3A GIRLS
Team Favorite: Ponte Vedra
The Ponte Vedra girls knocked on the door last year and were team runner-up to the Dillard girls who won their 1st team title. Dillard lost Christian Coleman, the 3A individual champion, to graduation and this year's returning squad doesn't have the depth of last year's team. Ponte Vedra, however, led by Daisy Ross, the #1 ranked 3A girl, has two experienced leaders, the depth, and the speed to outdistance the Dillard girls and take their 2nd team title. The Sr., Ross, was 9th last year behind two of Dillard's returners, 8th graders Shynah Collins and Miley Gill. Collins was 3rd last year. Gill was 5th. This year Ross has outperformed both of the Dillard girls. Ponte Vedra's Average Time is 18:55.56 compared to that of the 19:14.02 of Dillard. They also have just over a 10 second advantage in the 1-5 Split. The difference this year for Ponte Vedra is two girls who did not run at State last year and who have stepped up this year into the #3 and 4 spots. So. Olivia Kaminsky and Jr. Samantha Gore. The two have identical 19:07 times. In the #2 spot for Ponte Vedra is returner So. Savannah LaVasser who has gone sub-19. The #5 girl is another returner, Sr. Sofia Bushkell and the #6 girl Jr. Ella McGown was 29th in last year's race.
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Individual Favorite: Daisy Ross (Ponte Vedra)
Ross has had an outstanding Sr. year with 5 wins in 7 starts. She was 9th last year and has run 18:10 this year.
Individual Contenders: Samantha Lorey (Bishop Moore), Cheyenne Thomas (Tavares), Masha Dorofeev (Ft. Myers), Shynah Collins (Dillard)
Ross may be the favorite, but she will be challenged by several other young ladies. It will probably come down to who is feeling it and is on the day of the race. Bishop Moore Sr. Samantha Lorey has proved she can run fast. She was just back of Ross at New World one position. She holds the #2 spot in the 3A rankings based on that performance. However, in the 3A Region 2 meet she was 6th with all underclassmen ahead of her including the winner, So. Cheyenne Thomas of Tavares.
Thomas is an experienced runner and is certainly capable of winning. Her 18:18.20 PR came in her regional win and at the right time. She was 6th last year. Ft. Myers Sr. Masha Dorofeev won both her District and Regional meet and is in a virtual tie with Thomas for the #3 3A girls ranking. She was 11th last year. You can't count 8th grader Shynah Collins of Dillard out of being atop the podium. She won her District and Regional and certainly has the speed to close if the race is close. If the pace is not pressed early and throughout the race, Collins just may be the champion.
Several other girls to watch: Fr. Lainey Mercer (Springstead), Sr. Lauren Voutour (St. Augustine), Jr. Audrey Dunn (Gainesville), Jr. Isabel Harter (Chactwatchee), and So. Savannah Stanely (Chiles). All of these girls have run 18:30 or better and are less than 7 seconds apart.