FHSAA Cross Country Season Preview Boys and Girls 2A

Aug 19, 2024

FHSAA Cross Country Season Preview Boys and Girls 2A

Cross Country season has officially started here in Florida. I have posted a variety of rankings articles regarding overall pre-season returners rankings, individually and for teams. Here is a Preview of 2A. Remember that no ranking system is perfect and no season preview is perfect. One can't account for injuries, big jumps, transfers, breakthrough runners that we haven't seen yet and middle schoolers joining the varsity as incoming freshman, and in the case of some schools being able to run varsity. It is difficult to predict a season but one of the great things about Florida MileSplit is that we have a great ranking database that allows one to quickly and easily view rankings and XC and track PRs. Here is a look at what we may see in 2A this season.

2A Girls Team

The Bishop Kenny girls scored just 69 points to win the 2023 team title based on the closeness of their 1-5 finishers (49.3 seconds). They went 10 12 13 15 19 (22) (29). They return 3 of their top 5 and 4 of their 7, led by Sr. Tessa Massa who was 11th overall in the 2A race. The race will be a lot closer this year with last years runner-up Bolles returning all 7 of their runners, including 8th grader Sofie Stam and Sr. Estella Bruneau. Based solely on last years times, the teams are separated by only 5 points. That's only a few places in XC. If the seasons go as anticipated, this may be the closest race of the day at State. It will come down to race day.

1	Bishop Kenny HS (FL)		97
	1) Tessa Massa	18:42.50	10
	2) Stephanie Grden	18:57.60	14
	3) Alexis Wilson	19:10.00	16
	4) Taylor Lawhon	19:20.80	20
	5) Jillian Jakab	19:45.50	37
	Average Time: 19:11.28 Total Time: 1:35:56.40 1-5 Split: 1:03.00
	6) Olivia Lumpkin	19:50.30	42
	7) Reese Mayer	22:24.50	201
2	Bolles HS (FL)		102
	1) Sofie Stam	18:35.50	7
	2) Estella Bruneau	18:40.30	9
	3) Kavya Patel	19:18.50	19
	4) Charlotte Joseph	19:41.30	31
	5) Emily Loftin	19:44.30	36
	Average Time: 19:11.98 Total Time: 1:35:59.90 1-5 Split: 1:08.80
	6) Elizabeth McClure	19:55.50	48
	7) Mia Lee Chong	20:09.70	56

The Episcopal School of Jacksonville and Bishop Verot should challenge for the 3rd spot on the podium. Interestingly, the Verot girls have a faster Average Time and Total Time than the Episcopal girls. The difference is in the teams' 1-5 splits. Episcopal has a low 34.60-second split. Verot is at 3:20.07. Verot is led by Sr. Mackenzie De Lisle the #2 ranked All-Divisions and 2A girl. The Verot 2-4 girls will need to step up for them to get into the #2 spot.

Episcopal School of Jacksonville

Average Time: 19:47.57 Total Time: 1:38:57.85 1-5 Split: 34.60

Bishop Verot

Average Time: 19:35.47 Total Time: 1:37:57.37 1-5 Split: 3:20.07

2A Girls Individual

Annabella Tomasic of Lake Highland Prep and Mackenzie De Lisle are ranked #1 and 2 for All-Divisions and 2A in the state. Last year, as a 7th grader, Tomasic had one loss in the regular season and that came at the hands of De Lisle in their season opener at Cecil Fields in August. Tomasic took the State 2A title in 17:32.90 and went on to place 14th at the RunningLane Championships in 18:12.10. De Lisle was 2nd at State in 17:52.20 and was 34th at RunningLane in 18:33.20. On the track, Tomasic was not at 100% due to an injury. De Lisle won the 2A 1600 in 4:59.50. The question is, can a healthy Tomasic return to her form as an 8th grader.

Two other girls in 2A were Sub-18 last fall. #3 ranked in 3A and 5th in All-Divisions is North Bay Haven Sr. Margaret Bartlow. Bartlow, was 4th last in the State meet last year in 18:09.50 and was 23rd at RunningLane with an 18:22.50. She was just behind De Lisle in the 2A girls 1600m, finishing in 2nd with a 5:00.89. Oasis Jr. Jazlyn Forbes was 6th last year at State with an 18:38.40. She is ranked #4 in 2A and #6 in All-Divisions with a 17:56.96. Forbes won her season opener last weekend at the Dunbar Tiger Jamboree, leading through the mile and comfortably finishing in 18:46.00.

2A Boys Team

Bolles scored just 56 points last year in a dominant team performance and they are in a strong position to repeat as the 2A Boy's champions. Sr. Parker Adams leads the team. Adams was 10th last year (16:21.50). They will certainly be challenged, however, and will have to earn their repeat. The challenges should come from Bishop Verot and Astronaut. Astronaut was 3rd last year and Verot 4th. Verot is led by Sr. Andrew Marino who was just behind Adams in last year's race, finishing 11th in 16:21.60. Based upon last seasons times, Bolles and Verot are very similar teams. The difference and certainly one that will depend on individual performances on race day, is solely in how the 1-5 split, in particular the #5 runners, where Bolles has the edge with a 21-point advantage. Astronaut, led by Shane Kinsey and Sawyer Kinsey, and Jackson Champagne, who only have a 12.30 spread based upon last year's times, will need to have their #3-5 scorers step up for them to challenge Bolles and Verot for a podium spot.

1	Bolles HS (FL)		123
	1) Parker Adams	15:46.10	4
	2) Alexander Ruge	16:15.74	11
	3) Julian BARRE	16:42.00	28
	4) Jack Camp	16:47.88	32
	5) Henry Camp	17:04.70	48
	Average Time: 16:31.28 Total Time: 1:22:36.42 1-5 Split: 1:18.60
	6) Max Truog	17:27.52	78
	7) Aidan Chandler	17:38.19	89
2	Bishop Verot HS (FL)		132
	1) Andrew Marino	15:43.81	3
	2) Dennis Olsen	16:25.66	15
	3) Zachary Zielke	16:28.08	18
	4) Zachary Engel	16:41.97	27
	5) Thomas Eichten	17:21.80	69
	Average Time: 16:32.26 Total Time: 1:22:41.32 1-5 Split: 1:37.99
	6) Rafael Casillas	17:43.00	96
	7) Drew Schmidt	19:25.70	310
3	Astronaut HS (FL)		155
	1) Shane Kinsey	16:12.40	10
	2) Sawyer Kinsey	16:17.70	12
	3) Jackson Champagne	16:24.70	13
	4) Ty Thompson	17:08.70	52
	5) Noah McCollam	17:20.80	68
	Average Time: 16:40.86 Total Time: 1:23:24.30 1-5 Split: 1:08.40
	6) Christian Guerrero	20:52.08	543
	7) Ryan Cooke	21:12.10	601

2A Boys Individual

Berkeley Prep Sr. Liam Jordan has waited his turn and it is now his turn to be in the spotlight. He is ranked #1 in 2A and #5 in All-divisions with a 15:24.50. He was 3rd at State last year with a 15:38.60 behind two outstanding Seniors, David Serra of Ransom Everglades and Christopher Joost of Bolles. He was runner-up in track in the 1600m (4:16.50) and the 3200m (9:12.77) and has PRs respectively of 4:13.23 and 9:02.56.

Five others in the returning 2A boys have times under 16:00. The #2 ranked runner is Calvary Christian Sr. Brock Brown with a 15:40.92 that came at Northport. However, Brown did not go under 16 again in his 8 outings, including running 38th at State in 17:02.50. The #3 ranked boy is Bishop Verot Sr. Andrew Marino. Marino was 11th at State in 16:21.60 and like Brown only went sub-16:00 once in his 9 races. Also at Northport, where he finished 3rd in 15:43.81. Sr. Parker Adams of Bolles is the #4 ranked 2A boy with a 15:46.10 coming at the Nike XC Town Twilight Invitational. Adams was 10th in the State XC finals with a 16:21.50. On the track however, Adams had a very good spring running a 9:13.87 finishing 3rd in the State 3200m, and going sub-9 in a 4th place at the RunningLane Track Championships with a 8:58.00.

The other two sub-16 performances came from #5 ranked Jr. Henry Lewis of Wakulla with a 15:52.00 and #6 ranked Sr. Jacob Wellons of Lake Highland Prep with a 15:59.70. Lewis was 5th in last year's State championship running 16:04.20. Wellon dipped under 16 once in his 8 outings and was 27th in the State finals with a 16:51.20.