East Lake Pulls Team Sweep At 7th Annual Early Bird Invitational Andy Warrener Feb 16, 2017

The East Lake Early Bird Invitational is in its seventh season. The last two meets have been on rubber tracks. The 2016 meet moved to Clearwater High while the rubber track was being installed at East Lake. For 2017, the Eagles got to host what would be many teams' first meet of the season, on their brand new rubber track.


Grace Blair and Oak Hall Snatch Victory, Westminster Academy Ends 28-Year Drought Andy Warrener Nov 06, 2016

Grace Blair led the Oak Hall Eagles back to the top of the podium after a 4th place team finish last year. Blair picked up individual honors as well to win her first state title. On the boy's side Mt. Dora Christian Academy's Gabriel Curtis won and helped the Bulldogs place second as a team behind Westminster Academy who won for the first time in over three decades. Andy Warrener recaps all of the 1A races.

Hertenstein-Delay Duel, Steinbrenner Girls Take Down Winter Park, STA Raiders Defend 4A Title Andy Warrener Nov 06, 2016

Bailey Hertenstein and Kayley Delay came into the 4A Cross Country Finals with the top two times regardless of class. In the end it was Hertenstein who came away with her second straight title. On the team front, Steinbrenner ended a two year run by Winter Park at the top of the podium. Matt Doyle of Winter Springs won his first state title to end his senior cross country season, while St. Thomas Aquinas took their third team trophy in four years. Andy Warrener recaps the class 4A meet.

2A Recap: Pottorff/Hicks Dominate Across All Classes, Pine Crest Girls De-Throne Bolles Andy Warrener Nov 06, 2016

2A was one of the most exciting classifications of the day. On the girl's side Caitlin Collier revenged her heartbreaking loss from 2015 while the Pine Crest girls finally defeated Bolles after four years in a row as the runner-up. On the boy's side, Caleb Pottorff and Charles Hicks battled it out for 5,000 meters with Pottorff winning his first XC title. The team trophy came down to the narrowest margin as Trinity Prep took their fourth straight 2A crown. Andy Warrener recaps all of the 2A races.

Grace Blair and Oak Hall Continue Dominance, Pocket-Sized Cooper LaBrant KO's 1A Goliaths Andy Warrener Oct 29, 2016

Grace Blair of Oak Hall and Cooper LaBrant of Indian Rocks Christian both finished second at last year's regional, but came away with gold in 2016. On the team front the Oak Hall girls achieved their goal of winning with less than 40 points, while the boys had it a little harder edging out St. Stephens Episcopal by THREE points 97-100. Andy Warrener recaps all the 1A Region 2 action.


Stafford, Ogilvie Take 2A to Task, AHN Jags Steal Title with Platoon Tactics Andy Warrener Oct 29, 2016

Both individual races in 2A- Region 3 were dominated by individual runners. On the girls side, it was Lemon Bay's Kelsi Oglivie, on the boys side it was Lake Wales' Paul Stafford. The Lely boys led by Joshua Wagner won the regional title over Dunbar while on the girl's side Academy of Holy Names and Berkeley Prep both used their depth to finish 1-2. Andy Warrener recaps all the action.


Gator Girls Abernathy, Acosta and Vanguard’s Lavieri-Sosa Gobble up Top Spots in 3A-2 Regional Meet Andy Warrener Oct 29, 2016

Land O' Lakes sophomore Natalie Abernathy and Vanguard junior Diego Lavieri-Sosa brought home their first regional championships by taking the 3A-2 crown at Holloway Park in times of 19:17.37 and 16:13.20. On the team side, Vanguard and Matanzas finished 1-2 while Logan Locascio and the Gainsville boys won by 18 points over New Smyrna Beach. Andy Warrener recaps all the action.


Land O’ Lakes’ Abernathy, Normandia Sweep Individual Titles, Host Wiregrass Ranch Gobbles Up the Team Titles Andy Warrener Oct 08, 2016

Hurricane Matthew threatened the Sunshine Athletic Conference or Pasco County cross country meet on Saturday. The close brush with the Category 4 hurricane forced cancellations of athletic event all over the state. The early season meet, the Wiregrass Ranch Run with the Bulls did get cancelled in the wake of Tropical Storm Hermine. The Citrus/Hernando County meet scheduled for last Thursday was postponed and dozens of Friday football games got re-scheduled. Fortunately, the storm had passed by Saturday morning, leaving a soggy, muddy course that spattered just about every runner on the course but nevertheless, the meet went on.


Pint-sized Dynamos Garba, LaBrant Find Ways to Level the Seesaw Andy Warrener Oct 04, 2016

It's no secret that being a taller, longer-legged athlete is an advantage in cross country. Jacksonville Bolles' Caitlin Collier is a great example. United States Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp is 5-10, Usain Bolt is 6-5. There's no doubt that when jockeying for position out of the gates and coming in for that last kick, having those long strides is a definite advantage. So how do smaller runners adapt?



Steinbrenner Girls Step Out Big in Wesley Chapel Wildcat Invite Andy Warrener Aug 27, 2016

Hillsborough County powerhouse Steinbrenner made a resounding statement at the Wesley Chapel Wildcat Invitational on Saturday, pushing four runners into the top six and all seven runners into the top 10 and scoring a razor thin 20, easily out-pacing runner up Land O' Lakes with 43. Sunlake girls took third with 76. 


Class A State Track: Farragut Boys, Oak Hall Girls Take Team Honors Andy Warrener May 09, 2016

Some of the smallest schools made some of the biggest waves at the 2016 FHSAA state track meet at IMG Academy over the weekend. The Admiral Farragut boys and Oak Hall girls took home team titles. Farragut boys, after the girls team won the 2015 state meet, made it their first team title in the school's 85-year history. Much of that can be attributed to the exploits of sprinter Alex Gray. 


Class 4A State Track Coverage: You Can’t Stop a Hurricane Andy Warrener May 08, 2016

Once in a long while and individual's performance transcends any combined team efforts. Once in a long while an individual does something so heroic, so indelible that it lives on in the hearts and minds of track fans for years to come. Such an event occurred at the 2016 FHSAA state track meet in Bradenton over the weekend.


Lake Wales’ Maiah Walker is Going to Make You Run Her Race Andy Warrener May 04, 2016

With all the regional action taking place last week, the 400m final results from the Class 2A Region 3 meet might have slipped under the radar. Making her mark at Berkeley Prep in Tampa last Thursday, was Lake Wales sophomore Mariah Walker. Walker has come, seemingly out of nowhere, to take over the best 400m time in the state of Florida and the third-best time in the United States this season. Lined up against 2014 400m state champ Janae Caldwell of Spoto, Walker surged out in front.