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Region 2 - Southeast
 
 
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Florida cross country preview

Jesuit boys and Holy Trinity Academy girls lead pre-season lists

Boys - Girls

Boys

1. Jesuit(Tampa, FL)
Led by 2A individual state champion, Andy Biladeau, this veteran team will be looking to go out in style. Biladeau has the potential to make the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals in his final attempt.The emergence of James Osborne, 9:30 in the 3200m, in track last season gives them a formidable top two. Will Sievers may be gone, but they still have strong runners in Andrew Boza, Phillipp Scrivner, John Evans and Peter Bandyk to fill the void. They’ve been training consistently this summer and spent time at the Appalachian state cross country camp. Very deep team that could have some surprises to shore up their top five.
The FSU Invite on Sept 11 will give them an opportunity to race a strong Holy Trinity squad squad. UF on Sept 18 will give them an opportunity to face Pensacola Washington. Great American on October 2 will test their mettle against the nation’s best.
Andy Biladeau 2005 15:15 2003-04 2A state xc champ. 1600m State Champ
James Osborne 2006 16:13 9:30 3200m
Will Sievers 2005 16:21
Andrew Boza 2005 16:31
Phillipp Scrivner 2006 16:44
John Evans 2006 16:31
Peter Bandyk 2005 16:34 9:55/4:35
Ian Edwards 2005 16:55
Top 5 Average 16:12.8

2. Winter Park
The three time state xc champs return the core of their team this season and will go for their fourth consecutive state title; that would tie them for second best in state history. 4A state xc and 1600m champ, Coleman Hoover leads the way after a great junior season. Donny Anguish and Caleb Vogt provide the experience that will give this team the top trio in the state. Lake Highland prep transfer, Andrew Chuplis, 4:27 in the 1600m and 16:18, will give The Park the strongest 4 in the state. Number 5 runner, Chris Sickinger and the runners behind him will be keys to a successful season nationally. Not as deep as Jesuit, so they don’t have too much room for error.
Coleman Hoover 2005 15:34 4:16
Donny Anguish 2005 15:57
Caleb Vogt 2006 16:02
Andrew Chuplis 2005 16:18
Chris Sickinger 2005 16:59
Top 5 average 16:10

3. Washington( Pensacola, FL)
Washington will have one of the stronger top four runners in the state. 9:30 3200m and sub 16:00 runners, Eric Mayes and Mitchell Mason should lead the way. Stef Ackerman should be strong and Brian Hoover could provide added ammunition after running a quick 4:20 in the spring.
Coach Whiteside, an excellent runner in his own right, will need to get some help from two freshman and some sophomores. He’ll need them to run under 17:00 to give them a chance to be one of the state’s best teams. He’s shown he can coach making this team formidable the past three seasons.
They will be venturing from the panhandle a couple of times to compete against Florida’s best teams. The UF Invite on Sept.18 will give them a chance to race one of Florida’s top team, Jesuit. They will also get a chance to race HTA and some of Florida’s other top teams at flrunners.com.
Eric Mayes 2005 15:48 9:30
Mitchell Mason 2005 15:56 9:35
Stef Ackerman 2006 16:31
Brain Hoover 2005 16:26 4:20.70
Top 4 average 16:10.3

4. Holy Trinity (Melbourne, FL)
The next two years should be good ones for this young team. Austin Joiner missed the state xc meet last year because of injury, but bounced back in track to record a runner-up 9:26 finish at state and a 9:24 two mile at the Florida Milers’ Club Spring Classic. Kyle Cooke’s 16:28 PR this past June for 5k roads gives them another quality runner. Steven Hale, Shawn Kelley, and Keith Potter will give them 5 under 17:00, but they will need to improve over the course of the season to do more damage.
They too have been training hard this summer with stints at NIKE and FSU summer xc camps.
HTA strength will be tested with trips to FSU on Sept 18, flrunners.com on Sept 25, and Great American on Oct.2.
Austin Joiner 2006 15:40 9:21 3200m
Kyle Cooke 2008 16:28
Steven Hale 2006 16:45 10:06 3200m
Shawn Kelley 2005 16:46
Keith Potter 2007 17:00
Kyle Butler 2007 17:24
Jonathan Amgott 2007 17:19
Top 5 average 16:31.8

Other notables
Chiles(Tallahassee, FL)- The Wolfpack lost 6 of their top 7 runners to graduation. They have a good program, but it will be a tough to rebound from such a great loss.
Losses Miletich(15:24), Smith(15:43), Savery(16:01),Andrews(16:01), Cook(16:37) Obernier(16:41
Returnees Blocker 16:07

Bishop Kinney(Jacksonville, FL) – The Crusaders also took a big hit losing 5 of their top seven to graduation.
Loses Doody(15:58), Costanza(15:59),Crouch(16:14), Buddecke(16:19), Doyle(16:20),
Returnees- Chris Mullaney (15:35), Russell(16:33),

Flagler Palm Coast(Bunnell, FL)- The Bulldogs lost three of their top seven and will be struggling to fill the gaps. They do return Justin Harbor who will one if not the top runner in the state.
Returns Justin Harbor(15:45)
Loses Bryan Anderson(15:29), Bentley(15:52), Moore(16:34)

Girls

1. Holy Trinity Academy(Melbourne, FL)
Florida’s best team last year returns all their runners. Rebecca Zuhlke has improved tremendously since transferring for Satellite last year and could be ready for a big jump into Florida’s elite after running 11:20 for 3200m and 5:08 for 1600m last track season. Kayla Halle, an eighth grader last year, dominated the 3200m 1A state track championship for the win and sports a 3200m personal best of 11:31 for 3200m. She should join Zuhlke and veteran Chelsey Joiner, an 11:41 3200m performer, under 19:00 this season.
Depth could be a problem with only one solid number 5 runner and 6 and 7 a good 30 seconds back. Coach Butler reports the team has been training well with stints at NIKE XC camp in Asheville, NC and a visit to the FSU camp this summer. Everyone is healthy which bodes well for this young and talented team.
Their big tests will come at the flrunners.com invite on Sept. 25 where they will face Florida’s best and then Great American on October 2 where they will certainly improve on their 13th place finish in last year’s NIKE Race of Champions.
Rebecca Zuhlke 2006 18:44
Chelsey Joiner 2007 18:44
Kayla Hale 2009 19:03
Jade Miller 2008 19:11
Katherine Putnam 2008 19:57
Lindsey Putnam 2006 20:38
Kyla O’Brien 2006 20:59
Top 5 average 19:07.8

2. Pope John Paul II (Boca Raton, FL)
PJPII won their first state title since 1994 using two veterans and some very young and talented freshman and sophomores. They will be looking for more this year. They are led by two of the nation’s best distance runners, Nicole Schappert(10:27 two mile/4:55 1600m) and Jackie Areson(10:57 3200m and 4:49 mile). Both should be under 18:00 this season making them the best tandem in Florida and one of the best in the nation.
Julia Sclafani, Madeline Burie, and Emily Robinson had great outings last year at state to upend favorites Bishop Kinney and claim the 2A title. Jeanna Redfearn improved significantly last track season and could be another runner to shore up their top five. This team could go very far and has the depth and coaching that could make them the best team in the state.
State bragging rights will be on the line at the flrunners.com V race on Sept. 25 with Holy Trinity Academy, and Lourdes toeing the line. They will also get tested nationally at the Great American on October 2.
Nicole Schappert 2005 17:56 10:27 two mile
Jackie Areson 2006 18:17 10:57 3200m and 4:49 mile
Julia Sclafani 2007 19:29
Madeline Burie 2007 20:02
Emily Robinson 2006 20:15
Mascaro 2007 21:01
Jeanna Redfearn 2006 21:32
Top 5 average 19:11.8

3. Our Lady of Lourdes, Miami, FL
The three time state team champions received two big time transfer from Miami Gulliver Prep this summer. Freshman Jillian Gill, a 11:19 performer as a seventh grader with an 18:53 PR in xc(3rd in 2A as an 8th grader), and Sasha Mera, 19:11(7th in 2A and 18:45 road best), will two big guns at the front. Veterans Alexa Arteaga, Katie Brown and Kyla Salles should compliment the youngsters and give them three others under 20:00 or possibly faster. Freshman Megan Hoar will be one to watch. She has a road 5k personal best and Coach Ary Montalvo writes “ she is the real deal.” 100 girls in all will don the Lourdes uniforms this season giving them tremendous depth. 30 of those are freshman and could develop quickly under Lourdes tough training regimen.
Lourdes will travel north for the UF invite on Sept 18 and then face Florida’s best at the flrunners.com Invite on Sept.25. They will travel to Texas for the McNeill Invite Oct.2 to face Texas’ best teams.
Sasha Mera 2007 18:45
Jillian Gill 2008 18:53 11:19 3200m best
Alexa Arteaga 19:50
Megan Hoar 2008 19:55
Katie Brown 2006 20:22
Kyla Salles 2005 20:41
Natalie Reyes 20:50
Top 5 average 19:32.8

Other notables

Oak Hall(Gainesville, FL)
This team has two of their top five not running at this time. Ellen Abbey and Laci Huddleston are important cogs. With them and some improvement from the other girls, they could be a top three team in Florida.
Danielle Abbey 2007 18:54
Laci Huddleston 2008 19:12
Ellen Abbey 2009 20:08
Stevie Uribe 2007 20:17
Alison Babb 2006 20:23
Caitlin Lowery 2006 11:50 3200m in 2004 20:41 in 2002 xc
Top 5 average 19:46.8

The Bolles School (Jacksonville, FL)
The Bulldogs will get a boost from the transfer of Bishop Kinney runner, Tiaira Harrell. Full time swimmer and part-time runner Amy Beth Gallogly excelled last year in track running an 11:10 two mile and a 4:59 1600m. She will juggle her swimming practices and competition on one the nation’s best swim teams with her xc races this season which may limit her competition as it did last year. Heather Marees is a proven veteran and could be ready for a breakout in her senior season. Three of their runners could be under 19:00 which could put them into the mix.
Amy-Beth Gallogly, 2006 18:50
Heather M Marees2005 18:54
Tiaira Harrel1 2006 19:36
Caroline S Baljon2007 20:39
Allison P Williams2008 20:57
Top 5 average 19:47.2

Bishop Kinney (Jacksonville, FL)
The Crusaders lost two strong runners in Courtney Hall and Kelly Marshall. They will have plenty of runners on a team that traditionally gets out 50+ runners on the girls side. They should be solid.
Returnees
Mallory Wellman 2005 18:52
Marie Bader 2005 20:03
Katie Heuertz 2005 20:05
Sarah Till 2:19 800m performer

Spanish River (Boca Raton, FL)
The Sharks lost three quality seniors, Danielle Almeida, Gabrielle Mae Polhemus and Chelsea Jefferson, to graduation. They return two from last year’s squad, but will have a hard time building on their 4 consecutive state championships.
Returnees
Lauren Muntz 2006 19:18
Michelle Gabrielle 2006 19:40

2003 South East Final XC Rankings GIRLS
1.W. Albemarle (Crozet, VA)
2.Holy Trinity (Melbourne, FL)
3.Herndon (Herndon, VA)
4.Providence (Charlotte, NC)
5.Providence Day (Charlotte, NC)
6.Carolina Day (Asheville, NC)
7.Collins Hill (Sewanee, GA)
8.Scottsboro (Scottsboro, AL)
9.Forest Park (Woodbridge, VA)
10.Padua (Wilmington, DE)

 

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