Leading up to the race, everyone was anticipating another match-up between senior Matt Mizereck of Leon—ranked the top runner in the state—and junior Jimmy Clark of Creekside, who had unexpectedly burst on to the scene this year. Mizereck, undefeated in 2009, had already handled Clark twice this season, but not without extreme effort and a final kick from the Miz. Clark, for his part, had defeated Great American champion Brian Atkinson earlier in the year... quite a resume maker.
So the two would face off once more. One more chance for Clark to pull off an upset.
About 600 meters in the race though, another runner was taking the lead and determined to give Clark and Mizereck a run for their money. Elliot Clemente, the sophomore from Belen Jesuit, took over the race and looked strong, fit, and confident. Clark, meanwhile, was briefly seen contending for the lead but settled to the back of the lead back in about fifth place. But where was Matt Mizereck?
Those of us riding in the cart following the leaders thought something might be up. Did he get injured and pull out already?
With my camera lens searching, panning backwards and zooming, finally the Miz was spotted! Sitting around 50th place with teammates Will Stanford beside him and Riley Doherty close by. He didn't look hurt at all. Just patient. After the race, Mizereck said in an interview, “Coach told me no one wins a 5000 meter race in the first mile.”
Past the mile mark, Clemente continued to lead and looked absolutely great. He might just pull this one off! By that point the lead pack had thinned and Clark had positioned himself within striking distance. His eyes, intently on Clemente's back, foreshadowed the battle ahead in the later stages of the race. Mizreck, looking unphased, picked steadily picked competitors off one at a time, but still was well back in the pack.
Coming around the loop for the first time past the grand stands and finish line, Clemente maintained the lead. Though his gap was sizeable, Clark was visibly making up inches with each stride and it was obvious Clemente would soon have company. Mizereck had fought his way through the pack into fifth place; however, with how the pack had thinned that left him with a lot of ground to make up if he hoped to contest the leaders. Mizereck admitted after the race that he got a little worried in that point of the race, questioning his tactics for a fleeting second and wondering if it would take too much out of him just to make up that ground. He shook those emotions off and coming around the corner after grand stands (“Sage Bend”) he placed himself into third.
After running solo out front for the entire race, one would think that would be catching up with Clemente as the two mile mark was fast approaching. One look at his textbook stride and it was apparent that wasn't the case. He looked as strong and confident as ever and his form hadn't degraded in the slightest. Hard not to admire that!
Clark lead the way out the infield. And for a while the strides of all three through moved in sync as if to some unheard song in their collective consciousness. Now for the first time Clemente found himself with someone to follow. He settled into third place, a step behind Mizereck, and Clark did the work pushing the pace around the final large curve.
Rounding the end of the curve, back past the start line and into the inside lane that was lined by cones, you could see the wheels turning in their heads. All three simultaneously analyzed both themselves and their competitors, each ready with another gear but waiting for just the right moment to fire. Fire too quickly and burn out up the hill. Wait too long and give your competitors an opening.
Clemente fired first, slinging around the outside of Mizereck and Clark. Not willing to relinquish the lead for more than a few steps, Clark quickly responded and hurried his pace and then threw in a surge of his own. Clemente fought to stay on his shoulder, while Mizereck settled back in third. It was obvious by his long and patient strides that Mizereck was looking for his opportunity, though there was a little doubt about if his newly boxed out position might hinder that attempt or at least making snaking around to the lead a challenge.
But then it happened. Mizereck, seemingly a foot taller than either of his competitors, saw his opportunity and it felt right. As the grade of the incline increased slightly, the long race of leading took enough out of Clemente to open a gap and Mizereck squirted through in a heartbeat. The Miz opened his stride and quickened his turnover. Clark offered a quick glance to his right and tried valiantly to fight him off, but there was just no way.
Mizereck drove his arms and muscled up the remainder of the long hill. He pumped his fist victoriously as he crossed the finish line for his third state championship in as many years. His time of 15:21 would be the second fastest time at the end of the day (Atkinson ran a second faster in the next race). Clark and Clemente followed in 15:25 and 15:28, respectively. What a great show they put up for us!
It was over 20 seconds before the next athletes approached the finish. Incidentally, the next two finishers were teammates of the three-time state champ. Will Stanford and Riley Doherty of Leon finished dutifully in fourth and fifth with times of 15:51 and 15:52. It had been a long season for Stanford, who a year ago traded off with Mizereck at times for the team's number one position. The junior had been inflicted with H1N1 early in the season—like so many in the state—and the affliction took a dramatic toll on him and hampered his training and development this season. Teammate Riley Doherty has had a heck of a season and become an elite runner in his own right. Both return for another year with Leon, so look out for their 1-2 punch next season!
There was a lot of anticipation for the team battle in this race. Belen Jesuit, lead by Elliot Clemente, always brings it hard and peaks for state. Pensacola Washington and Ft. Walton Beach had put up some really impressive times earlier in the season. It was expected to be a tight four-way battle between those teams.
But everything went right for Leon. Coach Andrew Wills told me after that everything just clicked for them and it was a near best case scenario that he had hoped for. Three in the top five. Number four runner John Hazelton had a good day with a 17th place (11 points) performance of 16:25. And fifth man, Tyler Teagle, removed any doubt when he crossed the finish before Belen's fifth. This was Teagle's first time under 17 minutes with a 20-second PR of 16:57. It was a good deal for Leon: 59 points and a 16:05 team average.
Belen looked good in their own right with three in the top 20 and a 16:25 team average, scoring 103 points. Charlotte, lead by Tyler Cardillo's 10th place 16:13, ended up with a great third place showing with 134 points. Ft. Walton Beach settled for 152 points and fourth place. Okeechobee and Wiregrass Ranch are both great up-and-coming teams that placed well in fifth and sixth. For Pensacola Washington's very talented team it just was not their day. They finished in a disappointing seventh pace. But, losing only one runner, don't worry... they'll be back next year!
Leading up to the race, everyone was anticipating another match-up between senior Matt Mizereck of Leon—ranked the top runner in the state—and junior Jimmy Clark of Creekside, who had unexpectedly burst on to the scene this year. Mizereck, undefeated in 2009, had already handled Clark twice this season, but not without extreme effort and a final kick from the Miz. Clark, for his part, had defeated Great American champion Brian Atkinson earlier in the year... quite a resume maker.