After winning championships at last weekend's state meet, four coaches ascended higher on the all-time winning most coaches list maintained by former FACA XC Chair and Spanish River coach Rick Rothman. With his 10th girls championship at Plant, Coach Roy Harrison got some big attention after that milestone. That ten state championships ties him for the all-time lead for single gender championships... tied with the legendary Brent Haley, who won ten boys titles at Largo. Harrison has more state championships than any other girls only coach.
However, Doug Butler now tops the overall list. His boys added another state championship, bringing his combined gender total to eleven. That is more than anyone else in state history.
Frankie Ruiz and his Belen Jesuit boys added another title, bringing the total under Ruiz' relatively short reign as head coach to five boys titles. And Coach Jeff Sommer of Estero notched another girls championship, bringing his combined total to six and tying him for eighth overall (sixth active).
Ruiz and Butler are tied for the most boys championships, along with Coach Gary Droze of Maclay, among active coaches.
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STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS BY COACHES
1. DOUG BUTLER*-HOLY TRINITY-11 GIRLS AND BOYS
2. BRENT HALEY-LARGO-10 BOYS
2. GARY DROZE*-MACLAY-10 GIRLS AND BOYS
2. ROY HARRISON*-PLANT-10 GIRLS
5. BOB ENNIS-LETO-7 BOYS
5. RICK ROTHMAN*-SPANISH RIVER-7 GIRLS
5. SCOTT GOWAN*-PORT ST. JOE/TALLAHASSEE CHILES-7 BOYS AND GIRLS
8. MIKE MUSICK-LAKELAND CHRISTIAN-6 GIRLS
8. JEFF SOMMER*-ESTERO-6 BOYS AND GIRLS
10. GEOFF PIETSCH-RANSOM-EVERGLADES-5 BOYS
10. NICK GAILEY-ASTRONAUT/TITUSVILLE-5 BOYS
10. MARILYNN WILLS-LEON-5 GIRLS
10. MIKE McPHERSON-WESTMINSTER ACADEMY/ATLANTIC-5 BOYS
10. BOB ESTES-CLEARWATER CENTRAL CATHOLIC-5 BOYS
10. MICHAEL DELUCIA-McARTHUR/SOUTH BROWARD-5 GIRLS AND BOYS
10. ARI MONTALVO-OUR LADY OF LOURDES-5 GIRLS
10. MIKE HILL- WINTER PARK-5 BOYS
10. TONY RYAN*-BISHOP KENNY/BOLLES-5 GIRLS
10. FRANKIE RUIZ*-BELEN JESUIT-5 BOYS
20. MIKE HOLLOWAY-BUCHHOLZ-4 BOYS
20. JAMES McDANIEL-JAY-4 BOYS
20. JEFF KRAMER-ASTRONAUT-4 GIRLS
20. BOB JACKSON-ROCKLEDGE-4 GIRLS AND BOYS
20. STEVE LYONS-BISHOP KENNY/NEASE-4 GIRLS AND BOYS
20. MIKE BOZA*TAMPA JESUIT-4 BOYS
20. MICHELLE KREUGER-JACKSONVILLE EPISCOPAL-4 GIRLS
*ACTIVE COACH
GIRLS AND BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
DON FOY-NICEVILLE
STEVE LYONS-BISHOP KENNY, NEASE
DREW BELL-PENSACOLA CATHOLIC
GARY DROZE*-MACLAY
BOB JACKSON-ROCKLEDGE
WILLIAM SULLIVAN*-JACKSONVILLE EPSICOPAL
MIKE DeLUCIA-SOUTH BROWARD (BOYS) McARTHUR (GIRLS)
DOUG BUTLER*-HOLY TRINITY ACADEMY
SCOTT GOWAN*-TALLHASSEE CHILES
JEFF SOMMER*-ESTERO
GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONS / BOYS RUNNER-UP (SAME YEAR)
FRED FINKE*-LYMAN
MARILYNN WILLS-LEON
RICK ROTHMAN*-SPANISH RIVER
BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
1. BRENT HALEY-LARGO-10
2. BOB ENNIS-LETO-7
3. MIKE HILL-WINTER PARK-5
3. GARY DROZE*-MACLAY-5
3. GEOFF PIETSCH-RANSOM-EVERGLADES-5
3. NICK GAILEY-TITUSVILLE-ASTRONAUT-5
3.MIKE McPHERSON-WESTMINSTER ACADEMY/ATLANTIC-5
3.BOB ESTES-CLEARWATER CENTRAL CATHOLIC-5
3. DOUG BUTLER-HOLY TRINITY-5
3. FRANKIE RUIZ-BELEN-5
GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
1. ROY HARRISON*-PLANT-10
2. RICK ROTHMAN*-SPANISH RIVER-7
3. MIKE MUSICK-LAKELAND CHRISTIAN-6
3. DOUG BUTLER*-HOLY TRINITY-6
5. ARI MONTALVO-LOURDES-5
5. GARY DROZE*-MACLAY-5
5. MARILYNN WILLS-LEON-5
5. TONY RYAN*-BISHOP KENNY/BOLLES-5