What if we scored each state meet classification by county? Let's see what areas of the state produce the most talent!
Ever since I began running in 1977, I have been in the midst of history. Growing up in Gainesville, home of the Florida Track Club, it wasn’t unusual to see Marty Liquori, Barry Brown, Jimmy Carnes and Dr. Cade. My first age group coach was Bruce Carpenter, the guy who is on the cover of “Once a Runner” by John L. Parker. My brother Julio got me involved in running with the FTC and would take me to meetings. There at the Camelot Apartment Clubhouse, at the corner of 34th and 2nd Ave (You probably see it each time you come into Gainesville. It is right near the golf course), I would hear Dr. Cade speak about his latest research amongst a group of college aged guys aspiring to make the Olympic team.
Our team of Donald Lamb, Randy Settle, Joe Mizereck Dean Headley, Todd Grasley and Jason Byrne was on-site at the FHSAA Cross Country Finals. Highlights of all the races, dozens of video interviews, thousands of photos, results and performances entered! Anything and everything you want from the state meet, we have it!
The individual and team battles in 3A are going to be epic. Sukhi Khosla ran a course record at Pre-State going 14:59. Can he duplicate that success and pick up his first individual honor. With so much talent on the girls side, who will win their first title? Will Belen and Estero, two powerhouse programs, remain at the top of the team standings? We break down the individual and team battles plus crunch the numbers using our rankings and virtual meets!
Two more days! That is all the time left until the FHSAA Cross Country Finals begin. We take a look at class 2A. In the girls race, can Julia Montgomery defend her title? Will Mackenzie Wilson pick up an individual title? Can Pine Crest upend Bolles for the team trophy? On the boys side, does Delacruz or Decker get the "W" and how much will Trinity Prep take their first 2A title by? We break it down using our virtual meets, rankings, and some analysis.
The 2013 Cross Country Finals are rapidly approaching. In the days leading up to the event we will preview all four classifications. The 1A girls will be the first race of the morning and it should be a battle both on the individual side between Julie Wollrath and Grace Casagrande, as well as, on the team site with defending champion Oak Hall and Holy Trinity who is looking for their seventh state championship in school history. On the boy's side Troy Clark of MDB will be tested by a pair of Holy Trinity runners in Andrew Cacciatore and Trevor Kattenberg. The duo look to lead the Tigers to back to back boys titles and their seventh in the last ten years.
Now's your chance to show everyone your knowledge of the sport (or just your powers of prediction). It's our 2013 XC State Meet Prediction Contest and you have just three days to enter. Guess correctly and you could be on your way to checking out John Mayer with special guest Phillip Phillips or Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Ready... set... go!
The wait is over. The FHSAA recently released the schedule of events for the Cross Country Finals November 9th at Apalachee Regional Park. 1A girls will kick off the meet at 7:30 a.m. with the 4A boys scheduled to close the event at 10:25 a.m.