FHSAA 2A Girls State XC Meet Preview

WATCH LIVE: FHSAA State XC Championships

Team Favorite:  Bishop Kenny

The Bishop Kenny girls are poised to win their 11th team title.

Photo Credit: Cedric Gillette

The Bishop Kenny girls are well-positioned to claim their 11th team title. Since 1994, the girls have won 5 4A titles, 2 3A titles, and 3 2A titles. They should get their third 2A title this Saturday. All of their scorers from State last year return to the squad: Jr. Taylor Lawhon (16th), Jr. Jillian Jakab (24th), Sr. Olivia Lumpkin (31st), Sr. Alexis Wilson (57th), and So. Ava McEnany (58th).  Joining Lumpkin, Wilson, Lawhon, and Jacab is So. Camila Giles, and Giles is the No. 1 runner for the squad with McEnany moving to No. 7, where she is joined by her freshman sister, Rebecca. In the 2A-1 Regional, the girls scored 28 points to rivals the Episcopal School of Jacksonville's 48 and Bolles' 64, leaving no doubt as to who the 2A team favorite is. Their Average Time was 18:25.56, their Total Time was 1:32.07.80, and their 1-5 Split was just 24.74 seconds.

Team Contenders:  Episcopal School of  Jacksonville, Bolles HS

Bolles is led by Fr. Sofie Stam, the No. 3-ranked 2A girl. They were 2nd last year at State. The Episcopal School of Jacksonville was 3rd, and they are led by the No. 2-ranked girl in the State, So. Kate Brice. They may flip-flop this year, but 16 points at State is not difficult to overcome, and one expects the girls to challenge each other for the runner-up spot. The difference is in the 4 and 5 runners and how they will finish. In the regional race, through the No. 3 runners, Episcopal had 23 points and Bolles was close behind with 29. 

Individual Favorites:  Jazlyn Forbes (Oasis), Kate Brice (Episcopal School of Jacksonville)

Oasis Sr. Jazlyn Forbes has been at the top of the State and the 2A girls rankings for the entire season.

Photo Credit: M. Stonecipher

Oasis Sr., and University of Florida commit, Jazlyn Forbes has had a standout senior season. She has not lostexcept at New World, where she ran a 17:35 in a 2nd place finish to Annabella Tomasic of Bishop Moore (3A). She leads the State with a 17:02.44 time. She was 4th at State last year. Forbes is recently recovering from an illness and had a DNF at District, but came back and won her Regional. She will certainly be pressed and challenged at State, but remains one of the favorites, if not, the favorite to win. 

So. Kate Brice of the Episcopal School of Jacksonville is looking for her first State title on Saturday.

Photo Credit: Cedric Gillette

So. Kate Brice of the Episcopal School of Jacksonville has had a fantastic Sophomore season and will challenge for her first State title. She is the No. 2-ranked 2A girl in the State, and, along with Forbes, is one of only two 2A girls to have run sub-18:00 this season with a 17:53.06 at the Alexander/Asics Invitational in early October. It was her solo sub-18:00 performance of the year, but she has consistently been under 18:10. She was 9th at New World with an 18:03 and the 2A-1 Regional Champion with an 18:07.94.