Wyatt Townsend and Ella Porcher bring FLYRA cross-country titles home to Tallahassee

Jacksonville, Florida's Bolles Middle School took both the girls' and the boys' team titles at the ninth annual Florida Youth Running Association Middle School Cross-Country State Championship, held at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida on Saturday morning, 27 October 2018. But while both team trophies were headed to Jacksonville, the individual titles went to Tallahassee. Ella Porcher, an eighth-grader at Tallahassee's Maclay School, won the middle school girls' championship 3K race in 10:50. Another Tallahassee eighth-grader, Wyatt Townsend of Deerlake, took first in the boys' 3K with a 9:55.


It was a close finish at the front in the girls' 3K, with Porcher holding off Samantha Kavanaugh for the win, 10:50 to 10:53. Kavanaugh is an eighth-grader at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Not much farther back, Bolles eighth-grader Elizabeth Csikai took third in 11:03.


The Bolles Bulldogs also had two more girls in the top ten, both eighth-graders--Jillian Candelino took fourth in 11:11, and Ella Mickler was eighth in 11:17. Two more
scorers, seventh-graders Leila Bata (24th, 11:49) and Suki Burgstiner--gave the Bulldogs 67 points and their first FLYRA title ever. Indian Trails, the defending champions, placed second with 137 points, led by seventh-grader Grace Mason (31st, 12:03) and sixth-grader Gabriella Mason (32nd, 12:03). Fruit Cove Middle School was third in the team standings, scoring 143 points behind the eighteenth-place, 11:43 performance of their top runner, eighth-grader Peyton Skoglund.


Girls' teams from Maclay and Holy Comforter Episcopal represented Tallahassee at the State Championship. The Maclay girls were twelfth with 367 points, and Holy Comforter was 26th with 651 points. In addition to state champ Ella Porcher, the Maclay runners were eighth-grader Sofia Paredes (17th, 11:43), seventh-grader Gracie Koeppel (35th, 12:05), sixth-grader Lauren Guyer (225th, 14:00), sixth-grader Payton Thumm (127th, 14:00), sixth-grader Gretchen Van Iddenkinge (266th, 14:44), and seventh-grader Sarah Kathryn Munroe (289th, 15:19). Holy Comforter's State Meet squad was sixth-grader Ava Hill (128th, 13:09), eighth-grader Grace Reichelderfer (155th, 13:23), sixth-grader Kate Reichelderfer (156th, 13:24), eighth-grader Camille Resavage (195th, 13:45), seventh-grader Juliette Heckman (280th, 14:58), and eighth-grader Lucy McKee (300th, 15:53). Other Tallahassee runners in the field included Swift Creek eighth-grader Stella Lewis (58th, 12:25), Trinity Catholic eighth-grader Lillee Tang (78th, 12:37), Deerlake eighth-grader Maya Tang (94th, 12:50), Deerlake seventh-grader Leah Kiros (119th, 13:04), and Deerlake seventh-grader Copeland Frazee (178th, 13:36).


Girls' Team Standings, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. Bolles, 67
2. Indian Trails, 137
3. Fruit Cove, 143
4. Calvary Christian, 149
5. Emerald Coast, 193
6. Ruckel, 201
7. Pine Crest, 237
8. Mount Dora, 272
9. Bell Creek, 275
10. Gulfview, 305
11. Destin, 311
12. Maclay, 367
13. Tavares, 381
14. Saint Francis Xavier Catholic, 383
15. Nolan, 408
16. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic, 422
17. Assumption Catholic, 438
18. East Ridge, 456
19. Rampello, 529
20. Marco Island Charter, 559
21. Westminster Christian, 564
22. Oasis Charter, 581
23. Conchita Espinosa, 596
24. Varsity Lakes, 622
25. Ammons, 632
26. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 651
27. Berkeley Prep, 725
28. Braden River, 751
29. Lutz, 792
30. Palmer Trinity, 823
31. Ivy Hawn, 905
32. Queen of Peace, 914
33. Holy Names, 917
34. Independence, 1000
35. Bok, 1038
36. First Baptist Brandon, 1116
37. Saint John's Episcopal, 1117

Top 15 Girls, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. 10:49.58, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
2. 10:52.88, Samantha Kavanagh (Calvary Christian) 8
3. 11:02.40, Elizabeth Csikai (Bolles) 8
4. 11:10.33, Jillian Candelino (Bolles) 8
5. 11:11.72, Lucrezia Gowdy (Assumption Catholic) 6
6. 11:12.68, Noelle Vu (Mount Dora) 4
7. 11:13.73, Eliana Black (Hillsborough Harriers) 5
8. 11:16.12, Ella Mickler (Bolles) 8
9. 11:21.35, Elizabeth Williamson (The Elite Runner Fort Myers) 6
10. 11:29.05, Lauren McGaffic (Unattached) 8
11. 11:29.40, Emma Hencock (Miami Milers) 8
12. 11:32.89, Lula Katz (Rampello) 6
13. 11:33.66, Sophie Kellogg (Destin) 7
14. 11:34.86, Hailey Holtery (Ruckel) 7
15. 11:34.91, Lily Henderson (Nolan) 7

In collecting five wins during the five races of Leon County Schools' 2018 middle school cross-country season, Deerlake's Wyatt Townsend experienced a close finish. Even at the League Championship Meet, Townsend had comfortable leads by the end of the race. That wasn't the case in the FLYRA boys' 3K at Lakeland, where Riley Novack, a Tavares eighth-grader, was right with Townsend. Townsend had the better kick, though, beating Novack to the finish line 9:55 to 9:56 for the State Championship. Another Tavares eighth-grader, Matthew Raucci, took third in 10:00, just ahead of the 10:02 posted by the fourth-place runner, Varsity Lakes eighth-grader Cooper Banks.


Tavares eighth-grader Noah Musselwhite placed tenth in 10:20, giving the Patriots three runners in the top ten. It was a good start if Tavares was going to add a second team title to the one their boys had collected in 2016. However right behind Musselwhite, Bolles eighth-grader Aidan Ryan crossed the finish line eleventh in 10:22. Two more Bolles eighth-graders were close behind, with Matthew Thomas 21st in 10:39 and Andrew McGraw 22nd in 10:40. Bolles sixth-grader Parker Adams placed 98th for the Bulldogs in 11:27, and Bolles seventh-grader Cole Breuer was 104th in 11:31, wrapping up the Bulldog score--a winning 155 points. Led by the 40th-place, 10:58 showing of seventh-grader Joshua Ruiz, the defending champs from Belen Jesuit placed second with 185 points. Circle Christian scored 232 points for third, led by eighth-grader Jack DeJesus, twelfth in 10:24. Tavares was fourth in the 47-team field, scoring 242 points.


The boys from Tallahassee's Fairview Middle School were 24th in the team standings with 626 points. Tallahassee was also represented by teams from Maclay and Holy Comforter Episcopal; Maclay was 26th with 744 points and Holy Comforter 29th with 762 points.


Tallahassee runners Connor Edwards and Patrick Koon continued their close rivalry in the Lakeland race. Edwards, a Swift Creek eighth-grader was fifteenth in 10:34, while Fairview seventh-grader Koon was sixteenth in 10:36. Also representing Tallahassee at FLYRA, Trinity Catholic seventh-grader Will Springer was 49th in 11:05.14, Montford seventh-grader Jackson Rowe was 75th in 11:18.80, Maclay eighth-grader Clayton Knox was 76th in 11:18.95, Fairview seventh-grader Yien Liu was 121st in 11:35.48, Holy Comforter sixth-grader Henry Fernandez was 131st in 11:38.89, Maclay eighth-grader Lucas Mauch was 137th in 11:40.52, Community Leadership sixth-grader Noah Deem was 147th in 11:48.20, Deerlake eighth-grader Alastair Deng was 158th in 11:53.83, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Matthew Wilbourn was 194th in 12:07.90, Fairview seventh-grader Enijah Thomas was 204th in 12:12.87, Raa seventh-grader Drayden Reams was 216th in 12:17.61, Community Leadership sixth-grader Peter Boulware was 221st in 12:18.76, Maclay eighth-grader Jack Matthews was 228th in 12:22.20, Holy Comforter sixth-grader Barnes Ray was 235th in 12:25.71, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Will Winsor was 237th in 12:26.75, Fairview eighth-grader Lucca Garrison was 245th in 12:28.79, Maclay sixth-grader Marc Campbell was 311th in 12:49.71, Maclay sixth-grader Avery Coffin was 330th in 12:57.53, Holy Comforter sixth-grader Davis Malone was 325th in 12:54.70, Fairview eighth-grader Brantley Gibson was 333rd in 12:58.87, Maclay eighth-grader Oakley Deison was 335th in 13:00.16, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Hudson Leger was 342nd in 13:03.46, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Aiden Merritt was 347th in 13:06.68, and Maclay sixth-grader Robert McAuliffe was 351st in 13:09.34.


Boys' Team Standings, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. Bolles, 155
2. Belen Jesuit, 185
3. Circle Christian, 232
4. Tavares, 238
5. East Ridge, 242
6. Ruckel, 281
7. Liza Jackson, 305
8. Emerald Coast, 313
9. Calvary Christian, 350
10. Oakleaf, 379
11. Pine Crest, 388
12. Fruit Cove, 421
13. Bonita Springs, 427
14. Out of Door, 449
15. Green Cove Springs, 478
16. Pine Ridge, 500
17. Palmer Trinity, 511
18. Montverde, 526
19. Varsity Lakes, 536
20. Queen of Peace, 539
21. Nolan, 581
22. Donahue of Ave Maria, 617
23. River Spring, 626*
24. Fairview, 626*
25. Assumption Catholic, 662
26. Maclay, 744
27. Saint Francis Xavier Catholic, 757
28. Oakridge, 758
29. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 762
30. Lawton Chiles, 771
31. PAL Indian Trails, 790
32. Braden River, 805
33. Conchita Espinosa, 840
34. Marco Island Charter, 850
35. Don Estridge High Tech, 854
36. Ammons, 908
37. Destin, 939
38. Ivy Hawn, 948
39. Bell Creek, 966
40. Rampello, 989
41. Terrace Community, 1011
42. Saint John's Episcopal, 1058
43. Carrollwood, 1073
44. Independence, 1074
45. Abraham Lincoln, 1088
46. Berkley Accelerated, 1265
47. Florida College, 1342

Top 15 Boys, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. 9:54.52, Wyatt Townsend (Deerlake) 8
2. 9:55.98, Riley Novack (Tavares) 8
3. 9:59.86, Matthew Raucci (Tavares) 8
4. 10:01.59, Cooper Banks (Varsity Lakes) 8
5. 10:05.56, Miguel Pantojas (Unattached) 8
6. 10:06.09, Braxton Legg (Citrus Park Christian) 8
7. 10:08.37, Kaden Levings (Unattached) 8
8. 10:12.71, Andrew Fredericks (Holy Names) 8
9. 10:14.20, Bernardo Barnhart Jr. (Gulf Coast Runners) 8
10. 10:19.64, Noah Musselwhite (Tavares) 8
11. 10:21.59, Aidan Ryan (Bolles) 8
12. 10:23.34, Jack DeJesus (Circle Christian) 8
13. 10:28.21, Mac Williams (Fruit Cove) 8
14. 10:32.81, Kaleb Hollins (Pryor) 8
15. 10:33.66, Connor Edwards (Montford) 8

Florida Youth Running Association Middle School State Cross-Country Championships, 2010 - 2018
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 November 2010	Liza Jackson, 56 points	11:03.60, Daesha Rogers (American Heritage)
5 November 2011	Lake City, 31	10:54.50, Emma Rudman (Liza Jackson) 8
3 November 2012	Eye of the Tiger, 64	11:41.10, Rafaella Gibbons (Unattached) 7
2 November 2013	Pine Crest, 64	11:05.70, Rafaella Gibbons (Orlando Runners) 8
1 November 2014	Pine Crest, 81	10:39.00, Tsion Yared (Pine Crest) 7
31 October 2015	Destin, 94	10:40.30, Ashley Klingenberg (Central Fla Gliders) 8
29 October 2016	Emerald Coast, 79	10:38.67, Ani Veltcheva (Abraham Lincoln) 7
28 October 2017	Indian Trails, 41	10:37.59, Ani Veltcheva (Abraham Lincoln) 8
27 October 2018	Bolles, 67	10:49.58, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 November 2010	Rams TC, 110 points	10:02.70, Kurt Convey (G. W. Carver) 8
5 November 2011	Destin, 59	9:50.80, Brandon Marquez (Avalon) 8
3 November 2012	Ammons, 85	10:21.60, Julian Elortegui (Unattached) 8
2 November 2013	Liza Jackson, 98	9:48.30, Joey Fitzpatrick (Unattached) 8
1 November 2014	Belen Jesuit, 47	9:56.30, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
31 October 2015	Belen Jesuit, 165	10:08.50, Brady Gibson (Gulfview) 8
29 October 2016	Tavares, 145	9:56.76, Adrian Bichara (Miami Elite) 8
28 October 2017	Belen Jesuit, 89	9:43.91, Rheinhardt Harrison (Saint Johns Striders) 8
27 October 2018	Bolles, 155	9:54.52, Wyatt Townsend (Deerlake) 8
The 2010 Championships were run at Sun 'N' Fun Fly In in Lakeland, Florida. The 2011 Championships were run at Sanlan Ranch in Lakeland, Florida. From 2012-2018 the Championships were run at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida.

Links

• Complete results, 2018 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQFtYt-kVUpa2Y9RgzglZSZDk8-ybWz4Y8PZ1N6pOILP85QhO2DWX4Eh-uonHIYTxwUHGboYWTbrD30/pubhtml
  
  
• 2015 story, “Tallahassee at Florida's 2015 Middle School Cross Country Championship”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/florida-ms-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Tallahassee runners fly at FLYRA”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/florida-ms-2014.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “2010 FLYRA Middle School State Cross-Country Championships”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/florida-ms-2010.html
  
  
• Florida Youth Running Association
  http://www.flyra.org/
  
  
• Championship or not, find an upcoming race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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