Andrew McGinnis crushes a 15:21.12 at the Deerfield-Windsor Invitational

After years in Albany, Georgia, the annual Deerfield-Windsor Invitational Cross-Country Meet moved to a venue in Leesburg for the 19 September 2020 edition of the event. In spite of the new location, the athletes didn't seem to have trouble finding the meet. Andrew McGinnis, a Calvary Christian junior, not only found the meet, but won the high school boys' 5K in a stunning 15:22. The Deerfield-Windsor boys took the team title, scoring 65 points. Brookstone sophomore Kiley Murphy ran away with the high school girls' 5K, going 18:35, while the Valwood girls tallied 52 points to become the top team in the race.


The meet opened at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning at the Lee County Cross-Country Fields near Kinchafoonee Primary School--the site of the Lee County Invitational a week earlier. The high school boys' 5K was the first race. Andrew McGinnis owned it, crossing the finish line more than 200 meters ahead of the second runner with his winning 15:22. Deerfield-Windsor senior Graham Ford took second in 16:05. Another Deerfield-Windsor harrier, junior Jon Durham, placed third in 16:29.


Garrison Slaughter also cracked the top ten for Deerfield-Windsor; the frosh edged Perry junior River Livingston for fifth, 17:19 to 17:21. Charles Peeler and Jackson Belusko finished the scoring for Deerfield-Windsor, senior Peeler finishing eighteenth in 18:17 and frosh Belusko 46th in 19:34. Once Belusko finished the 5K, Deerfield-Windsor had 65 points and first place in a field of fourteen teams.


The race was on Lee County High's home course, and the Trojans put two runners in the top ten--junior Edward Ostrander (8th, 17:34) and sophomore Tim Ellis (10th, 17:43). But Lee County ended up a close second to Deerfield-Windsor, scoring 65 points.  Perry was third with 107 points, led by the sixth-place showing of River Livingston. The Perry junior covered the course in 17:21.


2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational Team Standings, High School Boys

1. Deerfield-Windsor, 65
2. Lee County, 68
3. Perry, 107
4. Brookstone, 113
5. Schley County, 153
6. Calvary Christian, 154
7. Bainbridge, 185
8. Tift County, 195
9. Worth County, 235
10. Pelham, 278
11. Furlow Charter, 325
12. Seminole County, 340
13. Grace Christian, 350
14. Baconton Charter, 370

Top Ten High School Boys, 2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational

1. 15:21.12, Andrew McGinnis (Calvary Christian) 11
2. 16:04.61, Graham Ford (Deerfield-Windsor) 12
3. 16:28.77, Jon Durham (Deerfield-Windsor) 11
4. 17:14.00, David Williams (Schley County) 12
5. 17:18.39, Garrison Slaughter (Deerfield-Windsor) 9
6. 17:20.22, River Livingston (Perry) 11
7. 17:31.44, Joe Hilsman (Brookstone) 11
8. 17:33.67, Edward Ostrander (Lee County) 11
9. 17:41.60, Conner Mullen (Worth County) 10
10. 17:42.68, Tim Ellis (Lee County) 10

In the next race, the high school girls' 5K, Brookstone sophomore Kiley Murphy continued the theme of races won by huge margins, leaving the field behind with her 18:35 and finishing with a lead of nearly 400 meters. Brookstone frosh Elizabeth Cowley was second to her teammate in 20:06. Emma Ellis, a Perry senior, placed third in 20:29.


Valwood frosh Ella Burnett was fourth in 20:48. The Valwood Valiants had two more girls in the top ten, senior Jordan Green (7th, 21:11) and frosh Emma Burnett (8th, 21:13). Seniors Brenna Clark (16th, 22:34) and Jolie Green (20th, 22:56) completed the scoring for Valwood, totaling 52 points for the Valiants and putting them first among eleven teams. Deerfield-Windsor junior Bailey Irvin placed ninth in 21:21, leading her team to a sum of 78 points, good for second. Behind the one-two finish of Murphy and Cowley, Brookstone edged Perry for third, 92 to 95.


2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational Team Standings, High School Girls

1. Valwood, 52
2. Deerfield-Windsor, 78
3. Brookstone, 92
4. Perry, 95
5. Lee County, 111
6. Tift County, 117
7. Baconton Charter, 216
8. Bainbridge, 216
9. Furlow Charter, 235
10. Terrell, 281
11. Schley County, 287

Top Ten High School Girls, 2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational

1. 18:34.41, Kiley Murphy (Brookstone) 10
2. 20:05.04, Elizabeth Cowley (Brookstone) 9
3. 20:28.46, Emma Ellis (Perry) 12
4. 20:47.92, Ella Burnett (Valwood) 9
5. 21:03.88, Maya Wynn (Furlow Charter) 12
6. 21:10.43, Abbie Westra (Perry) 11
7. 21:10.84, Jordan Green (Valwood) 12
8. 21:12.07, Emma Burnett (Valwood) 9
9. 21:20.86, Bailey Irvin (Deerfield-Windsor) 11
10. 21:40.28, Sophie Singleton (Deerfield-Windsor) 10

It paid to be a seventh-grader in the middle school boys' two mile, where seventh-grade athletes took the first four places. Jackson McLaughlin of Perry was first in 13:28. John Moore of Deerfield-Windsor was runner-up in 13:28, while Ethan Burnett of Valwood placed third in 13:31 and Walker Elrod of Grace Christian fourth in 13:32.


Grace Christian eighth-grader Dawson Worsley joined Elrod in the top ten, placing tenth in 14:04. Three more eighth-graders completed the scoring for Grace Christian--Keith Edison (12th, 14:09), Trey Henderson (20th, 15:02), and Owen Earnest (24th, 15:08). With Earnest's finish, Grace Christian had 70 points and the team title. Hosts Deerfield-Windsor were second in the field of fourteen with 86 points. Lee County, led by the seventh-place13:56 performance of seventh-grader Houston Hayes, was third with 119 points.


2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Boys

1. Grace Christian, 70
2. Deerfield-Windsor, 86
3. Lee County, 119
4. Panther Running Club, 149
5. Tift, 154
6. Colquitt County, 193
7. Southland, 194
8. Worth County, 202
9. Bainbridge, 210
10. Westwood, 254
11. Terrell, 287
12. Valwood, 293
13. Baconton Charter, 303
14. Seminole County, 306
15. Pataula Charter, 396

Top Ten Middle School Boys, 2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational

1. 13:22.13, Jackson McLaughlin (Perry) 7
2. 13:27.39, John Moore (Deerfield-Windsor) 7
3. 13:30.46, Ethan Burnett (Valwood) 7
4. 13:31.43, Walker Elrod (Grace Christian) 7
5. 13:34.82, Dawson Mcmillan (Tift) 8
6. 13:49.38, JP Cannon (Terrell) 8
7. 13:55.91, Houston Hayes (Lee County) 7
8. 13:56.74, Colton Suggs (Baconton Charter) 6
9. 13:57.29, Brayden Walcher (Colquitt County) 7
10. 14:03.30, Dawson Worsley (Grace Christian) 8

The final race of the morning was the middle school girls' two mile. Carly Storie was a big winner in that event; the Perry seventh-grader took first in 14:50, finishing almost 200 meters ahead of the next runner. The race for second place was much closer, with Terrell eighth-grader Jenna DeBary outkicking Baconton Charter eighth-grader Gracie Morrical. Both runners were clocked in 15:31.


Lee County may not have been represented in the top three, but still put three athletes in the top ten--eighth-grader Olivia Vanderwalt (6th, 16:09), sixth-grader Madisyn Goddard (9th, 16:34) and seventh-grader Harlee Oosterveen (10th, 16:34). Two sixth-graders, Peyton Passinault and Carolina Davis, finished the scoring for Lee County, Passinault placing twentieth in 17:25 and Davis 22nd in 17:45. That gave the Lee County girls 59 points, putting them first among twelve teams. Led by sixth-grader Emily Rutledge (11th, 16:43), Deerfield-Windsor was second with 106 points. The Southland Academy girls were third with 133 points behind Brianna Brown (7th, 16:11), a seventh-grader.


2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Girls

1. Lee County, 59
2. Deerfield-Windsor, 106
3. Southland, 133
4. Terrell, 157
5. Baconton Charter, 160
6. Panther Running Club, 165
7. Glenwood, 170
8. Grace Christian, 180
9. Tift, 196
10. Colquitt County, 198
11. Pataula Charter, 226
12. Seminole County, 268

Top Ten Middle School Girls, 2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational

1. 14:49.70, Carly Storie (Perry) 7
2. 15:30.24, Jenna DeBary (Terrell) 8
3. 15:30.78, Gracie Morrical (Baconton Charter) 8
4. 16:04.24, Kate Poitevint (Grace Christian) 8
5. 16:06.52, Jenna Sides (Glenwood) 8
6. 16:08.84, Olivia Vanderwalt (Lee County) 8
7. 16:10.65, Brianna Brown (Southland) 7
8. 16:31.25, Anna Kate Miller (Terrell) 7
9. 16:33.30, Madisyn Goddard (Lee County) 6
10. 16:33.59, Harlee Oosterveen (Lee County) 7

Deerfield-Windsor Invitational Champions 2013 - 2020
High School Boys 5K
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
21 September 2013	Trinity Christian, 30	15:12, Kaleb McLeod (Trinity Christian)
13 September 2014	Trinity Christian, 53	15:40, Kaleb McLeod (Trinity Christian)
12 September 2015	Thomas County Central, 39	16:55, Jacob McLeod (Trinity Christian)
24 September 2016	Deerfield-Windsor, 65	17:07, Dallas Hunt (Tiftarea) 10
23 September 2017	Deerfield-Windsor, 36	16:55, Porter Hill (Deerfield-Windsor) 10
22 September 2018	Deerfield-Windsor, 23	16:29, Porter Hill (Deerfield-Windsor) 11
14 September 2019	Lee County, 44	16:19, Henry Plowden (Westover) 12
19 September 2020	Deerfield-Windsor, 65	15:22, Andrew McGinnis (Calvary Christian) 11
High School Girls 5K
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
12 October 2013	Deerfield-Windsor, 33	19:23, Mary Alice Smoot (Valwood)
27 September 2014	Deerfield-Windsor, 33	20:12, Virginia Moore (Deerfield-Windsor)
12 September 2015	Deerfield-Windsor, 35	21:00, Ivie Nobles (Twiggs)
24 September 2016	Augusta Prep, 46	18:20, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
23 September 2017	Deerfield-Windsor, 40	19:28, Camryn Bridges (Deerfield-Windsor) 12
22 September 2018	Deerfield-Windsor, 46	19:08, Emily Golden (Tift County) 11
14 September 2019	Berrien County, 72	19:10, Emily Golden (Tift County) 12
19 September 2020	Valwood, 52	18:35, Kiley Murphy (Brookstone) 10

Links

• Complete results of the 2020 Deerfield-Windsor Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQL5CIUwvX3Zuu_f4ciwa4oiOszoTGzveFdzNx6LhFEKz7c7dryn1MVyBKm93Ax8oMtLSzWFhH4KuEo/pubhtml
  
  
• 2016 story, “Elizabeth Funderburk runs a scorching 18:20 at the Deerfield Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/darton-dash-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Ivie Nobles and Jacob McLeod win at Deerfield-Windsor's Darton Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/09/darton-dash-2015.html
  
  
• More Albany, Georgia, running news at Trouble Afoot!
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/Albany
  
  
• Find a chance to compete on road, track, or trail using the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2708

At Mountain Dew, first time is the charm for Paul Stafford and FSU's harriers

The University of Florida rebooted their invitational cross-country meet as the annual Mountain Dew Invitational in 2005, but for the first fifteen years Florida State University never had a men's team at the party. That changed on Friday morning, 18 September 2020, when the Seminoles opened their cross-country season in Gainesville, Florida at the sixteenth annual Mountain Dew. It was quite the debut, as Florida State's men put up a mathematically unbeatable 19 points to win the meet, while the Seminole's Paul Stafford took first in the 8K race over the Mark Bostick Golf Course in 24:45. Georgia Tech dominated the women's 6K, with the Lady Yellow Jackets scoring a winning 25 points behind the first place showing of Tech senior Nicole Fegans, who went 20:51.


For the first half of the men's 8K, Stafford ran tucked back in the lead pack. During the second half of the race, Stafford and fellow Seminole Gabriel Curtis broke away from the field. Stafford ultimately left Curtis behind, winning the race 24:45 to 24:52. Ethan Geiger, a Florida frosh, took third with a 25:09.


But the rest of the Seminoles were right behind Geiger. Sophomore Jacob Holmes was a close fourth in 25:10, and Florida State junior Caleb Pottorff edged Georgia Tech junior James Cragin for fifth, 25:15.5 to 25:15.6. Frosh Anderson Denton finished the scoring for Florida State, placing seventh in 25:18 and giving the men in garnet and gold a winning total of 19 points. Tech was second with 53 points and Florida third with 68. Miami, led by the sixteenth place 25:52 performance of Hurricane sophomore Andrew Madden, was fourth with 110 points.


Men's Team Standings, 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational

1. Florida State, 19
2. Georgia Tech, 53
3. Florida, 68
4. Miami, 110

Top Ten Athletes, 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational Men's 8K

1. 24:44.9, Paul Stafford (Florida State) JR
2. 24:51.3, Gabriel Curtis (Florida State) FR
3. 25:08.2, Ethan Geiger (Florida) FR
4. 25:09.3, Jacob Holmes (Florida State) SO
5. 25:15.5, Caleb Pottorff (Florida State) JR
6. 25:15.6, James Cragin (Georgia Tech) JR
7. 25:17.7, Anderson Denton (Florida State) FR
8. 25:20.5, Angel Vicioso (Florida) SO
9. 25:24.2, Humberto Freire (Florida State) SR
10. 25:25.3, Nick Nyman (Georgia Tech) SO

Nicole Fegans of Tech didn't waste any time hanging around with the rest of the athletes in the women's 6K, taking an early lead. Fegans was up by as much as 60 meters during the race, but Florida State sophomore Rebecca Clark began to narrow that margin late in the race. Fegans neverthless made it across the finish line in first, running 20:51 to Clark's 20:58. Florida State junior Addison Coggins was third in 21:01.


Florida State and Georgia Tech split the rest of the top ten, with the Seminoles putting junior Ella Swigler sixth in 21:16, frosh Alyson Churchill ninth in 21:37, and frosh Caitlyn Wilkey tenth in 21:40. But the Yellow Jackets had junior Liz Galarza fourth in 21:09, senior Mary Claire Solomon fifth in 21:15, junior Mary Kathryn Knott seventh in 21:22, and sophomore Claire Mortitz eighth in 21:31, which mean that Tech had 25 points and the team title. The Florida State women were second with 30 points.


Miami was third with 83 points, giving the top three places to Atlantic Coast Conference teams. With only four finishers, hosts Florida had no team score. It was the first time since 2013 that the Lady Gators had failed to win the meet, and only the second time in Mountain Dew Invitational history. Coincidentally, the only other Gator loss had also been the only other year that the women had raced 6K instead of 5K at the Invitational.


Women's Team Standings, 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational

1. Georgia Tech, 25
2. Florida State, 30
3. Miami, 83
4. Florida, NTS

Top Ten Athletes, 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational Women's 6K

1. 20:50.3, Nicole Fegans (Georgia Tech) SR
2. 20:57.2, Rebecca Clark (Florida State) SO
3. 21:00.3, Addison Coggins (Florida State) JR
4. 21:08.9, Liz Galarza (Georgia Tech) JR
5. 21:14.6, Mary Claire Solomon (Georgia Tech) SR
6. 21:16.0, Ella Swigler (Florida State) JR
7. 21:21.4, Mary Kathryn Knott (Georgia Tech) JR
8. 21:30.9, Claire Moritz (Georgia Tech) SO
9. 21:36.3, Alyson Churchill (Florida State) FR
10. 21:39.5, Caitlin Wilkey (Florida State) FR

Mountain Dew University of Florida Invitational Cross-Country Meet Champions 2005 - 2020
Men's 8K
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
9 September 2005	Florida, 15	23:54, Henok Lechebo (Florida)
16 September 2006	Florida, 15	24:23, Jeremy Criscione (Florida)
7 September 2007	Florida, 15	24:49, Enoch Nadler (Florida) SR
20 September 2008	Florida, 15	24:39, Jeremy Criscione (Florida) SR
18 September 2009	Florida, 20	24:22, Evans Kirwa (Embry-Riddle) FR
18 September 2010	Florida, 22	24:40, Josh Izewski (Florida) JR
24 September 2011	Michigan, 42	24:36, Craig Forys (Michigan)
15 September 2012	Florida, 28	24:09, Jeremy Criscione (Unattached)
14 September 2013	Florida, 33	23:54, Jimmy Clark (Florida) JR
20 September 2014	Georgia Tech, 41	24:05, Mark Parrish (Unattached)
19 September 2015	Alabama-Huntsville, 65	24:49, Eddie Garcia (Florida) SR
24 September 2016	Florida, 22	25:07, Carlos Miranda (Florida) SR
23 September 2017	North Florida, 52	24:31, Gilbert Boit (Tennessee Tech) SO
22 September 2018	Florida A & M, 25	24:12, David Too (Florida A & M) JR
14 September 2019	Florida, 40	25:24, Nathan Jubran (North Florida) SO
18 September 2020	Florida State, 19	24:45, Paul Stafford (Florida State) JR
Women's 5K
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
9 September 2005	Florida, 44	17:17, Allison Mascas (Tampa)
4 October 2006	Florida, 26	17:37, Lindsay Sundell (Florida)
7 September 2007	Florida, 19	17:37, Sonja Friend Uhl (Unattached)
20 September 2008	Florida, 17	17:35, Genevieve LaCaze (Florida) FR
18 September 2009	Florida, 18	17:26, Charlotte Browning (Florida) JR
18 September 2010	Florida, 41	17:34, Joane Pierre (Jacksonville) SO
24 September 2011	Florida, 30	17:06, Genevieve LaCaze (Florida) SR
15 September 2012	Florida, 15	17:14, Agata Strasua (Florida) JR
14 September 2013	Tennessee, Auburn, 71	20:46, Kelly Perzanowski (Florida Gulf Coast) SR
20 September 2014	Florida, 35	16:46, Lauren Brasure (Florida) FR
19 September 2015	Florida, 31	17:22, Rebakah Greene (Florida) SO
24 September 2016	Florida, 30	16:55, Anne-Marie Blaney (Central Florida) SR
23 September 2017	Florida, 88	17:10, Eden Myer (North Florida) SR
22 September 2018	Florida, 60	16:14, Jessica Pascoe (Florida) JR
14 September 2019	Florida, 30	16:55, Jessica Pascoe (Florida) SR
18 September 2020	Georgia Tech, 25	20:51, Nicole Fagans (Georgia Tech) SR
The women's race was six kilometers in 2013 and 2020.

It was perhaps the smallest Mountain Dew Invitational ever, with only four schools represented in each race. The course had been re-routed due to flooding from Hurricane Sally. There would be no national championship meet at the end of the season; that had been canceled by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic was also why the University of Florida hadn't hosted any sports events since March. But the athletes at the 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational still came to race. Many of them would come to race again two weeks later on 2 Ocotber 2020 at the Florida State Invitational at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida.


Links

• Complete results of the University races at the 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational Cross-Country Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRp8me4zuIABsc8UJoo7yCt6MJFgpDVsi87GJuFE3OIITQs94PYdHTWNJiv7Jl718pYExxYZ-P4e3zr/pubhtml
  
  
• Course maps for the 2020 Mountain Dew Invitational Cross-Country Meet
  
  • Men's 8K: https://app.box.com/s/cz5we8mjp90duz66gbnhex9xv12hutdp
  • Women's 6K: https://app.box.com/s/sl45azfxc8km7lqbzp25095203hmbdd0
  
  

#2707

Lowndes sweeps the high school team titles at the Lee County Invite

On Saturday morning, 12 September 2020, for the second year in a row the Lowndes High Vikings left the Lee County Invitational carrying home team titles from both the girls' 5K and the boys' 5K. But it was a Thomas County Central senior, Anna James, who nabbed the win in the high school girls' 5K, running 20:35. Deerfield-Windsor junior Jon Durham went 17:41 in the boys' 5K, winning that race for the second year straight.


No one was near Anna James when she crossed the finish line in 20:35; she won the race with a lead of more than 200 meters. It was James' second win of the season; she had an earlier first-place finish at her school's home opener, the Yellow Jacket Invitational. Allie Brown, a Crisp senior, finished runner-up to James in 21:34. Tift County junior Alexis Tucker placed third in 22:27.


Lowndes sophomore Victoria Garcia took fourth in 22:47. Garcia was the first of three Vikings in the top ten, the others being seniors Kiley Matheson (6th, 23:07) and Laura Mason (8th, 23:18). Sophomore Lindsay Whitmer (12th, 24:01) and junior Megan Gemma (22nd, 24:46) also scored for Lowndes, giving the Viking girls 47 points and their second Lee County win in two years. The Deerfield-Windsor girls were second in the twelve-team field, scoring 86 points behind the the fifth-place showing of D-W junior Bailey Irvin. Alexis Tucker and Tift County were third in the team standings with 106 points.


Team Standings, High School Girls, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. Lowndes, 47
2. Deerfield-Windsor, 86
3. Tift County, 106
4. Lee County, 117
5. Valwood, 140
6. Berrien County, 188
7. Thomas County Central, 191
8. Baconton Charter, 214
9. Colquitt County, 220
10. Bainbridge, 236
11. Furlow Charter, 252
12. Seminole County, 309

Top Ten High School Girls, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. 20:34.9, Anna James (Thomas County Central) 12
2. 21:33.6, Allie Brown (Crisp) 12
3. 22:26.1, Alexis Tucker (Tift County) 11
4. 22:46.2, Victoria Garcia (Lowndes) 10
5. 22:53.6, Bailey Irvin (Deerfield-Windsor) 11
6. 23:06.4, Kiley Matheson (Lowndes) 12
7. 23:13.4, Maya Wynn (Furlow Charter) 12
8. 23:18.0, Laura Mason (Lowndes) 12
9. 23:25.8, Ella Burnett (Valwood) 9
10. 23:38.3, Emily Phillips (Lee County) 11

Jon Durham ran 17:41 in the high school boys' 5K at the Lee County Invite, picking up his first win of the 2020 season. A little more than thirty meters behind the junior from Deerfield-Windsor, Lowndes sophomore Aaron Munger was runner-up in 17:48. Graham Ford, a Deerfield-Windsor senior, finished third in 18:08.


Deerfield-Windsor had a third scorer in the top ten, frosh Garrison Slaughter, who placed seventh in 19:03. But Lowndes had five Vikings in the top ten--Munger, junior Matthew Herndon (4th, 18:15), frosh Isaac Chambers (6th, 18:58), senior Andrew Francis (8th, 19:20), and junior Blake Jaramillo (9th, 19:26). That put the Lowndes boys first among fourteen teams with a score of 29 points. Host school Lee County, led by the fifth-place showing of junior Edward Ostrander (18:51), took second with 60 points. Deerfield-Windsor was third with 70 points.


Team Standings, High School Boys, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. Lowndes, 29
2. Lee County, 60
3. Deerfield-Windsor, 70
4. Colquitt County, 132
5. Tift County, 169
6. Bainbridge, 171
7. Berrien County, 217
8. Thomas County Central, 223
9. Worth County, 239
10. Furlow Charter, 299
11. Seminole County, 314
12. Grace Christian, 316
13. Baconton Charter, 345
14. Baker County, 382

Top Ten High School Boys, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. 17:40.9, Jon Durham (Deerfield-Windsor) 11
2. 17:48.0, Aaron Munger (Lowndes) 10
3. 18:07.6, Graham Ford (Deerfield-Windsor) 12
4. 18:14.9, Matthew Herndon (Lowndes) 11
5. 18:50.1, Edward Ostrander (Lee County) 11
6. 18:57.4, Isaac Chambers (Lowndes) 9
7. 19:02.3, Garrison Slaughter (Deerfield-Windsor) 9
8. 19:19.3, Andrew Francis (Lowndes) 12
9. 19:25.1, Blake Jaramillo (Lowndes) 11
10. 19:30.1, Tim Ellis (Lee County) 10

After winning the middle school girls' two mile back home at the Yellow Jacket Invitational two weeks earlier, Thomas County eighth-grader Cadence Curnalia won that event at the Lee County Invitational, crossing the finish line first in 13:42. Eighth-grader Gracie Morrical of Baconton Charter was second in 14:31. Another eighth-grader, Olivia Vanderwalt of Lee County, was third in 14:49. Vanderwalt had placed eleventh in the 2019 Lee County Invite and ninth in 2018.


Seventh-grader Liza Nix placed fourth in 15:03, one of two Berrien County girls in the top ten. Lee County also had two athletes in the top ten, with Vanderwalt joined by seventh-grader Harlee Oosterveen (7th, 15:14). Lee County's remaining scorers were sixth-grader Peyton Passinault (11th, 15:55), eighth-grader Samantha Stephens (23rd, 16:53), and seventh-grader Hayden Bruce (25th, 16:58)--giving the team a narrow 65-to-66 win just ahead of second place Berrien County. Deerfield-Windsor was third in the nine-team field with 84 points, led by eighth-grader Molly Fuller (9th, 15:46).


Team Standings, Middle School Girls, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. Lee County, 65
2. Berrien County, 66
3. Deerfield-Windsor, 84
4. Lowndes, 108
5. Tift, 141
6. Thomas County, 146
7. Grace Christian, 164
8. Baconton Charter, 178
9. Colquitt County, 192

Top Ten Middle School Girls, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. 13:41.8, Cadence Curnalia (Thomas County) 8
2. 14:30.1, Gracie Morrical (Baconton Charter) 8
3. 14:48.5, Olivia Vanderwalt (Lee County) 8
4. 15:03.0, Liza Nix (Berrien County) 7
5. 15:03.2, Alyssa Youmans (Lowndes) 8
6. 15:11.8, Kate Poitevint (Grace Christian) 8
7. 15:13.2, Harlee Oosterveen (Lee County) 7
8. 15:18.4, Savannah Dodd (Thomas County) 6
9. 15:45.2, Molly Fuller (Deerfield-Windsor) 8
10. 15:47.6, Alli Butler (Berrien County) 8

In spite of first-place showings in the team scoring of the two high school races, Lowndes High didn't pick up individual wins in either of the 5K events. Lowndes Middle, however, struck gold in the middle school boys' race when eighth-grader Dylan Chambers finished first in 12:16. Charlie Wilcox, a Deerfield-Windsor eighth-grader, finished runner-up in 12:30. Close behind, Grace Christian seventh-grader Walker Elrod was third in 12:33.


Each of those top three runners was on a top three squad in the fourteen-team field. Chambers, joined by eighth-graders Gage Francis (10th, 13:04) and Corbin Young (15th, 13:26), seventh-grader Michael Gemma (18th, 13:31), and eighth-grader Patrick Whitmer (20th, 13:38), scored 64 points for Lowndes, good for first place. Wilcox and Deerfield-Windsor were second with 72 points. Elrod and his Grace Christian comrades were third with 105 points.


Team Standings, Middle School Boys, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. Lowndes, 64
2. Deerfield-Windsor, 72
3. Grace Christian, 105
4. Berrien County, 122
5. Lee County, 128
6. Dodge County, 184
7. Tift, 187
8. Thomas County, 225
9. Worth County, 245
10. Colquitt County, 254
11. Bainbridge, 262
12. Valwood, 287
13. Baconton Charter, 334
14. Seminole County, 374

Top Ten Middle School Boys, 2020 Lee County High Invitational

1. 12:16.0, Dylan Chambers (Lowndes) 8
2. 12:29.7, Charlie Willcox (Deerfield-Windsor) 8
3. 12:32.5, Walker Elrod (Grace Christian) 7
4. 12:36.4, Ethan Burnett (Valwood) 7
5. 12:36.8, John Moore (Deerfield-Windsor) 7
6. 12:52.9, Houston Hayes (Lee County) 7
7. 12:55.5, Ace Roberson (Dodge County) 8
8. 12:56.6, Dawson Mcmillan (Tift) 8
9. 13:00.4, Keith Eidson (Grace Christian) 8
10. 13:03.2, Gage Francis (Lowndes)

Lee County High School Cross-Country Invitational Champions 2008 - 2020
High School Girls 5K
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 September 2008	Westover, 28 points	20:34, Moneque English (Westover)
12 September 2009	Westover, 32	18:27, Megan Breitbach (Houston County)
11 September 2010
10 September 2011	Thomasville, 53	20:31, Megan Asadian (Houston County)
8 September 2012	Thomasville, 72	23:16, Erica Taylor (Westover)
21 September 2013	Jones County, 78	20:26, Paige Braswell (Bainbridge)
13 September 2014	Jones County, 61	19:33, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 9
12 September 2015	Jones County, 29	20:43, Kate Boland (Jones County)
10 September 2016	Southland, 67	18:34, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
9 September 2017	Deerfield-Windsor, 42	19:51, Camryn Bridges (Deerfield-Windsor) 12
6 September 2018	Tift County, 49	20:28, Emily Golden (Tift County) 11
7 September 2019	Lowndes, 54	19:43, Emily Golden (Tift County) 12
12 September 2020	Lowndes, 47	20:35, Anna James (Thomas County Central) 12
High School Boys 5K
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 September 2008	Tift County, 51 points	16:27, Hunter Hunneycutt (Tift County) 9
12 September 2009	Houston County, 25	16:45, Kasib Abdullah (Houston County)
11 September 2010
10 September 2011	Tift County, 73	15:38, Hunter Honeycutt (Tift County) 12
8 September 2012	Westover, 57	18:51, Josh Mason (Westover)
21 September 2013	Bainbridge, 61	16:04, Chase Harris (Bainbridge)
13 September 2014	Westover, 38	17:46, Matthew Baun (Valdosta)
12 September 2015	Lowndes, 52	17:42, Kaleb Wolfenden (Lowndes) 11
10 September 2016	Valdosta, 63	16:22, Kaleb Wolfenden (Lowndes) 12
9 September 2017	Deerfield-Windsor, 62	16:46, Henry Plowden (Westover) 10
6 September 2018	Veterans, 27	18:05, Henry Plowden (Westover) 11
7 September 2019	Lowndes, 47	16:37, Henry Plowden (Westover) 12
12 September 2020	Lowndes, 29	17:41, Jon Durham (Deerfield-Windsor) 11

Links

• Complete results of the 2020 Lee County High School Cross Country Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTYAoxNUOxDoafAfxMT8fHVF7r-ZzRznbPYMYSpL2l6PBTYsQjs1i5xN0JtrAgQ9l-wY4BFrsr3_C-P/pubhtml
  
  
• 2016 story, “Wolfenden and Funderburk repeat at Lee County High Invite”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/lee-county-xc-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Boland and Jones County, Wolfenden and Lowndes victorious at Lee County Invite”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/09/lee-county-xc-2015.html
  
  
• Wet or dry, find your next race on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2706

Anna James and Briley Reyes swat the competition at the Yellow Jacket Invitational

High School cross-country gets started early in Georgia, and in Thomasville it got started on Saturday morning, 29 August 2020, with Thomas County Central's 27th annual Yellow Jacket Invitational. The meet opened with Thomas County senior Anna James winning the girls' 5K in 20:06, while visiting Colquitt County took the team title with 41 points. Briley Reyes, a Davis High junior, put up a winning 18:16 in the boys' 5K, leading his team to first in the team standings with 36 points.


It was Anna James' second straight year of winning at the Yellow Jacket Invite. As a frosh, James had placed twelfth in the 2017 meet, running 22:57. The 2018 Invitational was canceled, but the meet returned in 2019 as did James. A junior, she ran 21:28, becoming Yellow Jacket champion for the first time. James' final appearance in the Yellow Jacket Invitational was her fastest yet. Her 20:06 put her more than 900 meters ahead of the next runner. James was also a three-time champion in the middle school girls' competition at the Yellow Jacket Invitational, winning in 2014, 2015, and 2016.


Clarissa Mallory, a Highland Christian sophomore, was runner-up in 24:33. Thomas County frosh Gracie Adams placed third in 24:54.


Adams made three finishers in the top ten for Thomas County Central, but Colquitt County put three athletes in the top ten--sophomore Mattie Rigsby (6th, 26:54), junior Evelin Vasquez (8th, 27:06), and junior Brooke Wright (9th, 27:17). Central's girls were still waiting for their third runner when Colquitt County put junior Ryley McCoy (11th, 27:59) and frosh Ansley Jackson (12th, 28:01) across the finish line, giving the Packers 41 points and first place. Central was second with 49 points. Brookwood placed third with points, led by the seventh place showing of sophomore Katie Knifer (27:05).


2020 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Girls

1. Colquitt County, 41
2. Thomas County Central, 49
3. Brookwood, 69
4. Bainbridge, 77
5. Cook, 106

Top Ten High School Girls, 27th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 20:05.26, Anna James (Thomas County Central) 12
2. 24:32.39, Clarissa Mallory (Highland Christian) 10
3. 24:53.44, Gracie Adams (Thomas County Central) 9
4. 25:34.82, Rylan Bland (Bainbridge) 10
5. 26:26.70, Haydyn Klock (Bainbridge) 9
6. 26:53.56, Mattie Rigsby (Colquitt County) 10
7. 27:04.31, Katie Knifer (Brookwood) 10
8. 27:05.67, Evelin Vasquez (Colquitt County) 11
9. 27:16.46, Brooke Wright (Colquitt County) 11
10. 27:44.08, Emma Swarc (Brookwood)

The harriers of Davis High had never ventured from Hazlehurst, Georgia to the Yellow Jacket Invitational, even though the Davis mascot is also a Yellow Jacket. The Yellow Jackets from Hazlehurst made the most of their Thomasville debut. Davis junior Briley Reyes won the boys' 5K in 18:16, and Davis frosh took third 18:34, a few steps behind the 18:30 turned in by Cairo senior Elias Lopez-Gomez.


The Davis Yellow Jackets finished up their scoring with performances by juniors Levi Manning (11th, 19:36), Skyler Cravey (13th, 19:56), and Logan Carelock (20th, 20:58). That sufficed to give the Davis boys 36 points and a team title.


Colquitt County was second in the eight-team field, scoring 60 points behind the sixth place, 19:14 showing of Packer junior Hayes Lightsey. Led by junior Jared Davis (12th, 19:44), Bainbridge was third with 96 points.


2020 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Boys

1. Davis, 36
2. Colquitt County, 60
3. Bainbridge, 96
4. Cook, 118
5. Cairo, 119
6. Thomasville, 157
7. Thomas County Central, 163
8. Grace Christian, 165

Top Ten High School Boys, 27th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 18:15.40, Briley Reyes (Davis) 11
2. 18:29.58, Elias Lopez-Gomez (Cairo) 12
3. 18:33.02, Pierce Parlor (Davis) 9
4. 18:46.82, Alex Buena (GCU Elite) 9
5. 18:47.35, Eliceo Lopez-Gomez (Cairo) 12
6. 19:13.05, Hayes Lightsey (Colquitt County) 11
7. 19:16.68, Jonah Berry (GCU Elite) 9
8. 19:29.17, Daniel Jones (Grace Christian) 12
9. 19:32.97, Kent Grayson (Brookwood) 7
10. 19:33.28, Aiden Keen (Highland Christian) 9

The middle school race was run immediately following the two high school races. Thomas County eighth-grader Cadence Curnalia won for the second year in a row, running 14:45--over half a minute faster than the 15:20 she ran in the 2019 race. Abby Stalvey of Brookwood, another eighth-grader, was runner-up in 15:56. Sixth-grader Savannah Dodd of Thomas County took third in 16:52.


Thomas County Middle's other scoring performances came from sixth-grader Josie Smith (19th, 21:41), eighth-grader Gabby Lindquist (21st, 22:30), and sixth-grader Julie Vonier (23rd, 23:50). That gave Thomas County 26 points and their third straight Yellow Jacket Invitational team title. MacIntyre Park was a close second with 29 points, led by the seventh-grader Kylie Alexander (10th, 19:27).


2020 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Girls

1. Thomas County, 26
2. MacIntyre Park, 29

Top Ten Middle School Girls, 27th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 14:44.78, Cadence Curnalia (Thomas County) 8
2. 15:55.36, Abby Stalvey (Brookwood) 8
3. 16:51.75, Savannah Dodd (Thomas County) 6
4. 16:59.65, Kate Poitevint (Grace Christian) 8
5. 17:36.64, Addie Gregory (Cook) 8
6. 18:00.64, Sybil Lee (Grace Christian) 8
7. 18:15.60, Ava Lorette (Cook) 8
8. 18:28.93, Addison Gamble (Brookwood) 7
9. 19:10.70, Kara Overman (Grace Christian) 6
10. 19:26.94, Kylie Alexander (MacIntyre Park) 7

Caden McDaniel was first across the finish line in the Yellow Jacket Invitational's middle school boys' race; the Cook eighth-grader covered the course in 13:54. Walker Elrod, a Grace Christian seventh-grader, took second in 14:20. Bainbridge eighth-grader Aidan Angle was third in 14:41.


Cook sixth-grader Harris Holley joined McDaniel in the top ten, placing fourth in 14:46. Grayson Kennedy, a Cook seventh-grader, also had a top-ten showing, sixth in 15:34. Cook's remaining two scorers were seventh-grader Cooper Exum (13th, 16:29) and eighth-grader Landon Ray (19th, 17:11), giving their team 41 points and first place in a field of six teams. Led by sixth-grader Mason Tillman (9th, 15:55), Thomas County took second with 68 points. Grace Christian was third with 82 points.


2020 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Boys

1. Cook, 41
2. Thomas County, 68
3. Grace Christian, 82
4. Bainbridge, 85
5. Brookwood, 88
6. Community Christian, 139

Top Ten Middle School Boys, 27th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 13:53.56, Caden McDaniel (Cook) 8
2. 14:19.65, Walker Elrod (Grace Christian) 7
3. 14:40.97, Aidan Angle (Bainbridge) 8
4. 14:45.51, Harris Holley (Cook) 6
5. 15:05.53, Owen Earnest (Grace Christian) 8
6. 15:33.35, Grayson Kennedy (Cook) 7
7. 15:35.40, Corbin Thompson (Bainbridge) 7
8. 15:49.02, Tim Watson (Thomas County) 8
9. 15:54.07, Mason Tillman (Thomas County) 6
10. 16:10.37, James Mizell (Brookwood) 7

Yellow Jacket Cross Country Invitational winners, 2008 - 2017
High School Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
18 October 2008	Tift County, 32 points	16:59, Hunter Honeycutt (Tift County)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 41	16:13, Chase Harris (Bainbridge) 11
25 October 2014	Thomas County Central, 74	16:25, Wil Luca (Leon) 12
17 October 2015	Leon, 36	15:47, Poncherella Leonard (Bainbridge) 11
15 October 2016	Veterans, 54	17:13, Colby Jones (Lee County) 11
14 October 2017	Veterans, 32	17:04, Brishen House (Lowndes) 12
12 October 2019	Colquitt County, 68	17:21, Stokes Moore (Bainbridge) 12
29 August 2020	Davis, 36	18:16, Briley Reyes (Davis) 11
High School Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
18 October 2008	Valdosta, 30 points	21:12, JaCourtney Alexander (Cairo)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 30	19:44, Paige Braswell (Bainbridge) 12
25 October 2014	Berrien County, 47	20:58, Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11
17 October 2015	Leon, 44	20:07, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 10
15 October 2016	Lee County, 83	17:50, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
14 October 2017	Valwood, 80	17:45, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 12
12 October 2019	Aucilla Christian, 32	21:28, Anna James (Thomas County Central) 11
29 August 2020	Colquitt County, 41	20:06, Anna James (Thomas County Central) 12
Do you have results from the missing years? Please let me know!

Links

• Complete results of Thomas County Central's 2020 Yellow Jacket Cross-Country Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRGzVf9Jdc4yKdqpr_tmm4QWXEyZ-2ZM2ii40dEl3YdoFpu-7FwBt-KavFOQKHI6J7StxAOXoLpjW5U/pubhtml
  
  
• 2017 story, “Funderburk blazes a valedictory 17:44.50 at the Yellow Jacket Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/10/yellowjacket-xc-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Elizabeth Funderburk goes 17:50 in Thomasville at the Yellow Jacket Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/10/yellowjacket-xc-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Poncherella Leonard and Elizabeth Funderburk have wings at Yellow Jacket Invite”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/yellowjacket-xc-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Wil Luca, Rebekah Smith finish the season right at Yellow Jacket Cross Country Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/10/yellowjacket-xc-2014.html
  
  
• Can't get an invitation? Find an open race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2705

The engines were purring for Morgan Wilson and Jackson Yarbrough at the Panther Invitational

Morgan Wilson had a come-from-behind victory in the high school girls' 5K and Jackson Yarbrough held off Leo Rutledge to win the high school boys' 5K at the fifth annual Panther Invitational Cross-Country Meet, hosted by Saint John Paul II Catholic High School in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday morning, 12 September 2020. The Wakulla girls took the team title in their race with 37 points, while Maclay was the top boys team with a near-perfect score of 18.

Morgan Wilson

The Saint John Paul II Panthers run their home cross-country meets--including the Panther Invitational--on their school campus in the Southwood neighborhood of Tallahassee. Southwood was once part of Southwood Plantation, where the Saint Joe Paper Company ran cattle. Tallahassee harriers often find themselves racing on old cow pastures. When I was at Florida State University, we ran our cross-country meets on the grounds of the old college dairy farm and on the university golf course, which also used to be part of the dairy farm. Later, Florida State and other Tallahassee schools ran at the Miccosukkee Greenway, where Welaunee Plantation's cattle once grazed. Tallahassee's Apalachee Regional Park Cross-Country Course is also on former cattle land.


The cows had been gone for more than a few years when the 2020 Panther Invitational high school girls' race got under way at 7:45 AM. Maclay frosh Gracie Koeppel charged out in front of the field. 1500 meters into the race, Koeppel had ten seconds on the next runner, Morgan Wilson, a junior racing in Community Christian colors. Wilson, who had won the John Paul II Kickoff on the same course a week earlier, closed the gap by the three-kilometer mark, racing right behind Koeppel. Before the end of the fourth kilometer Wilson took over the lead, then spent the fifth kilometer getting away from Koeppel. At the end of that final kilometer, Wilson took first in 21:30 and Koeppel second in 21:38. In a battle for third Wakulla junior Clara Alford ran 21:42 to prevail over Maclay seventh-grader Lillian Koeppel (4th, 21:42) and Maclay junior Sofia Paredes (5th, 22:43).

Grace Koeppel

While Maclay waited for their fourth runner, Wakulla put four more scorers across-the finish line, including top-ten finishers frosh Liliana Lewis (6th, 22:58), junior Marina Whitsell (8th, 23:25), and junior Elizabeth Blitch (9th, 23:37). Alejandra Vivaldo Vasquez (11th, 23:54), a senior, was Wakulla's fifth scorer, giving her team 37 point and the Panther Invitational tile. The Maclay girls were third with 50 points, just ahead of the 54 scored by third-place Community Christian.


John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational Team Standings, High School Girls

1. Wakulla, 37
2. Maclay, 50
3. Community Christian, 54
4. Florida State, 101
5. Aucilla Christian, 135
6. Marianna, 146

Top Ten High School Girls, John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational

1. 21:30.00, Morgan Wilson (Community Christian) 11
2. 21:38.00, Gracie Koeppel (Maclay) 9
3. 22:41.22, Clara Alford (Wakulla) 11
4. 22:41.57, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 7
5. 22:42.82, Sofia Paredes (Maclay) 10
6. 22:57.85, Liliana Lewis (Wakulla) 9
7. 23:02.42, Niya Coleman (Florida State) 10
8. 23:24.99, Marina Whitsell (Wakulla) 11
9. 23:36.50, Elizabeth Blitch (Wakulla) 11
10. 23:42.87, Sarah Tychsen (Community Christian) 9

Jackson Yarbrough

A week before the Panther Invitational, Maclay senior Leo Rutledge had already raced on the course, winning the boys' 5K at the John Paul II Kickoff. But Jackson Yarbrough hadn't been at the kickoff. Yarbrough, a junior and transfer from Leon High, was soon setting the pace in the boys' race at the Panther Invite, taking over from early leader Simon Cole, a Wakulla senior. Rutledge also overtook Cole, running a distant second to Yarbrough till the third mile, when he began eating into Yarbrough's lead. With 200 meters to go, Rutledge was challenging Yarbrough. Yarbrough put the hammer down, and kicked to the finish line ahead of Rutledge, 17:32 to 17:34. Maclay sophomore Clayton Knox was third in 18:03, and Cole took fourth for Wakulla in 18:38.


Maclay's final two scorers showed up soon afterward, with sophomore Carter Rothel fifth in 18:50 and junior Evans Bishop seventh in 19:50. With five in the top seven, Maclay scored a mathematically unbeatable 18 points, winning the meet for the second time in the past three years. Wakulla was second in the field of eight teams with 86 points. Community Christian was a close third with 89 points, led by the 20:04 performance of Nicholas Ciarlariello--good for ninth place.

Jackson Yarbrough and Leo Rutledge

John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational Team Standings, High School Boys

1. Maclay, 18
2. Wakulla, 86
3. Community Christian, 89
4. Aucilla Christian, 108
5. Saint John Paul II Catholic, 144
6. Florida State, 145
7. Marianna, 158
8. North Florida Christian, 183

Top Ten High School Boys, John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational

1. 17:31.88, Jackson Yarbrough (Maclay) 11
2. 17:33.89, Leo Rutledge (Maclay) 12
3. 18:02.54, Clayton Knox (Maclay) 10
4. 18:37.14, Simon Cole (Wakulla) 12
5. 18:49.94, Carter Rothel (Maclay) 10
6. 19:23.26, Wyatt Stafford (Aucilla Christian) 12
7. 19:49.03, Evans Bishop (Maclay) 11
8. 19:55.71, Tyler Grubbs (North Florida Christian) 12
9. 20:03.14, Nicholas Ciarlariello (Community Christian) 12
10. 20:08.09, Bryce Broga (Florida State) 10

After the high school athletes had cleared the course it was time for the middle school 3K. Noah Deem, runner-up in the race in 2019, won the 2020 event. The eighth-grader from Community Leadership Academy ran 11:38. Peter Boulware, another Community Leadership eighth-grader, was runner-up in 12:46. Luke Meli, a Community Christian seventh-grader, was third in 12:57.


Meli was the first of three Community Christian athletes among the top ten boys, the other two being seventh-grader Charles Wilson (7th, 13:36) and eighth-grader Bryan Meli (9th, 14:00). The remaining Community Christian scorers were eighth-grader Ian Osterhaus (17th, 15:33) and seventh-grader Elias Bernstein (24th, 16:28). Meli, Wilson, Meli, Osterhaus, and Bernstein gave Community Christian 40 points and first in the middle school boys' standings.


Trinity Catholic, led by seventh-grader Mark Moore (6th, 13:33), took second with 53 points. Christ Classical was third with 65 points behind the tenth-place finish of eighth-grader Phillip Liquia (14:23).


John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Boys

1. Community Christian, 40
2. Trinity Catholic, 53
3. Christ Classical, 65
4. Community Leadership, 66

Top Ten Middle School Boys, John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational

1. 11:37.57, Noah Deem (Community Leadership) 8
2. 12:45.33, Peter Boulware (Community Leadership) 8
3. 12:56.69, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 7
4. 13:19.39, Jayden Catrett (Unattached) 8
5. 13:27.98, Josiah Friddle (Franklin County) 8
6. 13:32.06, Mark Moore (Trinity Catholic) 7
7. 13:35.56, Charles Wilson (Community Christian) 7
8. 13:46.56, Henry Lewis (Wakulla) 8t
9. 13:59.38, Bryan Meli (Community Christian) 8
10. 14:22.33, Phillip Liquia (Christ Classical) 8

There was a single middle school race for both girls and boys. Two eighth-graders battled for the first girls' spot--Isabella Laughton and Maclay's Payton Thumm. Thumm prevailed at the finish line, 13:52 to 13:54. Sixth-grader Charlotte Sikes of the Red Hills Running Club was third in the girls' division with a 14:06.


Thumm was just one of five Maclay girls in the top twelve. Rounding out the five were seventh-grader Nishi Bhanderi (4th, 14:34), eighth-grader Kassidy Moninger (5th, 14:47), eighth-grader Lauren Guyer (10th, 15:17), and sixth-grader Nya Drake (12th, 16:03). Those girls gave Maclay a mathematically unbeatable total of 23 points, making the Marauders the top middle school girls' team. The Red Hills Running club was second with 69 points. Wakulla, led by the fifteenth-place finish of sixth-grader Hadley Brown (16:29), was third with 89.


John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Girls

1. Maclay, 23
2. Red Hills Running Club, 69
3. Wakulla, 89
4. Riversprings, 104
5. Trinity Catholic, 110
6. Community Leadership, 134

Top Ten Middle School Girls, John Paul II Catholic's 2020 Panther Invitational

1. 13:51.98, Payton Thumm (Maclay) 8
2. 13:53.78, Isabella Laughton (Unattached) 8
3. 14:05.96, Charlotte Sikes (Red Hills Running Club) 6
4. 14:33.21, Nishi Bhanderi (Maclay) 7
5. 14:46.02, Kassidy Moninger (Maclay) 8
6. 15:04.80, Madi Sims (Unattached) 8
7. 15:07.36, Madeline Morris (Red Hills Running Club) 7
8. 15:11.14, Ryleigh Gunter (Florida State) 8
9. 15:14.22, Haley Heitmeyer (Red Hills Running Club) 6
10. 15:16.90, Lauren Guyer (Maclay) 8

Panther Invitational Cross-Country Meet Winners, 2016 - 2020
High School Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
9 September 2016	Lincoln, 38	18:18, Gatlin Nennstiel (Aucilla Christian) 12
23 September 2017	Wakulla, 15	18:17, Chris Porter (Wakulla) 11
8 September 2018	Maclay, 19	17:30, Junious Brown IV (Maclay) 11
7 September 2019	Community Christian, 47	18:00, David A. Keen (North Florida Christian) 12
12 September 2020	Maclay, 23	17:32, Jackson Yarbrough (Maclay) 11
High School Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
9 September 2016	Florida State, 41	21:52, Gianna Forte (Bishop Snyder) 10
23 September 2017	Community Christian, 29	22:31, Alyssa Langston (Wakulla) 11
8 September 2018	Maclay, 21	21:49, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
7 September 2019	South Walton, 17	21:10, Ava Flaherty (South Walton) 10
12 September 2020	Wakulla, 37	21:30, Morgan Wilson (Community Christian) 11

Links

• Complete results of John Paul II Catholic's 2019 Panther Invitational from Miles & Minutes, LLC
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQcV79LQXLtdKVxJ_VVV0tTcPqbGjYuWKTB7pm3KwQndIP8WY_PwHdblOzobZ657HBjKLkFPCdGy1Du/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the 2020 Panther Invitational
  
  • HS Girls: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10116627274734993
    
  • HS Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10116627557842643
    
  
  
• 2019 story, “Ava Flaherty and David Keen were top cats at the Panther Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/09/panther-xc-2019.html
  
  
• 2018 story, “Junious Brown and Ella Porcher lead a Maclay sweep of the Panther Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/09/panther-xc-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “The Wakulla boys and the Community Christian girls prevail at the Panther Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/09/panther-xc-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Seminoles and Trojans triumph at the Panther Cross Country Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/panther-xc-2016.html
  
  
• 2018 Tallahassee Area Cross Country Schedule
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/07/tallahassee-xc-2018.html
  
  
• Upcoming cross country, road, trail, and track races in the Tallahassee region via Trouble Afoot!
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2704

Tallahassee area cross country meets in 2020

2020 Tallahassee Area Cross Country Schedule

4A Boys' race, 2019 FHSAA State Championship Cross-Country Meet at Apalachee Regional Park

Here's a list of cross country meets in the Tallahassee area during the upcoming 2020 season. I've limited this to middle school, high school, and college events, so you won't see open events here like the Miller Landing Madness, Run For Lawson, Pine Run, or Tannenbaum Trail 6K. I've also limited the list to Leon County and its immediate neighbors, so you'll find events here in Wakulla, Decatur, Thomas, and Jefferson counties, but nothing farther afield. The schedule is a bit lean due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and additional cancellations aren't unlikely. Get confirmation from an official source before making plans, and please be safe. ~ HW

22 AUGUST 2020 (Saturday)

• Dueling Summits Invitational Cross-Country Meet (formerly the Cougar Cross Country Challenge). 7:15 AM ET community and JV 5K / 8:00 AM ET high school girls 5K / 8:40 AM ET high school boys 5K / 9:15 AM ET middle school girls 3K / 9:40 AM ET middle school boys 3K / 10:10 AM ET one-mile challenge. Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park (Gate B), 1775 Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312. 2019 story. 2017 story. 2016 story. 2014 story. 2013 story. 2010 story. CANCELED
  

29 AUGUST 2020 (Saturday)

• 27th annual Yellow Jacket Invitational. Thomas County Central Middle School, 4681 US Highway 84 Bypass, Thomasville, Georgia 31792. 8:30 AM ET high school girls 5K / 9:15 AM ET high school boys 5K / middle school 3K. 2017 story. 2016 story. 2015 story. 2014 story. Tony Voyles, avoyles@tcjackets.net or 912-550-4917.
  

5 SEPTEMBER 2020 (Saturday)

• Saint John Paul II Catholic High School Cross-Country Kickoff. 8:00 AM ET girls 5K / 8:45 AM ET boys 5K. Saint John Paul II Catholic High School, 5100 Terrebone Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32311. 2020 story.
  

12 SEPTEMBER 2020 (Saturday)

• 5th annual John Paul II Panther Invite. 7:45 AM ET high school girls' 5K / 8:30 AM ET high school boys' 5K / 9:45 AM ET middle school 3K. Saint John Paul II Catholic High School, 5100 Terrebone Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32311. 2020 story. 2019 story. 2018 story. 2017 story. 2016 story.
  

24 SEPTEMBER 2020 (Thursday)

• Crusader Cross Country Classic (Middle Schools). 6:00 PM ET elementary school mile / 6:15 PM ET middle school girls 3K / 6:45 PM ET middle school boys 3K. Lawson's Course at Holy Comforter Episcopal School, 2001 Fleischmann Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. 2018 story. 2017 story. 2016 story. 2015 story. 2014 story. 2013 story. 2012 story. 2009 story.
  

26 SEPTEMBER 2020 (Saturday)

• Florida State University School Invitational Cross-Country Meet. 8:00 AM ET high school girls' 5K / 8:45 AM ET high school boys' 5K / 9:15 AM ET middle school girls' 3K / 9:40 AM ET middle school boys' 3K. 3000 School House Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32311.
  

30 SEPTEMBER 2020 (Wednesday)

• Maclay School's Middle School Cross-Country Meet #1. 5:30 PM ET girls' 3K / 5:50 PM ET boys' 3K. Maclay School, 3737 North Meridian Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312.
  

2 OCTOBER 2020 (Friday)

• Florida State University Cross Country Invitational (Collegiate Classic). 7:40 AM ET college men 8K / 8:10 AM ET college women 5K / 8:30 AM ET open men 8K / 8:30 AM ET open women 5K. Apalachee Regional Park Championship Cross Country Course, 7550 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, Florida. 2017 story. 2010 story. 2009 story. 1981 story. 1980 story. 1978 story. Event page on Facebook.
  

3 OCTOBER 2020 (Saturday)

• Florida State University Cross Country Invitational (Pre-State). 7:15 AM ET boys high school Elite 5K / 7:40 AM ET girls high school Elite 5K / 8:05 AM ET boys open-club 5K / 8:30 AM ET girls open-club 5K / 8:55 AM ET boys high school Select 5K / 9:20 AM ET girls high school Select 5K / 9:45 AM ET boys high school Varsity A 5K / 10:10 AM ET girls high school Varsity A 5K / 10:35 AM ET boys high school Varsity B 5K / 11:00 AM ET girls high school Varsity B 5K. Apalachee Regional Park Championship Cross Country Course, 7550 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, Florida 32311. 2016 story. 2010 story. 2009 story. 1981 story. 1980 story. 1978 story. Event page on Facebook.
  

6 OCTOBER 2020 (Tuesday)

• Tallahassee Middle School Open. 6:00 PM ET elementary school mile / 6:15 PM ET middle school girls 3K / 6:45 PM ET middle school boys 3K. Lawson's Course at Holy Comforter Episcopal School, 2001 Fleischmann Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. 2018 story. 2017 story. 2016 story. 2015 story. 2014 story. 2012 story.
  

10 OCTOBER 2020 (Saturday)

• 21st annual Bainbridge High Bearcat Invitational. 8:00 AM ET high school girls 5K / 8:45 AM ET high school boys 5K / 9:15 AM ET middle school two mile /9:45 AM ET JV 5K. Bainbridge High School, 1 Bearcat Boulevard, Bainbridge, Georgia 39819. 2017 story. 2016 story. 2015 story.
  

14 OCTOBER 2020 (Wednesday)

• Maclay School's Middle School Cross-Country Meet #2. 5:30 PM ET girls' 3K / 5:50 PM ET boys' 3K. Maclay School, 3737 North Meridian Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312.
  

27 OCTOBER 2020 (Tuesday)

• GHSA Region 1-AA Cross-Country Championships. 10:00 AM ET Girls' 5K / 10:30 AM ET Boys' 5K. Pebble Hill Plantation, Pebble Hill Plantation, 1251 US Highway 319 South, Thomasville, Georgia 31792. 2014 story. 2013 story. 2011 story. 2010 story.
  

13-14 NOVEMBER 2020 (Friday-Saturday)

• FHSAA Cross Country State Finals. 7:30 AM ET. Apalachee Regional Park Championship Cross Country Course, 7550 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, Florida 32311. 2018 story. 2017 story. 2016 story. 2015 story. 2014 story. 2013 story. 2012 story. 2010 story. 2009 story. Event page on Facebook.
  

Links

• Past Tallahassee Area Cross-Country Schedules
  
  • 2019: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/08/tallahassee-xc-2019.html
  • 2018: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/07/tallahassee-xc-2018.html
  • 2017: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/tallahassee-xc-2017.html
    
  • 2016: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/tallahassee-xc-2016.html
    
  • 2015: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/tallahassee-xc-2015.html
    
  • 2012: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/08/tallahassee-xc-2012.html
    
  
  
• Find an upcoming road, trail, or track event for yourself on the Troube Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2703

Lowndes harriers Alec Munger and Victoria Garcia win Valdosta's Labor Day 5K

Valdosta, Georgia's Labor Day 5K wasn't a cross-country meet, but the race date--7 September 2020--was during high school cross-country season. And Lowndes High School cross-country runners swept the titles in the race. Lowndes senior Alec Munger was the overall winner, covering the 3.1-mile course in 16:35. Victoria Garcia, a Lowndes sophomore, placed first in the women's standings, finishing seventeenth overall in 22:39.

Alec Munger

Aaron Munger, the runner-up, was also a Lowndes athlete. A sophomore, the younger Munger went 17:20. Parker Reid Jackson edged Lowndes junior Matt Herndon for third, 18:00 to 18:01. Jackson, a Valdosta High junior, was the Labor Day 5K defending champion. Ryan Kelly of Lake Park, Georgia was the top master runner in the race, placing sixth overall in 19:07.


Lowndes senior Kiley Matheson took second in the women's category, coming in 24th overall in 23:29. Another Lowndes cross-country runner, sophomore Lindsey Whitmer, was the third woman and 26th overall in 23:39. Loretta Tanner of Waycross, Georgia was the first woman master and the tenth female finisher, overall in 26:21.


The top twenty men and the top twenty women each received a Valdosta State University coffee mug, presented just past the finish line.


99 athletes finished the 2020 Valdosta Labor Day 5K. Proceeds of the race benefited the Valdosta State University cross-country teams. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2020 Valdosta Labor Day 5K

1. 16:34.1, Alec Munger (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
2. 17:19.9, Aaron Munger (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
3. 17:59.7, Parker Jackson (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
4. 18:01.0, Matthew Herndon (M, 16) Lake Park, GA
5. 18:12.2, Burnis Williams (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
6. 19:06.5, Ryan Kelly (M, 41) Lake Park, GA
7. 19:08.8, Mason Thompson (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
8. 19:33.8, Isaac Chambers (M, 14) Hahira, GA
9. 19:43.9, Will Gerber (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
10. 20:28.4, Blake Jaramillo (M, 16) Hahira, GA

Top Ten Women 2020 Valdosta Labor Day 5K

1. 22:38.4, Victoria Garcia (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
2. 23:28.2, Kiley Matheson (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
3. 23:38.5, Lindsay Whitmer (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
4. 24:11.9, Megan Gemma (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
5. 24:23.3, Laura Solomon (F, 38) Nashville, GA
6. 24:42.5, Bianca Anderson (F, 16) Valdosta, GA
7. 24:55.7, Jamie Brown (F, 36) Valdosta, GA
8. 24:57.2, Emily Asola (F, 16) Valdosta, GA
9. 25:12.8, Katelyn Kotterman (F, 14) Valdosta, GA
10. 26:20.4, Loretta Tanner (F, 42) Waycross, GA

Valdosta Labor Day 5K winners, 2009 - 2020
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
7 September 2009	18:19, Drew Dunbar	20:28, Ashley McGee	122
6 September 2010	16:18, Chris Rice	20:27, Jordanne Helton	290
5 September 2011	17:55, Masked Avenger	20:59, Mary Alice Smoot	108
3 September 2012	17:44, James Marino	22:27, Taylor Harrington	93
2 September 2013	18:15, Matthew Baun	19:48, Mary Alice Smoot	89
1 September 2014	17:07, Matthew Baun	21:58, Alice Smoot	65
7 September 2015	18:56, Ryan Kelly	22:38, Darien Andreu	87
5 September 2016	18:03, Dan Butzin	21:44, Debbie Green	106
4 September 2017	Canceled
3 September 2018	19:39, Rick Mazurkiewicz	21:42, Sandra Griffin	80
2 September 2019	20:35, Parker Jackson	23:29, Kelly Lunceford	44
7 September 2020	16:35, Alec Munger	22:39, Victoria Garcia	99

Links

• Complete results of the 2020 Valdosta Labor Day 5K courtesy of A Course/Line, LLC
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQTC4f7_gQ1r1SUf-98zmYQ0MEhDLwnQt312Js358CIH86r_rwrNSZATcVxT6vHAkLkFJU984pCqktZ/pubhtml
  
  
• 2019 story, “Parker Jackson and Kelly Lunceford win at Valdosta's Labor Day 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2019.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Hermine can't halt Butzin or Green”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Kelly and Andreu work the Valdosta roads on Labor Day”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2015.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Mary Alice Smoot's 19:48 is a new mark in the Valdosta Labor Day 5K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Rain can't spoil Valdosta's Labor Day picnic on the roads”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Valdosta Labor Day 5K, Valdosta, Georgia, 6 September 2010”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2010.html
  
  
• Find your next holiday road race in the region using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2702