Athletes Of The Week: Velasquez, Santiago Victorious In All-Star Meet Todd Grasley Nov 26, 2013

St. Thomas Aquinas senior Manny Velasquez and Ferguson senior Katrina Santiago are this week's Athletes of the Week. A week after finishing 4th at the 4A state meet, Velasquez took home his third win of the year at the FACA Senior All-Star Meet in a time of 15:38.35. Santiago, who finished 6th at the 4A state meet, won in a time of 18:38.35 and helped lead the South to the team trophy.

Athletes Of The Week: Montgomery Makes It Two In A Row, Martins Shocks The Field For 1A Crown Todd Grasley Nov 14, 2013

Pine Crest sophomore Julia Montgomery and Windermere Prep junior Franco Martins are this week's Athletes of the Week. Montgomery picked up her second 2A Cross Country Finals championship and guided her team to a runner-up podium finish. Martins, seeded fifth coming into the Cross Country Finals, upset the field when he crossed the line first in a peronsal best time of 15:44.23 to claim the 1A state title.

Athletes of the Week: Rudman Upsets Xiang, Fitzpatrick Breaks Middle School Meet Records Todd Grasley Nov 07, 2013

Fort Walton Beach sophomore Emma Rudman and Lake Weir Middle School eighth grader Joey Fitzpatrick are this week's Athletes of the Week. Rudman might have had the most impressive regional performance knocking off top ranked and undefeated Karen Xiang of Nease. Fitzpatrick won the FLYRA Middle School State Championship in a new personal best of 9:48.30 for 3,000 meters, breaking both the course and meet records.

Athletes Of The Week: Candiano, Cross Crowned District Champions Todd Grasley Oct 31, 2013

Evangelical Christian junior Sarah Candiano and Merritt Island sophomore Steven Cross are this week's Athletes of the Week. Candiano collected her second consecutive win of the season by taking home the 1A District 11 Championship in a season best of 18:18.00. Cross tallied win number three of his season at the 3A District 13 Championship. His time of 15:46.00 was a new school record by two seconds beating the previous record set by John Culver in 2007.

Athletes Of The Week: Chapman Bringing The HEAT, Summerall Huge Part Of Sailors Success Todd Grasley Oct 25, 2013

Brevard HEAT junior Emily Chapman and Sarasota High School junior Zackery Summerall are this week's Athletes of the Week. Chapman picked up another impressive victory on the year after running  a personal best 18:41.38 at the Holy Trinity Fall Classic. Summerall helped lead the Sailors to the inaugural Tri-County Championship team trophy, with a first place finish and time of 16:09.40.

Athletes Of The Week: Barlow Surprises Pre-State Field, Nichols Repeats As Conference Champ Todd Grasley Oct 17, 2013

Gulf Coast senior Caroline Barlow and Land O' Lakes senior Travis Nichols are this week's Athletes of the Week. Barlow had arguably the biggest win of her high school career at the Pre-State/FSU Invitational crossing the line in a new personal best time of 17:53.99, more than six seconds faster than runner-up Emily Edwards. Her time was the second fastest in the state for 2013 behind only Karen Xiang of Nease. Nichols has dropped his times week after week and picked up his fourth win in his last six races. For the second year in a row, he was the Sunshine Athletic Conference Champion, and did so in a new season best time of 15:55.30.

Athletes of the Week: Leon, Robertson Rule The Competition At Respective Meets Todd Grasley Oct 10, 2013

Estero senior Araceli Leon and Pensacola Booker T. Washington senior Mark Robertson are this week's Athletes of the Week. Leon scored her third victory of the year at the Land O'Lakes Gator Invitational and guided Estero to yet another team trophy. Robertson showed why he is one of the top runners in north Florida, besting a competitive field at the Panhandle Championships with a time of 15:40.90, and his third win of the year as well.

Athletes Of The Week: Edwards, Diaz Rock It In FLR14 Race Of Champions Todd Grasley Oct 03, 2013

 Fort Myers senior Emily Edwards and Miami Sunset junior Nick Diaz are this week's Athletes of the Week. Edwards finished second in the Girls Race of Champions, showing true guts and grit in the final meters of the race to secure that spot. Her time of 18:04.40 is second statewide and a new season best by 31 seconds. Diaz continued to dominate the competion, winning his fourth of the year at the Flrunners.com Invitational Boys Race of Champions, and remaining undefeated. His fight with fellow Nick, Nick Morken of Niceville was an epic battle to the finish.  His time of 15:15.60 was the second fastest in the state for the year and a new personal best. 

Athletes Of the Week: Headley, Khosla Out Kick The Competition Todd Grasley Sep 25, 2013

Olympia junior Emily Headley and Leon junior Sukhi Khosla are this week's Athlete of the Week winners. Headley picked up her second win of the season after placing first at the Jim Ryun Invitational. Her time of 19:12.80 is the fastest run on the two year old Holloway Park course. Khosla shattered a course record at the Alligator Lake XC Invitational running the fastest time in the state and a new personal best 15:08.62.

Athletes Of the Week: Wollrath, Bennett Best Of The Best Todd Grasley Sep 19, 2013

Holy Trinity junior Julie Wollrath and Fort Myers senior Tyler Bennett are this week's Athletes of the Week. Wollrath bested a very competitive field at the UF Mt. Dew Invitational, winning by over ten second, and won for the second time on the year. Bennett also picked up his second win of the season, at the same meet. His time of 15:24.29 was just two seconds off of a personal best, and puts him number three on the all-time meet list behind Jason Heatherly of Hernando (1983 - 4:47.00) and AJ DelValle (2010 - 15:18.69).

Athletes of the Week: Xiang, Sanchez, Performances Best of the Best Todd Grasley Sep 12, 2013

Nease senior Karen Xiang and John I. Leonard sophomore Illio Sanchez are this week's Athlete of the Week winners. Xiang picked up her second win of the season at the Katie Caples Invitational. She beat a field of state champions including 1A's Julie Wollrath and 2A's Julia Montgomery in a time of 18:52.00, the second time she has gone under 19 minutes. Sanchez got his miles in this week racing in three meets and picking up three wins. Most impressive was a nine second victory Friday night at the Martin County Under the Lights meet, and then less than 12 hours later edging out Anthony Deleva by three tenths of a second to capture the title at the TKA Lions Invitational.