Early Results Week Four - Gaona- Zelaya & Howdeshell on Top

Gaona-Zelaya Leads Florida Girls' Week Four Performances

Week Four of the 2026 Florida cross country season is still unfolding, but the early girls' results have already produced several notable performances and four season-best marks ranked among the state's top 50.

Natalia Gaona-Zelaya of Wiregrass Ranch currently leads the weekend results and remains undefeated on the season with an 18:22.37 win at the Astronaut Invitational. The senior remains No. 5 in Florida with the 18:03.77 she ran at the Florida Horse Park Invitational.

The next three runners so far in Week Four had weekend performances that placed them in the state's top 35.

Camila Giles of Bishop Kenny opened her 2026 season running the weekend's second-fastest time with an 18:37.20 in her win at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic, moving her to No. 18 in Florida.

Emma Poekert of Cypress Creek followed with an 18:48.20 win at Land O' Lakes, moving her to No. 26 in the state rankings.

Eighth-grader Kylie Cook of All Saints' Academy continued her impressive season by running 19:04.15 at the JT Memorial XC Night Race. Cook is now ranked No. 34 and No. 2 among eighth-graders.

Other Top Performances

The first nine runners thus far in the current Week are all ranked among Florida's top 50.

Eva McMenemy-Hoang of Viera has posted the weekend's fifth-fastest performance with a 19:09.88 in a runner-up finish at the Astronaut Invitational. Her season-best from her win at the Wickham Jamboree 18:29.80 ranks No. 12 in Florida.

Allison Austin of Atlantic Coast was second at Buchholz with a 19:10.40, while Elise Brown of St. Thomas Aquinas got the win at the King of the Hill Invitational with a 19:15.64. Austin is No. 29 in the state rankings, and Brown is No. 27.

East Lake senior Katelin Wilcox continued her winning ways this season with an impressive win at the Seffner Christian XC Invitational on a wet and muddy Holloway Park course with a time of 19:15.84. Wilcox remains No. 16 in Florida with her season-best 18:35.00.

Bishop Kenny senior Jillian Jakab rounded out the weekend's first nine with a 19:20.40 at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic. Her performance currently holds the final position in Florida's top 50.

Samantha Helfant of Palm Beach Central is the first runner outside the state top 50. Her Week Four time of 19:20.83 is only 0.43 seconds behind the current cutoff.

Bishop Kenny Shows Its Depth

Bishop Kenny has four runners among the top performances so far over the past week. The No. 4-ranked team in the state and No. 1 in 3A were led by Camila Giles, who is No. 2 in week four; Jillian Jakab, No. 9; Taylor Lawhon at No. 19; and Rebecca McEnany at No. 21.

Week Four 

Note: This recap includes only the Week Four results reported at the time of publication. Rankings and the weekend performance list may change as additional meet results are added.

Howdeshell Leads Florida Boys' Week Four Performances

Not all of Week Four's results are in, but the early boys' results have already produced a tightly packed group of performances.

Isaiah Howdeshell of Largo leads the results reported so far with a 16:07.11 win at the Seffner Christian XC Invitational. The senior remains No. 4 in Florida with the 15:20.00 he ran at the Cecil Field Summer Classic.

Manatt, Haley Lead The Chase

Skylar Manatt of Cypress Creek was first at Land O' Lakes with the weekend's second-fastest time with a 16:13.40. Manatt entered Week Four ranked No. 31 in Florida with a season-best 16:06.70.

Logan Haley of Branford ran 16:17.90 and was first at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic. Haley's Week Four performance moved him to No. 47 in the state rankings.

Liam Ilea of Tavares was second at the Astronaut  Invitational with a 16:21.46. The junior remains No. 26 in Florida with the 16:00.60 he ran at Whispering Pines.

Sickles junior Landon Watkins recorded the fifth-fastest time of the weekend so far with a 16:22.46 as the runner-up at the Seffner Christian XC Invitational. Watkins is No. 20 in the state rankings with a season-best 15:57.85.

Jonas Williams of Newsome was third at Seffner with a 16:25.40. Williams owns a season-best 15:58.29 and is ranked No. 22 in Florida.

Other Top Performances

Owen Tucker of Gulf Breeze had a breakthrough performance and is the highest Week Four performer not currently in the top 50. Tucker ran 16:26.40, placing fourth at the Gulf Coast Stampede. He is seventh in the preliminary weekend rankings.

Fort Myers sophomore Reed Hagen followed Tucker with a 16:26.60 win at the Fort Myers Invite. Hagen is No. 49 in Florida with a season-best 16:19.00.

Luke Engels (3rd at Buchholz) of Eastside and Evan Kirby (2nd at Buchholz) of Fletcher tied for the weekend's ninth-fastest performance in a great finish at 16:27.30. Both are currently outside the state top 50 but are within eight seconds of the 16:19.29 cutoff.

East Lake senior Truman Houk was fourth at Seffner with a 16:27.43. Houk is No. 37 in Florida with a season-best 16:11.10.

Week Four 

Note: This recap includes only the Week Four results reported at the time of publication. Rankings and the weekend performance list may change as additional meet results are added.