2A boys race preview for the 2024 FHSAA State XC Championships on Friday, November 16th at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida.
2A BOYS
Just like in the 2A girl's race, the rivalry between Bolles and Bishop Kenny will be played out again at state. Both teams have 8 team titles. Bolles however, is going for their 4th in a row. They won in the 2A Region 1 race scoring 41 points to Bishop Kenny's 61. On the boy's side, however, it is Bolles who has the edge. There is one team, however, that may get in the way of their 4th team title and that is Bishop Verot. While the Regional team results merge is one thing, the Verot boys, 4th last year, leads in the 2A State Team rankings and in the Virtual Meet Projections and may win their first-ever team title.
Verot is led by two sub-16 seniors, Zachary Zielke and Andrew Marino. The duo are the #2 and 5 ranked 2A boys. Zielke was 30th last year but has run 15:22.00 this season and leads the team. Marino was 11th last year and has run 15:34.80. The team Average is 15:58.38 and has a 1-5 split of 1:01.60. The strength of the team however, is in their 3-5 runners. Sr.'s Rafael Casillas, Zachary Engel, and Dennis Olsen have been solid and have fed off of each other all season with just an 11-second split. Jr. Thomas Eichten, their #6 runner ran at state last year and the only non-state returner is Fr. Christian Ginart, the #7 runner.
Bolles should be the closest challenger to Bishop Verot. Led by Sr. Parker Adams, the team's Average Time is 16:12.29 and they have a 1-5 Split of 1:12.49. Adams is joined by Sr.'s Alexander Ruge and Julian Barre and If going by times run this year, they just might not have the firepower to catch the Verot boys. If their #4 and 5 So. boys, Aidan Chandler and Kiran Parekh, step it up with their seniors, they may make it close for the team title. Their #6 and 7 runners, Jr. Jacob Kohn and So. Henry Camp may make a difference as there is just a 2 and 4-second gap between them and Parekh.
Berkeley Prep. Sr. Liam Jordan has had an outstanding Senior year. He was 3rd last year with a 15:38.69 and is the #1 ranked 2A and the #2 ranked all-divisions boy in the State with a 14:57.70. Watch for him to take control of the race early and win the title.
