Based on his performance throughout the year and the results of your vote, sophomore Marcelo Mantecon of Belen Jesuit Prep. is the 2024 MileSplit FL Boys XC Runner of the Year. Mantecon has one more race to run to cap his sophomore season as he leads his undefeated and #9 nationally ranked team to the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) on December 7th on the Glendoveer course in Portland, Oregon. COROS CC Boys Team Rankings 2024.
Mantecon is the number one ranked boy's runner in Florida with a 14:40.20. He started his season off on August 23rd at the Cecil Field Summer Classic, winning in 15:01.00. He followed that win with a first at the Florida Horse Park Invitational (15:06.60), a third in the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, AL (15:00.20),
firsts at the Great American XC Festival in Cary, NC (14:40.20), the New World Fall Spectacular (14:49.00) and the FHSAA 3A District 8 (15:31.00) races, a fifth in the FHSAA 3A Region 4 race (16:10.50), a 3A State championship (14:57.80) and a fifth at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional (14:55.52).
Of note, Mantecon's 14:57.80 in the FHSAA Cross Country State 3A race was the second fastest time ever for a 5K in FHSAA history, and he joins Leon's Patrick Koon as one of only two boys to break 15:00 on the Apalachee Regional Park course. Koon holds the course record of 14:56.70.