flrunners.com Invitational 13: Girls ROC Preview

Sep 27, 2012

This article is a piece of the large meet program document.

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Individual Preview

Besides injured Olivia Ortiz (who will be there in body but not in jersey) and a few other exceptions, most of the top girls in the state will in this one. Returning Foot Locker finalist Bridget Blake of Dr. Phillips will be the favorite. She over-achieved in the race last year in finishing second (to Ortiz) with a 17:42. She went on to a 17:26 PR at Foot Locker south and a great track season that included a 10:42 3200, 4:56 1600, and 2:14.79 800. She has won a couple of low key races so far this year.

Kacy Smith of Estero took a while to get her stride last year and perhaps is on similar pace this season, but she usually puts it together for FLR. Last year she finished sixth with an 18:09 before going 17:47 two weeks later at Pre-State. She had a fantastic track season with a 10:34 3200 and a 4:52 1600. Expect big things.

Next you have Sarah Candiano of Evangelical, who finished fourth at FLR last year (17:51) and looked great with a small school win at North Port last week (18:25). In the large school division last week though Emily Edwards of Ft. Myers went just faster with an 18:23 over Katy G Soils of Estero (18:28) and Smith (18:56).

Those should be the favorites; however, it really doesn’t stop there. Nikitah Shah of Wiregrass Ranch had a good time trial in August, but has struggled a bit since. This could be her time to shine again after a break out year last XC. Ivy Chastain of Ft. Walton Beach often gets overlooked since they don’t get seen in this part of the state, but she ran a 17:53 last season. Bryce Seymour, back at Hagerty this year, had her personal best at FLR last year with a fifth place 17:58 and is 2-0 so far this year with easy wins of 18:39 and 18:40 at Deland and Astronaut. We are unsure about Daesha Rogers and American Heritage at this point, they signed up but will they show? She has not raced this cross country season so far.

Others to watch: Brittney Olinger (Oak Hall), Ashley Heitling (Mt. Dora), Marsel Mosely (Niceville), Bethany Jenkins (Estero), Julia Montgomery (Pine Crest), Sarah Day (West Shore), Kristin Zarella (Lakewood Ranch), Denae Chapman (Circle Christian), Alex Eaton (Shorecrest), Amber Johnson (Dr. Phillips), and Ella Wurth (Pine Crest).

Team Preview

Defending champs and nationally-ranked Estero will be favored to defend their crown. And really once they start clicking (usually about this time) they should be every bit as good as last year. They return their top five from last year and add sophomore Megan Slater and freshman sensation Daley Cline to the mix, a tonic soon to be potent.

Not to down play the other teams, but really I expect the battle will be for second. John A. Ferguson last year put on a clinic on pack running in their stunning second place finish at FLR 12. They put their top seven between 19:01 and 19:50 to pull it out over top-rated Lakewood Ranch’s heat up front. They return five of that seven this year and should be tough after a nice looking track season.

One team who was not here last year who should mix it up is Ft. Walton Beach. They are led by Ivy Chastain and with the addition of freshman Emma Rudman could potentially upset if everything is clicking. They lost only one to graduation last year, so with Rudman are even better than before.

Others looking to challenge: the always powerful Our Lady of Lourdes, Lakewood Ranch (without Ortiz but still very good), Oak Hall, Niceville, Wiregrass Ranch, Merritt Island, Gulf Coast, and Fort Myers.