(Photo by Jeff Adams)
Full 2011 Florida State Meet Results & Coverage
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Elliot Clemente, Belen Jesuit Sweat Liquid Excellence
What can you say about a performance like that of Belen Jesuit yesterday? The Florida cross country hardcore knew they were witnessing one of the greatest team performances in state meet history.
Belen Jesuit started the season with a target on their backs, picked as the top boys team in the state. They didn’t shy away from the pressure. Proudly, yet humbly, they carried that blessing and burden in one with dignity and class… but beyond that with a mission. Folding under the pressure was not an option. Peaking too soon? Never!
Coach Frankie Ruiz reminded them just about every day the goal. Their eyes were planted firmly on November 19th. And now they’ll have to extend that peak one or hopefully two weeks more.
Elliot Clemente set the tone to start the scoring with his single point. The senior was marked as the unchallenged best in the state until suffering two mid-season losses to 4A champ Andres Arroyo at flrunners.com and Pre-State. He was the lone returning boys Foot Locker Nationals qualifier from 2010. After those losses though, he suddenly seemed human. Some even started to ask if his 3A title might be up for grabs with tough competition from the likes of Max del Monte and Carlos Miranda.
Just the day before the state meet, as Clemente contemplated his race strategy—probably with input from his coaches—he decided that he would try to take that option off the table early in the race. So in the first boys race of the day, he wasted no time making known said intentions. He opened up a large gap with a sizeable move during the first mile. With such a measured and decisive opening, no one dared go with him. No one could have gone with him. Not today.
After a blistering 4:35 opening mile, Clemente did nothing but maintain for the rest of the race and sailed in for what would be a best of the day 15:05 3A State Championship. It came on a day where for whatever reason—be it the warmer and more humid weather, taller grass, whatever—most people were running well off their season best times. Not so for Clemente and not so for his teammates.
After the top three crossed the line in predictable order (Clemente, del Monte 15:28, Miranda 15:34), thus began the great XC tradition of watching jerseys and counting points to determine the team champ. It didn’t take an experienced cross country statistician to figure it out and it certainly didn’t take long.
Junior Avery Lopez banged it in for the Wolverines with a slightly better than expected fourth place finish 15:36, which was just off his season best time. Just few slots later sophomores Michael Magoulas and Fabian Tomas came by in 15:44 and 15:51, respectively. And finally senior Francisco Tejidor closed out team scoring with a 16:04, giving the team a 59 second 1-5 split and a 15:40 team average. Diego Rojo (16:28) and Alexander Issac (16:56) crossed next for Belen as the displacers.
With twenty-six points, everyone in the top ten (by team scoring) and that 15:40 average it was definitely one of the ages… especially considering the depth of this 3A division.
The strong showing made clear a tough decision on the team’s post-season. Clemente, having made Foot Locker Nationals last year, had an immense desire to try to return to San Diego this year. As any runner who has qualified will attest, it was one of the best weekends of his life as a junior. It was something that was a strong motivator for him as a senior and a question that loomed in the background all year long.
Coach Frankie Ruiz said it was a topic that he attempted to avoid discussing with Clemente when at all possible. No one wants to put pressure on a kid to make that kind of sacrifice. So ultimately Ruiz left it up to his captain to choose individual ambitions or potential team glory. And, as you’d expect from any selfless team leader, Clemente made the call… Nike Cross Nationals next week, the de facto team national championship route.
Though the boys in yellow will be painted as favorites to finish with one of the top two team qualifying spots out of NXN Southeast, at a race like that it’s anything but a given. And history has not been too kind to Floridians headed up to much colder winter-like conditions. But if anyone can do it, this team can. And God-willing they’ll be on their way to the Nike campus in Oregon in two weeks for Nike Cross Nationals!
Congratulations everyone at Belen Jesuit and all of South Florida! This classy program is certainly not short on fans down there!
Interview with Elliot Clemente
Interview with Coach Frankie Ruiz
Some more 3A Boys Propers
There are so many people to tip hats to and I can’t mention everyone, but besides the history-worthy team champions… check out the runners-up from Bartram Trail. Fourteen second 1-5 split… holy cow. Adam Leo was their number one with 16:14 and Brexton Simonsen crossed five man for 16:28. That’s some serious pack power and it allowed them to take silver with 112 points over Estero’s 129. Way to go!
Race Video
Top 25
