Lake Nona's Arabella Duffell ran a conservative early portion of her race in the heat and humidity at Cecil Field, and her patience paid off in her first win of the year and the fastest time in the state in the early season.
Photo Credit: Cedric Gillette
Week One Merge: Duffell Leads Florida's Fastest Girls
The opening week of the 2026 FHSAA cross country season produced an early showdown between two of Florida's top returning girls.
Lake Nona's Arabella Duffell and Bartram Trail's Avery Hartley battled at the Cecil Field Summer Classic in Jacksonville, with Duffell pulling away for the victory in 17:53.00. Her performance was the fastest girls' 5K time recorded in Florida during Week One. Hartley finished close behind in 18:13.00, giving Cecil Field the top two performances in the opening-week statewide merge.
While Duffell and Hartley set the standard in Jacksonville, several of Florida's top girls opened their seasons with impressive performances-and victories-at meets across the state.