Maclay harriers make themselves at home at Silver Lake

Silver Lake isn't anyone's home course. The closest high school is over fifteen kilometers away, and there hadn't been a cross-country meet at the Silver Lake Recreation Area since 2007. Nevertheless, six Big Bend schools sent their cross country runners to the park on Saturday morning, 27 September 2014 for the high school race at the Salute To Prefontaine 5K. And even though it was neutral ground, the Maclay athletes treated it like their home course, winning both boys' and girls' team titles.


Unlike a typical high school cross-country meet, both the boys and the girls ran together in a single race. The Maclay boys were soon in command, with Clay Milford (1st, 18:25), Jake Mazziotta (2nd, 18:29), and George Gwynn (3rd, 18:29) taking the top three places. With Marauders James McClure finishing ninth in 19:45 and George Escobar tenth in 19:48, Maclay had put all five of their scorers in the top ten for a sum of 25 points. Wakulla took second with 45 points and Aucilla was third with 73.


Team Standings, Boys

1. Maclay, 25
2. Wakulla, 45
3. Aucilla, 73
4. North Florida Christian, 91
5. John Paul II, 105
6. Godby, 126

Top Ten Boys

1. 18:25 ~ Clay Milford (Maclay)
2. 18:29 ~ Jake Mazziotta (Maclay)
3. 18:29 ~ George Gwynn (Maclay)
4. 18:35 ~ Bryce Cole (Wakulla)
5. 18:42 ~ Lane Williams (Wakulla)
6. 18:49 ~ Gatlin Nennstiel (Aucilla)
7. 19:16 ~ Chase Savory (North Florida Christian)
8. 19:37 ~ Garret Grant (North Florida Christian)
9. 19:45 ~ James McClure (Maclay)
10. 19:48 ~ George Escobar (Maclay)

Maclay may have performed like it was the Marauders' home course, but the park at Silver Lake looks like most of the land in Wakulla County. Wakulla High sophomore Haleigh Martin made the most of the familiar terrain. Overtaking early leader Caroline Willis of Maclay, Martin built up a lead of over 100 meters on her way to a 21:19 win. With that and earlier victories at the Cougar Challenge and the Dolphin Dash, Martin ran her record to a perfect three wins in three outings this season. Willis was second in 21:50, the first of a deluge of Maclay blue-and-white uniforms to cross the line. Maclay took seven of the top ten places, with scorers Molly McCann placing third in 22:36, Kenzie Mazziotta fourth in 23:29, Lindsay James fifth in 23:47, and Katie Whitworth seventh in 24:03. After that Maclay had 21 points and the girls' team title. Wakulla was second with 36 points and Aucilla third with 65.


Team Standings, Girls

1. Maclay, 21
2. Wakulla, 36
3. Aucilla, 65
4. North Florida Christian, 88

Top Ten Girls

1. 21:19 ~ Haleigh Martin (Wakulla)
2. 21:50 ~ Caroline Willis (Maclay)
3. 22:36 ~ Molly McCann (Maclay)
4. 23:19 ~ Kenzie Mazziotta (Maclay)
5. 23:47 ~ Lindsay James (Maclay)
6. 23:56 ~ Lydia Wiedeman (Wakulla)
7. 24:03 ~ Katie Whitworth (Maclay)
8. 24:27 ~ Anne Elise Desotell (Maclay)
9. 24:28 ~ Connie Lewis (Wakulla)
10. 24:29 ~ Julia Rose Travis (John Paul II)

Links

• 2014 Prefontaine 5K open race story, "Lake and Atkinson salute Prefontaine with speed"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/09/prefontaine-2014.html
  
  
• Complete results of the high school race at the 2014 Prefontaine Forest 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2014/Prefontaine%202014.asp#highschool
  
  
• More photos of the high school race at the 2014 Prefontaine Forest 5K
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10105113478954033.1073742021.5215641&l=dcd5e714c1
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the high school race at the 2014 Prefontaine Forest 5K
  https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/PreScolastic14
  
  
• Upcoming races, home and away, in the Tallahassee region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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