Florida Middle School Boys: Top 20 Combined 3K Rankings
The 2026 Florida middle school cross country season is underway, and the state's leading boys have already established fast early-season standards.
Because the FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Championships are contested over 3000m, performances from the state's different race distances were converted to a common 3K standard. The Top 20 performances at 2400m, 3000m, 3200m, and two miles were considered.
Times from the 2400m, 3200m, and two-mile races were converted to estimated 3,000m performances using each runner's average pace. Course difficulty, terrain, weather, and racing conditions were not factored into the conversions.
The resulting list is strictly a time-based snapshot of the opening weeks in August of the season-not a prediction of how the runners will finish at the end of the season or at the FLYRA State Championships.
Here is a closer look at Florida's current Top 20 middle school boys.
No. 1: RJ Destremps - Hillsborough Harriers
RJ Destremps stands at the top of Florida's first combined middle school boys' rankings.
Destremps ran 10:08.34 over 3000m, giving him an 8.93-second advantage over Luke Lomoriello. His performance is the early benchmark as Florida's middle school runners begin building toward the FLYRA State Championships and any postseason races.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:08.34 3000m Equivalent: 10:08.34
No. 2: Luke Lomoriello - Unattached
Luke Lomoriello is the only runner other than the state leader currently under 10:18. His 10:17.27 gives him the No. 2 position by nearly two seconds over Drake Matyka.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:17.27 3000m Equivalent: 10:17.27
No. 3: Drake Matyka - Unattached
Drake Matyka holds the No. 3 position with his 10:19.21 performance. He owns the narrowest of margins over Tommy Schulte as four runners have already broken 10:20 this season.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:19.21 3000m Equivalent: 10:19.21
No. 4: Tommy Schulte - Naples Elite
The closest battle in the rankings belongs to Tommy Schulte and Matyka. Schulte's 10:19.26 trails Matyka by only five-hundredths of a second.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:19.26 3000m Equivalent: 10:19.26
No. 5: Maxwell Claypool - WIND Runners
Maxwell Claypool leads WIND Runners and rounds out the current top five. His 10:36.45 gives him a six-second advantage over Andrew LaHayne in the combined standings.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:36.45 3000m Equivalent: 10:36.45
No. 6: Andrew LaHayne - Unattached
Andrew LaHayne sits sixth in the combined rankings with a 10:42.75. He is the third unattached runner inside the state's first six positions.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:42.75 3000m Equivalent: 10:42.75
No. 7: Elliot Macki - Calvary Christian Academy
Elliot Macki leads the Calvary Christian Academy tandem with his 10:49.14 performance. Macki and Danny Hage give Calvary Christian two runners among Florida's current Top 10.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:49.14 3000m Equivalent: 10:49.14
No. 8: Danny Hage - Calvary Christian Academy
Only 0.38 seconds separate Calvary Christian Academy teammates Danny Hage and Macki. Hage holds the No. 8 position after running 10:49.52.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:49.52 3000m Equivalent: 10:49.52
No. 9: Parker Whittamore - WIND Runners
Parker Whittamore adds to a strong early-season showing from WIND Runners. His 10:54.36 places him ninth overall and makes him the second-fastest WIND Runners athlete in the rankings.
Distance: 3 000m Actual Time: 10:54.36 3000m Equivalent: 10:54.36
No. 10: Warren Wilson - Sifted Sports
Warren Wilson secured the final position in the Top 10 with a 10:56.41 performance. Wilson is one of 10 runners currently under the 11-minute barrier in the combined rankings.
Distance: 3000m Actual Time: 10:56.41 3000m Equivalent: 10:56.41
