FACA XC State Rankings #2

Unfortunately due to many of our pollsters being affected by Hurricane Ian, there were no rankings a couple of weeks ago. But now as we head into District week, we're back with the second edition of this year's FACA XC State Rankings! Good luck to everyone at their District Championships!

GIRLS STATE RANKINGS

1A Girls Rankings

By Sue O'Malley (FLCHS) somalley@fatherlopez.org

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Best wishes to all the teams as we enter our post season! Cambridge Christian will have their hands full with Maclay making a charge at that podium spot in three weeks! Practically every team ranked here will be in position to win their District title for Providence. Some great competition ahead! Let's keep the hurricane Ian victims in our prayers as they start to recover and hope to see these teams have a postseason.

Twas the Night before the district meet and through our district,

All the athletes had carb load hoping for a great pace.

Their Green wave uniforms were hung with care,

Along with their bibs, watches and chips all there.

The 5 months of training were not all fun,

Hills, repeats, fartleks and long runs were done.

Hydration and stretching has all been perfected,

Thankfully no major pains were detected.

 

When Wednesday arrives runners will fill the stadium and into the boxes they eagerly retreat.

Setting their watches as they run through the start,

 With Coaches bid them a great race admiring their dedication and their heart.

As the miles pass by they run with all their might.

That 3 mile marker will be a welcome sight.

The parents and students are cheering and having a good time, calling out their names: As they run by the crowds all high fiving all down the line.

When what do their wondering eyes should appear?

But the finish line with gleaming blings ever so near.

Endorphins are dancing around in their heads,

It's time to celebrate the team moving out to the region and then straight to bed.

 

May your racing always be such a wonderful delight,

Happy district meet day to all and to all Good Night!

Rank. School = Comments

1. Cambridge Christian = 18:48 team average, dropped average by  8 seconds. Will win the D5 Championships and may score a perfect score of 15. Lancers finished 4th in the Elite race at Pre state

2. Maclay = 19:05 team average, big drop in team average 31 seconds! Beat Cambridge Christian at the Prestate meet and closed the gap for an exciting state final! Will win D2 with a perfect score

3. Pensacola Christian Academy = 19:09 team average almost a full minute drop in team average. Real threat in the postseason! Won the Panhandle championships this past week and will win D1 and could win with a perfect score

4. Oak Hall = 20:27 team average drops team average 10 seconds. Another team that will be a threat and is well coached. Team placed 11th in the Elite race at Pre state will win D3 and may have perfect score

5. Circle Christian = 19:52 team average, dropped team average by 36 seconds. These Centurions know how to compete during the postseason! Centurions were 12th in the Elite race at Pre state. Will win D4 Meet at the first ever championships at Father Lopez.

6. Benjamin School = 20:43 team average dropped average28 seconds. Always a strong team has been very consistent all season. Won the Benjamin Invite on 10/8. Will win D7 but will have competition from south Florida Heat

7. Palmer Trinity = 21:05 team average drops team average by 30 seconds. 2nd at the Palmer Trinity XC Invite on 10/8. Will win D8.

8. Providence = 21:29 team average Welcome the Stallions to the top 10! Stallions are galloping on into the rankings. Always a galloping team especially during the postseason! 4th at the World Spectacular Invite on 10/8. Will have to battle Oak Hall for the District 2 title.

9. Community School of Naples = 21:40 team average Welcome to the top 10 rankings! Won the MIA Ray's Invitational 10/8. Will win D6 Title.

10. Master's Academy (Oviedo) = 21:27 Welcome to the top 10! This team under Coach Chris has had an amazing season. And the reason maybe is that I taught him everything he knows!

Masters competed in the varsity A race at pre-state and won the RUNMATZAS Pirate Invite on Saturday! They will battle Circle Christian for the D4 Team title! Watch this team to creep their way up the rankings after these next 2 week!

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: It is always a blessing to see such colossal gains regardless of the caliber of any team. It hasn't been how talented you teams have been or how much success each one of your athletes have achieved, it's hopefully you have become a family.

I hope every one of you has ultimately taken joy in lacing up your spikes, standing in the box, and stepping on the various beautiful cross country courses Florida has to offer.  I hope you have made every second count and enjoy every moment for what it's worth. We share a culture all our own. From the universal intense training and pasta dinners; to the abnormal number of bathroom visits on race day and unusual pre-race rituals; to the cryptic conversations about PRs, course ratings, spikes, and various other things, we runners are one in the same.

Good luck to everyone as we prepare for our postseason Looking towards God's guidance to lead the way this postseason. It has been a pleasure sharing the cross country experience with all of you as a ranking reporter. Let's make a great postseason a memorable one!

Rank. Name Grade School = Comments

1. Elaina Black 9th Cambridge Christian = 17:15. Elaina is the only undefeated runner in any classification and is in a class by herself. Elaina. Won the Elite Prestate race and fought a very strong field. Look for her to win the district tile. Last year she finished 4th in her distinct with a 20:05.

2. Madeliene Gear 11th  Cambridge Christian School = 18:10. Madeline has dropped her time by 4 seconds. She finished 4th in the Elite Prestate meet. Madeleine will finish 2nd to her teammate as the runner up in their District meet. Madeleine finished 4th last year in the Districts.

3 Ava Pouich SR. Evangelical Christian School = 18:16. Ava finished 15th in the Elite race at Prestate. Ava will defend her title as D6 Champion again!

4. Ella Beckett SR. Kenswick Christian = 18:23. Ella placed 21st in the Elite race at Prestate. Ella should battle Madeliene as district runner up in D5.

5. Susan Gracie Koeppe Jr. Maclay School = 18:54. Susan placed 32nd at the Prestate Elite race. She helped the Mauraders beat Cambridge Christian at the Prestate meet. Right now 2 points separate the 2 teams for a State Team title. This team has always been tough and knows how to charge during the post season and has been on that top podium spot at the state meet. Susan will be repeat champion again in the D2 Championships.

6. RaeAnne Tutton Jr Pensacola Christian Academy = 18:36.07. new PR New PR by 48 seconds. And moved up into the 6th spot in the rankings. RaeAnne placed 2nd at the Faith Academy Broadwalk Challenge to run her new PR. She will battle her sister at their district meet for the D1 Title. RaeAnne won the title last year.

7. Jaimee Tutton 9th Pensacola Christian Academy = 18:36.2. New PR by 50 seconds. Jaimee ran her PR at the Faith Academy Broadwalk Challenge to place 4th behind her sister in the race. She will battle her sister for the D1 Title. What a dynamic duo! These 2 sisters know how to race!

8. Ava Wyatt Jr. Masters Academy Oviedo = 18:37. New PR BY 23 seconds. Ava ran her PR at the Katie Caples Invitational and almost broke it at the RUNMATZAS Meet this past weekend. Ava finished 24th at the Prestate Meet. This young lady will be a real pleasure to watch at the D4 Meet, she will have to battle Morgan Cox form Trinity Prep for the title. Ava won the district meet last year but you never know what Coach O has up her sleeves.. lol

9. Morgan Cox Jr Trinity Prep = 18:37. New PR. Morgan ran a strong Prestate meet to place 20th and run her PR. Morgan won the District title in 2A and will be in an exciting race in D4 this week against Ava Wyatt.

10. Sydney Miller Sr. Oak Hall = 18:46. New PR by 14 seconds. Sydney ran her PR at the Big Mac 5k on October 1st. Sydney ran an 18:55 at the Prestate meet. Sydney knows how to race in the postseason! Sydney placed 2nd in the D3 Meet last year but this year that title will be all her!

11. Reagan Smith 9th = 18:52. New PR Pensacola Christian Academy Welcome to the club! The 4th freshman in the top rankings! What a strong 2026 class! Reagan ran her PR on October 1st at the EscaRose County Championships. Reagan finished 3rd last year at the D3 Championships and will battle the 2 Tutton sisters for the title. What a race that will be!

12. Lillian Koeppel 9th Maclay School = 18:53. New PR Lillian the 5th freshman in the rankings. Lillian ran her 18:53 at the Alexander/asics Invite on October 1st. Lillian will improve at least 10 spots at the D2 Championships. Lillian finished 12th last year at the D2 Championships. She was a great asset to the Marauders beating Cambridge Christian at Prestate..

13. Mackenzie Klein Jr. Oak Hall = 18:54. New PR by a minute. Mackenzie finished 2nd at the Big Mac 5k on October 1st. Mackenzie ran a 19:53 PR at Prestate and then blows that time away with 18:54! Mackenzie is soaring high right now! Those Eagles are placing 3 athletes in the top 15. I am not counting this team out for a State Title!

14. Alivia Dragstedt Soph. Oak Hall = 18:59. Welcome to the top 15! Another Eagle soared her way in. Alivia finished 3rd and ran her PR at the Big Mac 5k on October 1st.Alivia placed 4th last year in the D4 Championship and will be in the hunt for a title with the eagles soaring away with the team title.

15. Caroline Couch Fr. MaClay School = 19:03. New PR Welcome to the rankings and the 6th freshman in the group! Caroline ran her 19:03 at the Alexander/asics Meet on October 1st. Caroline finished 7th at the D2 Championships last year. She will definitely be a dark horse for the title but is ready to finish strong with a top 5 finish in D2.

2A Girls Rankings

By Dylan Hermelee, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, CoachHermelee@gmail.com 

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Hello again! We are now entering the state series portion of the rankings. We have some major changes this round, so lets jump right in!

Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments

1. (1) Bolles HS = Defending Champions! They were first last round and there is no reason to move them this round. Bolles is likely the best girls out of all classifications, so it will take a special effort to dethrone them.  

2. (6) Episcopal School of Jacksonville = Episcopal is coming off a great race at FSU Pre State where they finished 8^th overall and has a team average of 19:42. They are likely the 2^nd best team in the state this year, and looking to push Bolles for the team title.

3. (5) Bishop Kenny HS = Bishop Kenny ran fantastic at the Adidas Challenge a month ago, and they finished 9^th overall in the Elite Division at FSU a week ago. It's crazy to think that the 3^rd best team in the state is also the 3^rd best team in their District, but Bishop Kenny and all of 2A District 2 is for real.,

4. (4) St Brendan HS = They stay at 4^th this round. They finished 21^st at FSU last week in the Elite Division, but they were missing their #2/3 runner. They should easily win their District, but they will have a tough Regional Meet against Pine Crest, who is also ranked.

5. (2) Berkley Prep HS = They ran well at FSU by finishing 14^th in the elite race. They have the talent to push for a spot on the podium, so it is worth watching how they do at their District and Region meets.

6. (3) Pine Crest HS = Pine Crest did not run their best at FSU, but they ran well enough to keep them in the top 6 teams. They have a young team, so it will be interesting to see how they finish out the season. They should easily win their District Meet this week and are in for a dog fight against St Brendan nest week at their Region Meet.

7. (9) Bishop Moore HS = Bishop Moore finished in the top 20 in the Elite Division at FSU, edging out Mount Dora in the process. They should be in for some interesting District and Region battles on their way to the State meet.

8. (8) Mount Dora HS = They finished 19^th at FSU in the Elite Division last week, losing to Bishop Moore by only 2pts.  

9. (7) North Bay Haven = North Bay has 2 girls run well in the Elite Division at FSU. They both finish in the top 50. The remainder of their team competed in the Vasisty A Division, where they finished 2^nd overall without their top 2 runners. This team might be a dark horse for the state meet.  

10. (10) South Walton HS = South Walton Competed in the Select Division at FSU last week and finished 2^nd place overall by just 1 point! Looks for them to make noise at the state meet in a couple weeks.

Other teams to watch out for:

American Heritage Boca/Delray

Robinson HS

Wakulla HS

The Kings Academy

Bishop Verot HS

Gulliver Prep HS

Calvary Christian (Clearwater)

Academy of Holy Names

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: Same as above. Not all courses are the same. Head to head competition is heavily weighted. Lets ride!

Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade -- School = Comments

1. (1) Jillian Candelino (12) -- Bolles HS = She is the defending 2A State Champion and she has the fastest time in the state this year by almost 40 seconds. It will take a serios effort be another runner for her to lose her title.

2. (2) Ella Mickler, 12 -- Bolles HS = Teammate to Candelino, and she has the 2^nd fastest time in the state.  

3. (3) Emma Hencock 12 -- St Brendan -- She just finished 3^rd in the Elite Division at FSU with a huge PR of 17:57. Emma is one to look out for in November.

4. (8) Avery Fronrath 11- Kings Academy HS- Avery just ran a huge 18:13 PR at FSU for an 8^th place finish in the Elite Division. It will be exciting to see how she does against 2 more of the top 2A runners at her District and Region meets.

5. (7) Mackenzie De Lisle 10 -- Bishop Verot HS -- Mackenzie has a new 18:01 PR, but she did it at a small meet and without serious competition. It should be exciting to see what she does in the state series.

6. (4) Brooke Hooper 11 -- Pine Crest -- I hear she roller her ankle at the Palm League Championships, so I was excited to see her compete at FSU last week. She's currently 6^th on this list, but she might have what it takes to push for the individual title.

7. (NR) Madison Carr 10-- Astronaut HS -- Ran a life time PR of 18:33 for a 19^th place finish at FSU last week.

8. (NR) Charleen Elizondo 12 -- North Bay Haven -- Finished 22^nd at FSU last week, and then PR'd again this week. Her stock is rising.

9. (NR) Elizabeth Csikai 12 -- Bolles HS -- Ran a personal best of 18:38 at the Asics invite.

10. (10) Paige Mccaul 12 -- Bishop Moore -- Paige was 26^th in the elite race at FSU last week.

Other individuals to watch out for:

Elizabeth Williamson 10 -- Holy Names HS

Hannah Latif -- Berkley Prep

Lucrezia Gowdy -- Episcopal School of Jacksonville

Kate Ruona -- Cardinal Mooney

Noell Vu -- Mount Dora

Margret Bartlow - North Bay Haven

Emma Flowers -- Berkeley Prep

Madison Carr -- Astronaut HS

Mary Biagini -- Bishop Kenny HS

Commentary: As the regular season comes to a close, major meets such as FSU Invitational and FLRUNNERS Invitational headlined the final weekend(s) of competition heading into the post season.  The 2 favorites, Ponte Vedra and Osceola (Seminole) posted victories respectively but have yet to face of head-to-head.  With a group of teams battling close behind them, Ponte Vedra and Osceola will need to be perfect to maintain their spots on the podium.

(Prev. Rank) Rank. School - Comments

(2) 1. Ponte Vedra HS -- With a DOMINATE win at the FSU Invitational, Ponte Vedra has put a gap on the field as the favorites to repeat.  Boasting a 19:08 team average, 3 girls sub-19, 5 sub 20, and a 6 7 right above the 20 minute mark, this team looks like they are rounding into form at the right time.

(1) 2. Osceola HS (Seminole) -- The only team with a legitimate shot at dethroning Ponte Vedra is the FLRUNNERS invitational champions.  A tight front 4 has their work cut out for them but has only ran on difficult courses so far this season so the best is yet to come.  If they can get some movement from their #5-7 an upset could be in the cards to get their revenge and finish atop the podium.

(3) 3. Leon HS -- Lurking not far behind the top 2 is Leon with a sensational 1-2 punch in Tang and Moore.  With their depth rounding into form, this team will be ready to pounce if one of the teams above slips up.  The state course being in their backyard will be helpful too.

(8) 4. Satellite HS -- Taking no time to make some noise in their new classification is Satellite coming in at 4.  Showcasing a LETHAL 1-4 they move up this list considerably moving towards the post-season.  The key is #5 for this group and if they get someone to step up, a podium spot is waiting for them.

(7) 5. Our Lady of Lourdes Academy (Miami) -- FRAGA continues to lead this team with non-stop impressive performances.  Also not shying away from competition, this team made both trips to Pre-State and FLRUNNERS to see what they are up against moving into the post season.  Some consistency issues have landed them here, but if they are on their A-GAME, this team will finish much higher then where they are on this list.

(5) 6. Fleming Island HS -- One of the more consistent teams in this field is Fleming Island landing them at #6.  With a solid 1-3 lead by KATELYN THOMPSON, and sneaky good 4-7 this team could move up considerably if they continue improving the way they have been all season.

(NR) 7. Saint Augustine HS -- With a MONSTER performance at FSU Pre-State, Saint Augustine propels themselves into the top 10.  KATELYN LAWRENCE leads a 1-3 that's as good as any in the classification.  Holding them back from a podium run is some depth problems but with the way they've improved so far this season, this is not a team to count out of a podium run.

(4) 8. Naples HS -- Naples slides down the list after Pre-State.  I expect a MAJOR bounce back going into the post season as variables outside of their control probably contributed to the drop in performance at FSU.  Currently at #8 because of how well other teams performed, NAPLES and Tara Watkins will be back in the mix at the front sooner rather than later.

(6) 9. Dillard HS -- Probably the team I'm most excited about comes in at #9 rolling into the post season.  3 girls sub 20 lead by RAQUEL EDWARDS, this group is making it known they are not just dominant over 800m but can compete all the way up to 5000m.  A lot of upside here and the teams above need to be aware of where Dillard is during the next few weekends.

(10) 10. Winter Springs HS -- Led by an ELITE #1 in SIMONE MONACO, Winter Springs rounds out the top 10.  A pack of girls in the mid-20s will be the determining factor of where this team will finish throughout the post season.  Typically running their best at the right time, I anticipate this team to make some noise as the post-season progresses.

(Prev. Rank) Rank. Name Grade School -- Most Recent Performance

(1) 1. Ashley Fitzgerald JR American Heritage -- 2^nd place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 17:53.70

(6) 2. Olivia Fraga SR Our Lady of Lourdes (Miami) -- 1^st place FLRUNNERS Invite, 19:05.92

(2) 3. Lindy White JR Ponte Vedra HS -- 9^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:19.90

(5) 4. Simone Monaco SR Winter Springs HS -- 11^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:25.90

(9) 5. Grace Finneran SO St. Thomas Aquinas -- 13^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:26.80

(NR) 6. Lillee Tang SR Leon HS -- 14^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:26.90

(10) 7. Katelyn Lawrence JR St. Augustine HS -- 16^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State) 18:30.30

(NR) 8. Belicia O'Grady SO Fort Walton Beach HS -- 1^st place Okaloosa Champs, 19:12.30

(8) 9. Lily Moore SR Leon HS -- 23^rd place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:43.00

(NR) 10. Daisy Ross SO Ponte Vedra HS -- 25^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:45.00

(NR) 11. Sofia Bushkell SO Ponte Vedra HS -- 27^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 18:49.30

(7) 12. Tara Watkins SO Naples HS -- 1^st place CCAC Championships, 20:27.30

(11) 13. Raquel Edwards JR Dillard HS -- 2^nd place BCAA Championships, 19:19.60

(12) 14. Summerlynn Kingston SR River Ridge HS -- 7^th place FSU Varsity A, 19:16.00

(13) 15. Avery Latto JR Osceola (Seminole) -- 2^nd place FLRUNNERS Invitational, 19:11.84

4A Girls Rankings

By Ray Romero, FACA XC Chair / Dunbar, RayHR@leeschools.net

Team Rankings:

Commentary: The top 2 teams in 4A Niceville and Buchholz are too close to call.  Niceville won at Prestate holding off   defending Champions Buchholz giving them the current edge.  Braddock seems to me to be the only team that could ruin it for either of these two teams as their team average is in the 19:30 range as well if their #5 steps up some places we could see a shakeup in that top 2.  Sunlake is a solid 4th with the only other team close to 20 flat team average though Creekside in 5th did beat them at Prestate. Newsome had an off race at Pre-State but still have the 2nd best 1-5 spread in 4A girls so don't be surprised if they move back up.

Rank. School (Prev. Rank)

1. Niceville HS (Remained)

2. Buchholz HS (Remained)

3. G. Holmes Braddock HS (Remained)

4. Sunlake HS (Previously 7th)

5. Creekside HS (Previously 6th)

6. Newsome HS (Previously 4th)

7. Sarasota HS (Previously 5th)

8. Viera HS (Previously 9th)

9. HB Plant HS (Previously 8th)

10. Mandarin HS (Previously 10th)

Individual Rankings:

Rank. Name, Grad Year - School (Prev. Rank)

1. Emma O'day, 2023 - Boca Raton HS (1)

2. Emily Knopfle, 2025 - Olympia HS (7)

3. Trinity Holland, 2023 - Niceville HS (Unranked)

4. Alyson Johnson, 2026 - Creekside HS (12)

5. Katelyn O'Brien, 2026 - Boca Raton HS (2)

6. Malia Hambrick, 2026 - North Port HS (3)

7. Kate Drummond, 2023 - Buchholz HS (5)

8. Annabella Cardona, 2024 - G. Holmes Braddock HS (8)

9. Ava Schmitt, 2025 - Wiregrass Ranch HS (Unranked)

10. Eleanor Whisler, 2025 - Buchholz HS (Unranked)

11. Lucy Voss, 2024 - Buchholz HS (9)

12. Abigail Williams, 2024 - Sunlake HS (11)

13. Alexandra Raquet, 2023 - Sickles HS (Unranked)

14. Sierra Barrera, 2023 - Oakleaf HS (Unranked)

15. Megan Dolan, 2023 - Boone HS (6)

BOYS STATE RANKINGS

1A Boys Rankings

By Paul Opitz, Out of Door Academy, paul.opitz65@gmail.com

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Here are the second state rankings for your 1A boys! (Information from last week)

Rank) (Previous Rank) School = Comments

1. (1) Indian Rocks Christian = another win for this team at the Don Bishop invite, avg 16:22, led by two runners under the coveted 16 min mark, Nicholas Zamora 15:45 and Aidan Griffin 15:52, PRr for both runners I think, great job

2. (3) Cambridge Christian = ran at the fsu elite division finishing just ahead of the next team by a mere 21 pts avg 16:41

3. (2) Circle Christian = ran at fsu elite race avg 16:47

4. (4) Pensacola Christian = went out of state, to find some competition.Did great won the Boardwalk Challenge in Alabama avg 16:54

5. (5) Oak Hall = ran the FSU elite race avg 17:02

6. (7) Providence School = 3rd at the new world Spectacular avg 17:18

7. (6) Community School of Naples = 2nd at the Marco Island Invite avg 17:57

8. (8) Out of Door Academy = Won 2 invite in a row, for the 1st time in team history. Won oda invite and the brc invite at gt bray park. Nice job men. Led by Declan Fiorucci who won both races, 16:59 at the brc and PRs by fast improving Avery Fulk 18:37, Jacob Douglas 18:16, and Isidro Ituraide 19:13

9. (9) SW Fla Christian = idle

10. (NR) Maclay = ran the select race at fsu 18:06 avg

Others to watch for...

(10) Seffner Christian, Admiral Faragut Academy won St pete Championship great job, Holy Trinity and Palmer Trinity winning their own invite, congratulations

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: The second individual state rankings for 1A boys! (Information from last week)

Rank. (Prev. Rank) Name, Grade -- School = Comments

1. (1) Braxton Legg, 12 - Cambridge Christian = ran a Cross Country PR of 15:30 at the fsu invite

2. (7) Caden Motini, 12 - Oak Hall = ran 15:43 at the fsu invite

3. (3) Jack DeJesus, 12 - Circle Christian = ran 15:56 at the fsu invite

4. (6) Nicholas Zamora, 11 - Indian Rocks Christian = won Don Bishop invite in an impressive 15:45

5. (2) Aidan Griffin, 11 - Indian Rocks Christian = 2nd at the Don Bishop invite in 15:52

T-6. (4) Drew Brix, 12 - Pensacola Christian = 3rd at Boardwalk invite in Alabama in 16:05

T-6. (NR) Dylan Bailey, 12 - Canterbury (St. Pete) = won the St Pete championship with blazing time of 15:42

8. (5) Sergi Guzman, 12 - CSN = won the Marco Island invite in 16:17

9. (8) Christian Escribano, 11 - Cambridge Christian = ran 16:11 at the fsu invite

10. (9) Blake Young, 10 - Indian Rocks Christian = 3rd at Don Bishop invite 16:04

11. (13) Hunter Morgan, 11 - South Florida Heat = won New world race in 16:13

12. (NR) Will Neeld, 10 - Circle Christian = ran 16:21 at fsu invite

13. (NR) Quintin Dragstedt, 11 - Oak Hall = ran 16:34 at fsu invite

14. (10) Hayden Tank, 12 - SWF Christian = idle

15. (NR) Calvin, Jagen, 11 - Circle Christian = ran 16:41 at fsu invite

16. (NR) Clayton Knox, 11 - Oak Hall = ran 16:43 at fsu invite

Others to watch for...

(11) Jonah Berry, 11 - Indian Rocks Christian

(12) Charles La Brant, 11 - Indian Rocks Christian

(14) Henry Stark, 11 - Palmer Trinity

(15) Declan Fiorucci, 11 - Out of Door Academy

2A Boys Rankings

By Dylan Hermelee, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, CoachHermelee@gmail.com 

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Hello all and welcome back to round two of the 2A rankings. We are just getting into the State Series and there is a lot of movement in the rankings.

Rank. (Previous Rank) School = Comments

1. (1) Bolles HS = Bolles is projected to put their entire top 5 on the podium. I don't know if that will actually happen, but they are hands down the favorites to win it all this year.

2. (3) Bishop Kenny HS = They didn't have their best race at FSU, but based on their overall season performances, they are still in the driver's seat to get that second podium spot at the state meet.

3.  (5) Lake Highland Prep HS = Lake highland finished 27^th at FSU in the Elite Division. Just 3 spots behind Bishop Kenny. They followed that up by winning the Citrus League Championship team title.

4. (7) South Walton HS -- They competed at FSU in the Elite Division and had a 17:08 team average.

5.  (9) Montverde Academy =  They recently finished 2^nd to Lake Highland in the Citrus League Championships, where Riley Novak won the individual title.

6. (6) Mater Lakes Academy HS = Mater Lakes finished 28^th in the Elite Division at FSU last week with a 17:02 team average.

7. (2) Bishop Verot HS = Just won the Private 8 team Championship with a 17:09 team average.

8. (4) Berkley Prep HS = They ran only 4 runners at FSU in the Elite Division. It is hard to get a feel for this team, but they should have an easy path to the state meet.

9. (10) Astronaut HS = Astronaut finished 6^th in the Select Division at FSU last week.

10. (NR) Bishop Moore HS = They finished 9^th in the Select Division at FSU last week while missing runners.

Other teams to watch out for:

Calvary Christian Clear Water

The King's Academy

Ransom Everglades School

Pine Crest HS

North Bay Haven

East Side HS

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: Same as above. Not all courses are the same. Head-to-head competition is heavily weighted. Lets ride!

Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade -- School = Comments

1. (1) Aidan Ryan 12 -- Bolles HS = Aidan is the top XC returned from last year and he has the top time in the state this year. Is there anyone that can beat him?

2. (4) David "Chuli" Serra 11 -- Ransom Everglades = To answer the above question… maybe Serra can. He finished 10^th overall in the Elite Division at FSU and he was the top 2A runner. With only a handful of races under his belt, the 1:52 800m runner looks to be the main challenger to Aidan's title.

3. (NR) Christopher Joost 11 -- Bolles HS = He has the 3 time in the state. It should be exciting to watch him battle it out with his teammate Aiden Ryan the next couple weeks.

4. (5) Kirin Karver 12 -- Berkley Prep HS = Kirin ran 15:41 at FSU and finished 21^st overall in the Elite Race. He's very much in contention.

5. (3) Colton Lawson 12 -- Kings Academy = Recently won the Palm Beach County Championships. His regional race against Serra will be fun to watch.

6. (2) Riley Novack 12 -- Montverde Academy = Riley won the Citrus league title last week but has otherwise been quiet.

7. (6) Liam Jordan 10 -- Berkley Prep HS = Liam was 31^st at FSU in the Elite Division and should be a contender come November.

8. (7) Andrew McGraw 12 -- Bolles HS = Part of Bolles 1-2-3-4 punch that is looking to put 4 in the top 10 at the state meet.

9. (8) Luis Gutierrez 12 -- West Florida Tech -- Luis is off to a great start this season sporting a 2^nd place finish at Bale n Trail last week.

10. (NR) Dylan Nolan 12 -- Clearwater Central Catholic -- Dylan has not lost a race yet this season. He has not competed against the state's best yet, but he is a very interesting athlete to keep an eye on moving forward.

11. (NR) Daniel Demonte -- Bolles HS -- He broke 16 at the Asics Invite and is part of the impressive Bolles score 5.

Other individuals to watch out for:

Nicholas Colbert 12 -- Jensen Beach HS

Jeshua Osorio -- Mater Lakes Academy

Justin Cannata -- Jensen Beach HS

Storm Webber -- Berkley Prep HS

Sean Perry -- Lemon Bay HS

Isaac Cerveny -- Cocoa Beach HS

Matthew Matson -- North Bay Haven

Josh Davis -- Calvary Christian (Clearwater)

Commentary: Belen Jesuit is primed to add another State Title with 7 runners ranked in the top 20 in this classification.  Not sure the last time we had an entire top 5 finish in the top 10 at a State Meet but Belen could make that happen!  It's shaping up to be a 3 horse race for the 2^nd podium spot between Fleming Island, Ponte Vedra, and Leon.  Another group remains right behind them in striking distance in what should be an exciting race for the podium.

(Prev. Rank) Rank. School - Comments

(1) 1. Belen Jesuit -- Just WOW! This team is something special.  Primed for another state title after wins at Pre-State and FLRUNNERS invite, this team appears to have their sights set on making history.  A strong front runner Joshua Ruiz leads his team of never-ending depth to hopefully an attempt at the highest finish nationally for a Florida Team come this post season.

(2) 2. Fleming Island -- Leading the way for the podium race, Fleming Island has made leaps and bounds with their addition of Graham Myers.  After a team finish of 7^th place at Pre-State, Graham leads the way with a very strong pack behind him to attempt to take down this deep field for the 2^nd podium spot in 3A

(7) 3. Ponte Vedra -- He's BACK! Grant Doherty is the difference maker for this squad and after a slow start to this season, he is rounding into form at the right time for his team.  An ELITE pack behind him featuring Davis Brown and Nicolo Fasanelli, this team will be chomping at local rival Fleming Island's heels to solidify themselves as Jacksonville's #1 team in 3A.

(3) 4. Leon -- With all the attention on Patrick's phenomenal season (rightfully so) this team has sneakily put themselves into striking distance of the podium.  A bunch of guys right under 17 minutes combined with the 1 point from Patrick, they could make a run at Fleming Island and Ponte Vedra if one of those teams have an off day.

(4) 5. Fort Myers -- Coming off of a victory at the Starting Point Sports invitational, this team is a bit of a wildcard without much head-to-head performances against the states best.  A historically ELITE program led by a strong #1 in Koraya, this team has a solid pack behind to give them a chance at a high finish at the State Meet. 

(8) 6. Rockledge -- Makousky is a BIG-TIME runner up front for this squad but they are showing vulnerability in the depth department.  If they can clean up their 2:13 1-5 spread, they can surprise the teams above.  The talent is there, just a matter of putting it all together at the right time for Rockledge to have a real shot at that 2^nd podium position.

(6) 7. Cape Coral -- Beating out a strong Cambridge Christian program to take runner-up (behind Belen) at the HOKA FLRUNNERS.COM INVITATIONAL, Cape Coral should have some confidence rolling into the post-season.  Declan Ziomek has been consistent up front for this group and should lead them to a top 10 finish at the state meet.  The question is how high can they finish and the answer is left up to their 2-5 runners.

(9) 8. Naples -- TORO and MARSHALL continue to have impressive performances with DAMOUNI and GARCIA stringing together some good runs as well.  The pressure is on GIBSON, LOLLY, and KUMMER to step-up to the challenge and be that #5 this team needs to finish inside the top 5 at the state meet.

(5) 9. Satellite -- MAHORNER leads this group to a top 10 ranking going into the post season.  A little bit of a disappointing performance at Pre-State placing 21^st in a very competitive field lands this team at #9.  However, a pack of guys hanging at the 17-minute mark (and running within a few seconds of one another at Pre-State) leads me to believe some tactics are being employed by an elite coaching staff.  Expect them to be higher then this ranking, but for now they land at 9. 

(NR) 10. Fort Walton Beach -- Rounding out the top 10 is Fort Walton Beach after beating out a surging Tampa Jesuit team in the Varsity A race at FSU.  Because of the depth in this classification, this 10^th spot will be a battle between a few teams and right now Fort Walton Beach appears to be that team.

Individual Rankings:

(Prev. Rank) Rank. Name Grade School -- Most Recent Performance

(1) 1. Patrick Koon JR Leon HS -- 1^st place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 14:50.00

(2) 2. Joshua Ruiz JR Belen Jesuit -- 2^nd place FLRUNNERS Invitational, 15:49.09

(4) 3. Graham Myers JR Fleming Island HS -- 6^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 15:17.80

(3) 4. Devin Makousky SR Rockledge HS -- 7^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 15:21.50

(6) 5. Andrew Mahorner SR Satellite HS -- 14^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State), 15:33.00

(5) 6. Joseph Ruiz JR Belen Jesuit -- 6^th place FLRUNNERS Invitational, 16:22.40

(7) 7. Zack Poekert SR Cypress Creek -- 1^st place Spanish River Invitational, 15:41.54

(10) 8. Joseph Socarras SO Belen Jesuit -- 3^rd place FLRUNNERS Invitational, 16:04.17

(8) 9. Marcelo Mantecon 8^th Belen Jesuit -- 1^st place (3k) FLRUNNERS Invitational, 9:30.32

(NR) 10. Grant Doherty SR Ponte Vedra HS -- 29^th place FSU Invitational (Pre-State) 15:47.20

(12) 11. Evan Torres JR Belen Jesuit -- 5^th place FLRUNNERS Invitational, 16:09.15

(NR) 12. Kaleb Hollins SR Choctawhatchee HS -- 1^st place Okaloosa County Champs, 16:39.60

(NR) 13. Matthew Calero SR Belen Jesuit -- 8^th place FLRUNNERS Invitational, 16:35.86

(NR) 14. Lucas Alejandro Garcia JR Belen Jesuit -- 22^nd place FLRUNNERS Invite, 17:36.37

(NR) 15. Clayton Knight JR Ocala Vanguard HS -- 2^nd place FSU Varsity A, 15:57.70

4A Boys Rankings

By Ray Romero, FACA XC Chair / Dunbar, RayHR@leeschools.net

Team Rankings:

Commentary: Creekside has continued to be dominant so far this year as the #2 team in the entire state.  Coach Berania is leaving nothing to chance with the 6th and 7th runners both under 16:30 even with a hiccup at the top should give them the title. The Perennial powerhouses of HB Plant and Viera put Sunlake on notice with their welcome to 4A at the ARP not far behind were Columbus and Buchholz.  Anyone of the top 7 could snag the 2nd place Trophy.

Rank. School (Prev. Rank)

1. Creekside HS (Remained)

2. HB Plant HS (Previously 7th)

3. Sunlake HS (Previously 2nd )

4. Niceville HS (Previously 3rd)

5. Viera HS (Previously 6th)

6. Christopher Columbus HS (Previously 4th)

7. Buchholz HS (Previously 8th)

8. Nease (Previously 5th)

9. Hagerty HS (Previously 10th)

10. Newsome HS (Previously Unranked)

Individual Rankings:

Commentary: Almost all of these boys raced heads up at Pre-state which made my job super easy.  It will be a battle for the top 5 guys anyone can win.  Coach DeVos looks to continue the Nease streak but Miller, Townsend, Leon  and newcomer to 4A Pena are looking to end the stranglehold Nease has had these last few years.  The entire top 15 have run under 15:50 this year already, look for some fast times and close team battles that will be adjusted on these individual battles.

Rank. Name, Grad Year - School (Prev. Rank)

1. Emerson Miller, 2023 - Buchholz HS (2)

2. Alex Pena, 2023 - Sunlake HS (1)

3. Matt Ryan, 2024 - Nease HS (Unranked)

4. Wyatt Townsend, 2023 - Chiles HS (11)

5. Jonathan Leon, 2024 - Hagerty HS (4)

6. Cameron Raney, 2023 - Viera HS (5)

7. Alec Miller, 2023 - Sarasota HS (Unranked)

8. Tanner Simonds, 2024 - Creekside HS (6)

9. Aedan Rendek, 2023 - Viera HS (Unranked)

10. Bernardo Barnhart, 2023 - Palmetto Ridge HS (8)

11. Mason Kawaja, 2023 - Buchholz HS (9)

12. Jack Dravo, 2023 - Creekside HS (13)

13. Evan Crane, 2023 - North Port HS (7)

14. Alejandro Romagosa, 2024 - Christopher Columbus HS (Unranked)

15. William Montanye, 2024 - Gulf Coast HS (10)