2010 FYRA Middle School State Cross-Country Championships

Daesha Rogers of Plantation's American Heritage Middle School ran 11:04 on a 3K course around Lakeland's Sun 'N' Fun Fly In to become the first ever Florida middle school cross country champion. Rogers finished over 100 meters ahead of her nearest competitor, Sarah Candiano, who ran the course in 11:27. Emma Rudman placed third in 11:35, leading Liza Jackson Prep to a total of 56 points and the team title. Rogers' American Heritage Middle School team was a close second with 63 points.


Kurt Convey of Miami's G. W. Carver Middle School was the first ever Florida Youth Running Association middle school state champion, running 10:03 for 3K. Behind Convey, Joe Thrailkill of the Altamonte Striders outfought Nick Jacobsen of Saint Andrews for the runner-up spot, 10:19.80 to 10:20.00. Led by Jason Benn (19th, 11:01), Tallahassee's Augusta Raa Middle School totaled 110 points to capture the inaugural team title, edging out Orlando's Central Florida Striders by nine points.


With 153 athletes finishing the girls' race, 196 finishing the boys' race, and every corner of the state represented, the first Florida Middle School State Championship can be regarded as a success. It's possible--and the Florida Youth Running Association is working hard to make this the case--that this will be the first of many years of state title meets, stretching far into the future. But it's also possible that the Florida Middle School State Meet will not continue, and this championship will become an obscure footnote of Florida athletic history--much like the girls' high school state track and field championships held in Tallahassee in the 1920s, or the largely-forgotten events hosted by the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association from 1932 to 1968. Only the years will tell us the difference, and only the efforts of supporters of youth athletics will make the difference.


Girls' Team Standings

1. Liza Jackson Preparatory (Fort Walton Beach) 56
2. American Heritage (Plantation) 63
3. Eye of the Tiger Running (Lake City) 72
4. Ammons Middle School (Miami) 79
5. Altamonte Striders 127
6. Raa Middle School (Tallahassee) 173
7. Marco Island Charter Middle School 185
8. Lexington Middle School (Fort Myers) 207
9. Maclay School (Tallahassee) 208
10. Tavares Middle School 265
11. Bradford Middle School (Starke) 304
12. Max Bruner Middle School (Fort Walton Beach) 306
13. Swift Creek Middle School (Tallahassee) 350
14. Queen of Peace Academy (Gainesville) 402
15. Trinity School (Tampa) 452

Top Ten Girls

1. Daesha Rogers (American Heritage) 11:03.60
2. Sarah Candiano (Unattached) 11:27.00
3. Emma Rudman (Liza Jackson) 11:34.50
4. Mary Grace Sonksen (Altamonte Striders) 11:44.40
5. Michaela Ashley (Unattached) 11:47.70
6. Lauren Gavulic (Ammons) 11:49.40
7. Lianna Farnesi (Conchita Espinosa Academy) 11:49.40
8. Lindsay Tomaini (Unattached) 11:52.30
9. Julia Montgomery (Unattached) 11:56.80
10. Kelly Pobgee (American Heritage) 11:57.20

Boys' Team Standings

1. Raa Middle School (Tallahassee) 110
2. Central Florida Gliders (Orlando) 119
3. Max Bruner Middle School (Fort Walton Beach) 142
4. G. W. Carver Middle School (Miami) 143
5. Lexington Middle School (Fort Myers) 175
6. Tavares Middle School 178
7. McKeel Academy (Lakeland) 181
8. Oak Hammock Middle School (Fort Myers) 181
9. Campbell Drive Middle School (Homestead) 185
10. Montford Middle School (Tallahassee) 242
11. Miami Milers 248
12. Destin Middle School at Regatta 281
13. Central Baptist Christian (Brandon) 314
14. Liza Jackson Preparatory School (Fort Walton Beach) 348
15. Swift Creek Middle School (Tallahassee) 391
16. Bradford Middle School (Starke) 424
17. Tampa Bay Heat 432
18. Holy Comforter Episcopal School (Tallahassee) 449
19. Trinity School (Tampa) 503

Top Ten Boys

1. Kurt Convey (G. W. Carver) 10:02.70
2. Joe Thrailkill (Altamonte Striders) 10:19.80
3. Nick Jacobsen (Saint Andrew's HS) 10:20.00
4. Gabriel Correa (Unattached) 10:21.20
5. Brandon Marquez (Unattached) 10:21.90
6. Stephen Fedec (Lexington) 10:24.30
7. Jesse Millson (Unattached) 10:27.40
8. Trey LaNasa (Destin) 10:27.50
9. Joe Guidry (Max Bruner) 10:29.20
10. Casey Brady (McKeel) 10:34.80

Links:

• Complete Girls' results, 2010 Florida Middle School State Cross-Country Championship
  http://fl.milesplit.com/meets/75948/results/143859
  
  
• Complete Boys' results, 2010 Florida Middle School State Cross-Country Championship
  http://fl.milesplit.com/meets/75948/results/143860
  
  
• Florida Youth Running Association
  http://www.flyra.org/
  
  
• Sun N Fun Fly-In
  http://www.sun-n-fun.org/
  
  
• 2010 Maclay All-Comers Cross-Country Championships
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/maclay-2010.html
  
  
• Clendinen and Luca lead Raa to LCS Titles
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/lcs-champs-2010.html
  
  
• Luca and Clendinen conquer the Owl Run
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/09/owl-run-2010.html
  
  
• 2010 LCS XC Meet #2: "Clendinen and Khosla first at Fort Braden" http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/09/ft-braden-xc-2010.html
  
  
• 2010 LCS XC Meet #1: "Swift Creek girls and Raa boys win the 'Battle at Tom Brown'" http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/09/battle-2010.html