It was an all-day event at Larry and Penny Thompson Park in Miami, as the Ferguson Falcons hosted their annual invitational. The middle schoolers kicked off the morning with a 2.1 mile race of their own for the JV and varsity runners, followed by the high schoolers taking on the 5K course.
Gulliver Prep senior Joanna McCoy transitioned from a successful summer circuit to cross country season almost as smoothly as she has adjusted to her new school. McCoy won last week's Spanish River Invitational and followed it up by another impressive performance at the Falcon Invitational winning in 19:07.02. Last year she finished third at the meet behind Stephanie Schappert and Nicole Carpio with a time of 19:24.59. Ferguson senior Lauren Gonzalez and the rest of her Falcon teammates had the home course advantage. Gonzalez clocked in at 20:02.84 and a second place finish leading her squad to the team title with 21 points and a 20:16.55 team average.
In the boys varsity race Bert Irigoyen, reigning 2A cross country and 1600m champion, broke out early. He admits the 16:59.59 wasn't exactly his best time ever, but it was much better than his 18:16.10 three mile and 71st place finish at the Deja Vu Invitiational. Coral Reef freshman Kurt Convey, who won the 3000 at the flrunners.com Middle School State Championship, came in right behind Irigoyen. Convey finished second, breaking the 17 minute mark as well in 16:59.94. Miami Sunset had runners come in fourth and fifth to win the team title over an abbreviated Belen Jesuit squad 50 to 53.
Our Lady of Lourdes continues to show the depth of their program taking the top five spots in the girls junior varsity race. Freshman Erin Mullin-Garcia led all JV ladies with a time of 21:56.57. Their team average of 22:44.37 was nearly a minute and a half better than runner-up Ferguson. Same story different team on the boys junior varsity results. Belen Jesuit secures the top six places led by sophomore Omar Rosete's 18:04.82.
In the morning session, Richmond Heights Middle had two kids entered and those two kids Iphinity Brown and Kendra Charles finished first and second in 16:13.65 and 16:33.83 over 2.1 miles. Ammons Middle School won the JV girls team trophy with 24 points. In the boys JV race, Jorge Mas Canosa 6th grader Alex Soto-Reguiera ran away with the championship. He beat second place finisher Jaylan Hanner of South Dade by more than a minute with an impressive 13:43.73. Ammons Middle School took their second team title of the day with 24 points.
Lunch time marked the start of the middle school varsity races and nobody was hungrier than 8th grader Daniela Hernandez of Ammons. Her 15:19.00 was 13 seconds better than the runner-up. She paced her squad to 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place individual titles. Ammons wins their third trophy of the day with an incredible 15 point performance. The boys hit the course just after noon and it was seventh grader Anthony Vasquez of South Dade crossing the line in 12:07.27. Class of 2017 watch out! Surprise surprise Ammons finishes with a 13:27.05 to sweep the middle school team trophies. They will be a force to recon with the middle school state championship later this year.
Photo Album by By Alex Budenz -Over 650 Uploaded, 1300 total to come