Winter Springs Overbay-Monte Carlo Invitational Coverage

BY JOSH COHEN

 

JV Winners: Brianna Lenz and Michael Headley of Olympia

Photo by Barbara Moore

The ground was soft and wet on Saturday morning for a two and a half lap tour of Central Winds Park in Winter Springs, Florida. Plenty of spectators came out to support the athletes throughout their run. Teams had tents set up in the center of the park waiting for the races to begin.

 

The girls’ varsity race began on a very muddy line of grass that would eventually lead them off into the forest area of the park. Up in front with a commanding lead after just one mile was Trinity Prep’s Kelly Fahey with Lake Howell’s Regan Farrow and Cypress Creek’s Kaley Schmick fighting it out to try and catch Fahey. The girls of Olympia High School, including Emily Headley and Kaitlyn Campo, held back and ran together, but remained out of the top ten until the final mile. Fahey easily won the race in 19:28 followed by Schmick in 19:50.

 

Once all of the girls’ varsity runners finished up, the boys got set to depart from the start line. Cypress Creek’s Brennan Schmick got out to a very quick start, having about a ten second lead over Lake Brantley’s Otniel Teixeira and Hunter Morgan who followed Schmick like hawks. In the second mile, Teixeira kept his pace strong and breezed past Schmick to take the lead while Morgan held back, remaining just behind Schmick. Teixeira would come in with a quick final mile, finishing first in 16:45. In the final mile, Olympia’s Mitchell Moore found a way to dig his way up multiple spots and finish second with a time of 17:02.

 

The final race of the day was a combined JV boys and girls race.  The boys were sent off into the forest followed by the girls about two minutes after. Most of the top JV boys’ finishers were from either Olympia or Northview, showing the skilled depth of these two teams. Olympia’s Michael Headley ran a very impressive 18:?? to win the race.

 

This meet set the stage for a very fast flrunners.com Invitational next weekend.