The 2011 North Port Invitational was besieged by a Virginia storm named Lake Braddock that sucked up all the big hardware and left in it’s wake a bunch of shell-shocked Florida teams. The forecast for this year doesn’t include any such foreign weather system but not to worry there should be plenty of running thunder & lightning quickness on the course nonetheless. Girls 2010 2A State champion Kacy Smith is looking to rain on the competitions parade, but does she have any challengers looking to blow past her? Will the twin threat from Fort Myers, Bennett & Brown take the Boys field by storm, or will others step up and wash them away? Here is the forecast by Robert Brown.
Large Schools (note: I used career PRs for the large schools because of a recent road race being included in the database)
Girls Large School Varsity Individuals
Last week Kacy Smith sent notice that she is back and ready to win. The rest of the field includes the only runner to beat Kacy this year, Emily Edwards, Fort Myers as well as Lakewood Ranch’s Natalie Novak & Kristin Zerrella, Plant’s Scarlett Fox & Julia Rodriguez and Estero teammates Katy Solis & Bethany Jenkins. If there is a dark horse in the field look for Jillian Richter from Fort Myers to fill the roll.
Virtual Meet based on PRs
1. 17:33.28 Smith, Kacy Estero HS
2. 18:14.68 Solis, Katy G. Estero HS
3. 18:18.74 Edwards, Emily Fort Myers HS
4. 18:19.90 Jenkins, Bethany Estero HS
5. 18:27.65 Zarrella, Kristin Lakewood Ranch HS
6. 18:43.50 Rodriguez, Julia HB Plant HS
7. 18:47.24 Fox, Scarlett HB Plant HS
8. 18:48.59 Novak, Natalie Lakewood Ranch HS
9. 18:51.97 Gibson, Caroline HB Plant HS
10. 19:14.54 Slater, Katie Estero HS
Girls Large School Varsity Team
It’s clearly Estero for the team title. The Wildcats come into this meet on a two invite win streak with no signs of letting up. Plant does some real nice pack racing and should take second then Lakewood Ranch followed by Fort Myers, with Cypress Lake rounding out the top 5.
1. Estero HS
2. HB Plant HS
3. Lakewood Ranch HS
4. Fort Myers HS
5. Cypress Lake HS
Boys Large School Varsity Individuals
It’s anybody’s race for the individual title. Tyler Bennett & Ace Brown, Fort Myers have been doing some good front of the pack racing so far but have not seen any competition outside of their local racing clique. Canann Meester-Kitterman, Bayshore knows how to win with two so far this season, add Matt McGee & Tyler Bess-Lima, Steinbrenner as well as, Courtland Bernard, Sarasota and Travis Nichols, Land O Lakes and you have got an awesome race up front. My dark horse here is Bobby Ormsby, Cypress Lake, back from a disappointing campaign last year, he looks to be trained up and ready to breakout.
Virtual Meet based on PRs
1. 15:42.00 Brown, Aesop Fort Myers HS
2. 15:58.40 Nichols, Travis Land O Lakes HS
3. 16:07.93 Magee, Matt Geo. M. Steinbrenner HS
4. 16:08.25 Bess-Lima, Tyler Geo. M. Steinbrenner HS
5. 16:11.89 Bernard, Courtland Sarasota HS
6. 16:12.95 Ormsby, Bobby Cypress Lake HS
7. 16:19.37 Meester-Kitterman, Canaan Bayshore HS
8. 16:19.60 Cartagena, Jose Estero HS
9. 16:21.58 Bennett, Tyler Fort Myers HS
10. 16:31.10 Stahl, Tyler Land O Lakes HS
Boys Large School Varsity Team
Fort Myers looks to be the favorite to win but will be pushed by Sarasota and Steinbrenner. You can never count out Jeff Sommers Wildcats and Plant may also be a contender based on solid pack team racing.
1. Fort Myers HS
2. Sarasota HS
3. Geo. M. Steinbrenner HS
4. Estero HS
5. HB Plant HS
Small Schools
Girls Small School Varsity Individuals
Evangelical Christian’s one two punch from Sarah Candiano and Sarah McBeath will be a force up front but Sabrina Whiting, Seffner, Lindsay Tomaini, Community School and Grace Casagrande, Cardinal Mooney will give them all they want for the individual trophy. In the end Candiano will be too much for the others to hang with and she will be taking home the hardware.
Virtual Meet based on Season Bests
1. 19:45.40 Candiano, Sarah Evangelical Christian School
2. 20:47.60 Whiting, Sabrina Seffner Christian Academy HS
3. 20:49.50 McBeath, Sarah Evangelical Christian School
4. 20:57.30 Tomaini, Linsay Community School of Naples
5. 21:25.20 Casagrande, Grace Cardinal Mooney HS
6. 22:11.00 Mendoza, Viviana East Lee Co. HS
7. 22:27.20 Romero, Brenda East Lee Co. HS
8. 22:32.10 O’Brien, Chandler St. John Neumann
9. 22:42.9 Landeche, Carling Out of Door Academy
10. 22:49.40 Bunsick, Danielle Sarasota Christian School
Girls Small School Varsity Team
This one is almost to close to call. Seffner, Southeast and Out of Door are within 6 point of each other in the virtual meet with Community School and East Lee just a few points back. I know it is cliché but I think whichever team can stay in a pack will take the crown and that might mean not going for the individual win in order to pull the team across.
1. Seffner Christian Academy HS
2. Southeast HS
3. Out of Door Academy
4. Community School of Naples
5. East Lee Co. HS
Boys Small School Varsity Individuals
Dalton Shelton, Lake Placid and Josh Keenan will make this a race to watch, as they are within 1 tenth of a second of each other. Mix in teammates Miguel Casiano & Christian Vasquez, Lehigh, Erick Medina, LaBelle and Peter Runge, Out of Door and this is a great early season match up for these 1A & 2A guys.
Boys Small School Varsity Team
Seffner with its solid 1-5 pack are the odds-on favorite to take the team trophy but the next four spots are close. I like what Verot has done this year with team racing but Clewiston also plays that game, as does Mariner.
1. Seffner Christian Academy HS
2. Bishop Verot HS
3. Clewiston HS
4. Mariner HS
5. LaBelle HS
The Course
Quick as lightening if the weather conditions are right, it features about 20% concrete/asphalt with the rest being flat mown grass and gravel/sand road. My favorite feature is the kink at about 530 meters out, a sweep to the left down into a shallow drainage ditch and then a quick 90º snap to the right back up a little berm. Be on the lookout for some potential PRs.
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