (BOLO) Graham Myers, 10 - St. Johns Country Day = 4th at Region 1 in 16:13
12. (BOLO) Clayton Knox, 11 - Maclay = 3rd at Region 1 in 16:13
13. (T-5) Andrew Stowe, 12 - Seffner Christian = 5th at Region 3 in 16:38
14. (BOLO) Hayden Tank, 11 - SW FL Christian = 6th at Region 3 in 16:44
15. (BOLO) Julian Bautista, 12 - St. Francis Catholic = 4th at Region 2 in 17:17
16. (NR) Mehari Van Der Riet, 12 - Foundation Academy = 3rd at Region 2 in 17:15
2A Boys Rankings
By David Suarez, Gulliver Prep, dsuarez@gulliverprep.org
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Final boy's rankings are here. Looks like the #4-10 teams have been reading up on my rankings and they started bridging the gap on the top 3 teams. The top 3 teams are still on another level but the gap between them and the others is now a bit smaller. The team battle looks close but Bolles boys seem to be hitting another level late in the season. The chunk of points this year looks to be in the 16:50-17:50 range.
Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments
1. (1) Bolles HS = Absolutely demolished their region taking the first 7 places. Sitting as favorites right now for the team title which could mean a sweep for the school but there are some teams who want to get in the way of that. 16:06 team average is phenomenal and so is their 0:39 second spread.
2. (2) Satellite HS = Satellite boys comfortably won their Region scoring 27 points with a 16:33 team average and a 0:57 second 1-5 split. Do not count these guys out of the state title challenge, as we've stated all year the Doug Butler factor will have an effect. They will surely be racing to win on Friday.
3. (3) Berkeley Prep = Berkeley Prep boys Region meet was an interesting one. They won comfortably scoring 33 points with a 16:40 team average and a 1:03 1-5 split. However their #1 either settled comfortably or ran very poorly finishing 4th in 16:24. Not expected from someone who's been racing to win every race this season. If they run to their best abilities at the state meet they can challenge the two top teams but it'll take a near perfect day in my opinion if their #4-5 don't finish in the 16:30-16:40 range.
4. (5) Bishop Kenny HS = Bishop Kenny boys finished 2nd to Bolles at their region meet but really held their own. Their entire top 7 left with PR's that day. What was most impressive about their performance was the 0:27 second 1-5 split, these guys know how to pack run which will benefit them hugely at the state meet. Lacking a true front runner but easily make up for it with that pack. They also have a great #6-7 to push teams points further back.
5. (6) Calvary Christian Clearwater = 17:14 team average for a comfortable 2nd place at Region 3. They have a great 1-2 punch which will score low points for them but they are primarily counting on #5 to step up and get ahead of the heavy numbers on Friday. They look very solid and can make some noise.
6. (11) Miami Sunset HS = 17:25 team average, 1:12 1-5 split for the win at the very close Region 4. These guys stepped up big time when it counts and are a very well coached side by Eric Castaing. If their #4-5 can get in front of the heavy pack around them they can definitely push for a top 5 finish.
7. (10) The Kings Academy = 17:20 team average for 2nd place at Region 4. With a great front runner in Colton Lawson, 11, they gain some really solid boost in placing there. If they avoid their #4-5 being too far behind they can set in for a top 10 finish.
8. (13) Pine Crest HS = Finished 3rd place in the tight team battle in Region 4. 17:34 team average 1:06 1-5 split is solid. If they perform to their ability they should finish in the top 10.
9. (15) Mater Lakes Academy = Power in their front runner Jeshua Osorio, 11, gives them an advantage and can see them possibly finishing higher than this ranking. Very solid #2-3 also but if their #4-5 don't step up they may rack up too many points.
10. (7) Clearwater Central Catholic = Finished 3rd in Region 3. 17:38 team average. A solid front runner in Dylan Nolan, 11 but they have to avoid the big points with the rest of their pack.
11. (4) Lemon Bay HS
12. (8) South Walton HS
13. (Unranked) Gulliver Prep
14. (Unranked) Sebring HS
15. (14) Montverde Academy
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Now this is one race I am extremely excited for. I see about 4-5 individuals able to win this race on any given day. I'm expecting a large pack that will slowly spread out and be very small at around the 4k mark leaving us a great finish for the end of the race.
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade -- School = Comments
1. (1) Nick Carpenter, 12, Trinity Prep = My candidate for the favorite for the individual title. Has raced courageously at all his meets this season and been incredibly consistent. 15:49 for the win at Region 2 against some serious competition.
2. (4) Aidan Ryan, 11 - Bolles HS = 15:43 for the win against his teammates at Region 1. Hitting very good form late in the season and will surely contest for the individual title race.
3. (3) Tyler Wadsworth, 12 - Port Charlotte HS = Victory in a close battle at the Region 3 meet with Karver. An experienced runner who has been consistent all season and will be looking to dig his nose into that front pack. Great closing speed which will be an advantage.
4. (5) Kirin Karver, 11 - Berkeley Prep = Finished as Berkeley's #1 at their region meet just losing to Tyler by a second. Him and his teammate Ethan will both be working together to try and get a win and help the teams chances of a team win.
5. (2) Ethan Lipham, 12 - Berkeley Prep = Hasn't quite looked himself for the last 2 meets but I'm hoping it's been a coaching decision and not him being hurt or sick. If he's healthy he will absolutely be in the race for the win.
6. (6) Riley Novack, 11 - Montverde Academy = An extremely talented runner whos got guts. He made his mistakes at Pre State getting out too fast but we can't count him out of the individual race up front. Keep an eye on him/
7. (7) Justin Wilson, 12 - Satellite HS = A veteran runner whos experience on this stage will help see him through this race. He understands the course and the environment and is extremely well coached, keeping an eye on him for sure.
8. (8) Colton Lawson, 11 - The Kings Academy = Broke away from the front pack with 800 meters to go at region 4 running 15:51 for the win. He will surely be up front racing hard and trying to get a very high finish.
9. (12) William Brady, 12 - Bolles HS= 2nd place to his teammate at Region 1 in 16:05 now at this point of the names it will be interesting to see if these guys form a 2nd pack behind the leaders or if they all join up with the front pack for the individual race.
10. (10) Dayton Law, 12 - Satellite HS = Finished 4th at his region meet behind some elite competition. Expecting him as a senior to step up big time for his team.
11. (14) Jeshoua Osorio, 11 - Mater Lakes Academy
12. (Unranked) Matthew Mcclure, 12 - Bolles HS
13. (Unranked) Felipe De Cardenas, 12 - Ransom Everglades School
14. (Unranked) Dylan Nolan, 11 - Clearwater Central Catholic HS
15. (Unranked) Zackary Florendo, 12 - Calvary Christian Clearwater
Other names to look out for:
Colin Duhnoski, 12 - Bolles HS
Matthew Thomas, 11 - Bolles HS
Aidan Mason, 12 - Satellite HS
William Romac, 12 - Saint Andrews HS
Andrew Mahorner, 11 - Satellite HS
3A Boys Rankings
By "anonymous", ryanraposo@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: The State Championships is just days away. In this final installment, we will take a peak back at the pre-season rankings, the ranked team trends and I will surmise my final prediction for the State Championship meet this Friday in Tallahassee.
Rank and State Meet Predicted Finish. (Pre-season ranking), (last week's ranking) School, team ave based on ave times, fastest times -- Comments
1. (1), (1) Belen Jesuit, 16:15, 15:45 -- Belen has established themselves as the number 1 team in 3a and one of the top teams in the state of FL. They have consistently shown off their depth by winning large meets even with key runners absent. The private school program is second to none in FL and will be for many years to come as long as Ruiz is in charge. Belen looks to repeat as State Champs making the record books for a 5th title in a row.
2. (2), (2) Sunlake, 16:37, 16:08 -- After finishing runner up last year, finishing 5th in 2019, and finishing 4th in 2018, Sunlake has established itself as one of the top programs in the state of Florida (public or private). With their top three runners (Robbins, Pena, Meyer) all ranked in the top 10, they are poised to potentially keep it close with Belen, but as stated at the onset of the season, depth reigns supreme and their number 4 and 5 will need to race PRs to have a chance at knocking off the champs. I see Sunlake repeating as State Runner Up to Belen unless the stars align just right.
3. (3), (5) Fort Myers, 17:07, 16:30 -- Won Region Meet over Naples with a strong 16:44 team average. Team has a tight spread at only :53 and this could help them in working together to stay ahead of other team packs. Fort Myers was 5th in the State Championships last year and 6th the year prior. They finished 10th in 2018. With all but 2 of their top 7 returning next year, this program looks to continue to be on the rise as one of the top teams in 3a year over year. I see Fort Myers running well at the State meet and staying ahead of Leon and Naples for this 3rd spot.
4. (8), (6) Ocala Vanguard, 17:17, 16:37 -- Ocala Vanguard has moved up the rankings as of late. They have placed 2nd to Sunlake in both Districts and Regionals, won Wildwood Invite and won their conference championship. I see them squeaking past Naples for this 4th spot at States. This is a well-coached squad and seem to always be in the mix amongst the best teams.
5. (6), (4) Naples, 17:20, 16:41 -- Fell to Fort Myers at Regionals where both teams appeared to be putting on their best effort. But as stated on previous occasions, these two teams (Naples and Fort Myers) seem to go back and forth at every meeting, could States be the one that sees Naples on top? This prognosticator doesn't think so. I see them finishing in this spot at States.
6. (9), (7) Ponte Vedra, 17:23, 16:43 -- Finished 2nd to Fleming Island at Regionals, but I don't see that happening again at States. Ponte Vedra won their District over the same Fleming Island by a decent margin (16 points). Ponte Vedra should finish 6th at States.
7. (12), (NR) Fleming Island, 18:04, 16:50 -- Beat Ponte Vedra at 3a Region 1.
The order of finish for the remaining teams on the list become march harder to predict as there have been multiple surprise finishes and outcomes amongst them over these last few weeks. Suffice it to say that the order of finish for these remaining teams could potentially be a toss-up. Herein is where I think they will finish based on recent performances and overall team potential. I also foresee the point differential between these teams to be minimal.
8. (13), (NR) St Thomas Aquinas, 17:54, 16:57 -- 2nd to Belen at Regionals.
9. (7), (3) Leon, 17:06, 16:31 - Leon's number two has fallen off the radar as of late and so with this apparent absence this team falls further back in the rankings. If Jake Rogers races, they are in the top 7, if not they fall to here or worse.
10. (14), (9) Winter Springs, 17:35, 17:05 -- Second to Bishop Moore at Regionals.
11. (NR), (12) River Ridge, 17:41, 17:00 -- Beat Bishop Moore at 3a Region 2.
12. (NR), (8) Bishop Moore, 17:34, 16:56 -- 4th place finish at 3a Region 2.
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: Rankings are skewed to take into consideration the course difficulties raced and average race times (season to date). Racing consistently fast times and/or improving is imperative to be considered for placement on this list. This list represents where these runners should finish at States.
Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Season Average, Season Best, Grade -- School -- Comments
1. (1) Patrick Koon, 15:37, 15:05, 10 -- Leon -- Koon has showed dominance all season and I see that continuing at his "home course" on Friday. Robbins or Ruiz will try and challenge and could make things interesting.
2. (2) Colby Robbins, 15:52, 15:14, 12 -- Sunlake -- Robbins has been on a hot streak lately with fast times and dominant performances over capable competitors. He may even challenge Koon, but I give the edge to Koon based on home field advantage.
3. (3) Josh Ruiz, 15:56, 15:29, 10 -- Belen Jesuit -- Ruiz has stepped up nicely into the lead role at Belen which caries a lot of weight. With teammate Adam potentially not at his best, he will have to carry his team as the front runner in this race and beyond. It appears he is up the challenge and should finish here in this spot.
4. (4) Alex Pena, 16:00, 15:40, 11 -- Sunlake -- Pena will keep things close as he seems to always be right behind his teammate Robbins in nearly every race. That makes it dangerous for Ruiz as Pena will be right on Robbins heals. You can't count this kid out of besting any of the top 5 runners listed here outside of maybe only Koon.
5. (6) Adam Magoulas, 15:27, 14:57, 12 -- Belen Jesuit -- Assuming Adam can race and has not lost much conditioning from being in a boot for a few weeks, it seems fair to rank him in this spot. But even this predicted finish may also be a challenge for him.
6. (5) Zack Poekert, 16:07, 15:15, 11 -- Cypress Creek -- A capable top runner in any race. Poekert has pushed the front pack in many races alongside the Sunlake trio in Robbins, Pena, and Meyer and he will be near them in this race as well.
7. (8) Cason Meyer, 16:32, 16:09, 12 -- Sunlake -- Cason finished ahead of Poekert at Regionals. He ran his season PR on the State course of 16:09 and I would not be surprised to see him run well under 16 this time around as his squad will be working hard to break up the Belen boys.
8. (7) Kolten Pickard, 16:27, 15:52, 12 -- Estero -- Raced to a 15:52 on State course at FSU Invite. Lost to Palmer of Fort Myers at Regionals. Pickard is a mid 9-minute 3200m guy and a sub 2 min 800m guy so I see him besting Palmer at States in the final kick.
9. (NR) Colsen Palmer, 16:33, 15:54, 12 -- Fort Myers -- Lost his stride mid-season but seems to be back on course (injury?, illness? senior slump?). Raced to a 16:19 on State course at Pre-State and dipped below 16 at Regionals besting Pickard.
10. (NR) Zach Spooner, 16:51, 15:55, 11 -- Matanzas -- Kid has been running extremely well lately winning some big meets against competitors listed here. Won districts and placed 2nd to Koon at Regionals. Deserves to be mentioned here among the top 10.
4A Boys Rankings
by Dylan Hermelee, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, coachhermelee@gmail.com
Team Rankings:
Commentary: Hello all, and welcome back to the final edition of the state rankings. After months of training, the stage has finally been set for the big show down. Here are my predictions for the 4A State Championship meet.
Rank. School = Comments
1. Viera HS = After a dominating regional win, Viera looks to get revenge from last year's 2nd place finish and bring home the team title this year.
2. Creekside HS -- Creekside has run well all season, but with Viera projected to put 3 guys in front of Creekside's #1, they have some work to do if they are going to win it all this year.
3. Christopher Columbus HS -- The Defending Champs finish the season ranked 3rd overall. It has been an up and down season for them in the rankings, but they won their region with ease and should be ready to roll at states.
4. Newsome HS -- They won their region meet by 32 points over HB Plant. Look for them to roll at States.
5. Bartram Trail -- they finished region runner up to Creekside but ran a great race. That's enough to get them in the top 5.
6. HB Plant HS = They have been in the top 10 all year. A 2nd place finish at their region meet gets them ranked 6th in the last round.
7. Buchholz HS -- They finished 3rd at their Region meet and were barely edged out of second place by Bartram Trail. Look for them to be a top 10 team this Friday.
8. Spanish River HS = They were region runner up to Viera and have ran well all season. They have one more race to bring it all together.
9. Nease HS- They were 4th in their region, but you have to think this squad pulls it together and gets a top 10 finish at States.
10. Chiles HS = They finished 5th in one of the toughest Regions in the state. They round out the top 10 teams for the final round of rankings.
Other teams to watch out for:
11. Niceville HS
12. Hagerty HS
13. G Holmes Braddock HS
14. Palmetto Ridge HS
15. Melbourne HS
Individual Rankings:
Commentary: We have some big moves this round. Season PR's are fun, but Regional finishes matter most at this point in the season.
Rank. Name, Grade -- School = Comments
1. Rheinhardt Harrison, 12 -- Nease HS = Stays put at #1 after going undefeated this year.
2. Michael Toppi, 12 -- Viera HS = He won his region with ease and looks to be the main challenger for Harrison this Friday. Does the FSU commit have what it takes to win?
3. Ben Kirbo, 12 -- Chiles HS = Kirbo has had an excellent season. He was 6th at his Region race, but I feel like he was saving the good stuff for this week. We will see.
4. Brayden Seymour, 11 -- Hagerty HS = With a runner up finish to Harrison at his regional meet, Seymour looks like the real deal.
5. Israel Gamez, 12 -- Lennard HS -- A dark horse that didn't run in any big meets or really run any fast times this season. He beat Benardo Barnhart to win his district and then took down both the HB Plant boys to win the Region. With a 15:50 PR, Israel is a name to watch out for this Friday.
6. Bernardo Barnhardt, 11 -- Palmetto Ridge HS -- Speaking of Bernardo, he was 2nd in both his district and regional races. He should be on the podium this week.
7. Emmerson Miller, 11 -- Buchholz -- The junior finished 3rd at his region meet behind 2 of the best runners in the state.
8. Ryan Maney, 12 - HB Plant HS = He has been solid all season and we should expect him to make the podium again this year.
9. Albert Tawil-Brown, 11- HB Plant HS = Brown won his district title with a blistering 15:34 and finished 5th in his region. I expect big things from the junior at the state meet.
10. Anthony Matthew, 12 -- Martin County HS -- Matthew was 2nd at his region meet and ran a personal best of 15:42. Peaking at the right time, I'm counting on seeing his name as a podium finisher.
11. Wyatt Townsend, 11 -- Chiles HS = He had a big race at FSU pre-state, but he's been quiet since. I think he still has enough in the tank to make a run at the podium.
12. Cameron Raney, 11 -- Viera HS = He ran a personal best of 15:44 at his region meet. If Viera is going to win, they need him on the Podium.
13. Jonathon Leon, 10 -- Hagerty HS = Second at his district meet and 4th at his region meet, Leon has just enough to grab one of the last spots on the podium.
14. Raekwon Hopkins, 12 - Alonso HS = District runner up and 8th at his region meet.
15. Robbie Naberhaus, 12 -- Viera HS = Viera puts 3 runners on the podium in the process of bringing the state title home.
Other individuals to watch out for:
16. Sam Jaramillo, 12 -- Spanish River HS
17. Evan Meyer, 12 -- Lehigh HS
18. Ryan Sarafoglu, 11 -- Coral Reef HS
19. William Montanye, 10 -- Golf Coast HS
20. Zack Zimmerman, 11 -- Fort Lauderdale HS
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 there is a concern, such as a missed athlete or team, please email the individual pollster for your classification & gender.
- Please direct any other issues to FACA Rankings Representative: Ryan Raposo @ ryanraposo@gmail.com