Championship season opens with District 3-1A and a Maclay sweep

In Florida, the high school cross-country championship season consists of three rounds--the district meets, the region meets, and the state final. In Tallahassee, that 2012 championship season opened with the FHSAA District 3-1A Meet at Maclay School on Thursday afternoon, 1 November 2012.


Competition opened at 4:15 PM ET with the girls 5K race. Taylor Copeland of Aucilla Christian grabbed an early lead, but before the end of the first kilometer Maclay School senior Kristin Sweeney was out in front to stay, going on to win in 20:21. By the end of the race Sweeney and her teammates Elizabeth Santoro, Tammi Wilson, and Kristen Fontela had taken the first four places in the race, leading Maclay to a 16-point total and the district title. Behind Copeland's fifth-place finish, Aucilla totalled 47 points to finish as district runners-up. John Paul II Catholic High School took third with 77 points. All three schools advanced to the Region 1 championship meet.


Team Standings, Girls

1. Maclay School, 16
2. Aucilla Christian Academy, 47
3. John Paul II Catholic High School, 77

Results, Girls

1. 20:20.87 ~ Kristin Sweeney (Maclay) 12
2. 21:43.82 ~ Elizabeth Santoro (Maclay) 12
3. 22:07.00 ~ Tamani Wilson (Maclay) 10
4. 22:24.24 ~ Kristen Fontela (Maclay) 12
5. 22:34.33 ~ Taylor Copeland (Aucilla Christian) 9

6. 22:37.68 ~ Lindsey Poole (Maclay) 12
7. 22:47.83 ~ Sarah Tharpe (Aucilla Christian) 9
8. 23:05.00 ~ Nicole Heinz (Maclay) 10
9. 23:21.50 ~ Victoria Hurlbut (John Paul II) 12
10. 23:29.80 ~ Jessica Giddens (Aucilla Christian) 7
11. 24:00.58 ~ Katie Whitworth (Maclay) 9
12. 24:16.02 ~ Grace Beshears (Aucilla Christian) 6
13. 25:10.86 ~ Hanna Searcy (Aucilla Christian) 7
14. 25:15.24 ~ Kelly Kolman (John Paul II) 9
15. 26:58.39 ~ Brittany Hughes (Aucilla Christian) 8
16. 26:59.52 ~ Sarah Peeler (Aucilla Christian) 11
17. 27:00.89 ~ Erin Kolman (John Paul II) 11
18. 27:22.25 ~ Grayson Heath (John Paul II) 10
19. 27:27.71 ~ LeeAnne Moleski (John Paul II) 12
20. 27:49.94 ~ Katarina Forsthoefel (John Paul II) 9

The girls' race was followed by the boys' 5K. Griffith Rutherford of North Florida Christian School raced to the front of the pack right after the start. After a little more than a kilometer of running, though, it looked like the patience of the Maclay athletes was paying off, as Jack Rutledge moved into the lead. Maclay senior Travis Covert was running in third, just a step or two behind Rutherford. By halfway through the race Rutledge had faded, and Covert appeared to be in command of the race, running several steps ahead of Rutherford. But on the third and final loop around the course, Rutherford took charge. The NFCS junior seized the lead and opened a wide gap on the Maclay senior, beating Covert to the finish line 16:40 to 16:59. After Rutherford, though, Covert and four other Maclay runners claimed the next five places, giving Maclay 20 points and the district title. NFCS placed second with 53 points, and Aucilla Christian third with 64 points. Only three teams could advance to the Region 1 meet, so John Paul II Catholic's 104 points for fourth place marked the end of their 2012 cross-country campaign.


The Region 1-1A meet was scheduled for Sunny Hill Farms in Tallahassee on Saturday morning, 10 November 2012. Teams advancing out of their Region meet go on to compete at the FHSAA State Final on the Apalachee Regional Park Cross-Country Course in Tallahassee.


Team Standings, Boys

1. Maclay, 20
2. North Florida Christian School, 53
3. Aucilla Christian Academy, 64
4. John Paul II Catholic High School, 104

Results, Boys

1. 16:39.09 ~ Griffith Rutherford (North Florida Christian) 11
2. 16:58.87 ~ Travis Covert (Maclay) 12
3. 17:13.48 ~ Alex Artecona (Maclay) 11
4. 17:26.07 ~ Jack Rutledge (Maclay) 11
5. 17:32.78 ~ CJ Barkas (Maclay) 11

6. 17:36.44 ~ George Gwynn (Maclay) 9
7. 17:48.94 ~ Braden Mattingly (Aucilla Christian) 11
8. 17:54.92 ~ Luke Strickland (North Florida Christian) 11
9. 18:06.25 ~ Steven Simpkins (Maclay) 9
10. 18:10.61 ~ Jay Finlayson (Aucilla Christian) 12
11. 18:11.30 ~ Jake Mazziotta (Maclay) 8
12. 18:25.73 ~ Garet Grant (North Florida Christian) 9
13. 18:42.93 ~ Robby Tenney (North Florida Christian) 11
14. 19:23.56 ~ Gatlin Nennstiel (Aucilla Christian) 8
15. 19:33.17 ~ Carson Nennstiel (Aucilla Christian) 10
16. 19:41.86 ~ Matthew Cowdrey (John Paul II) 9
17. 20:50.36 ~ Daniel Mangan (John Paul II) 11
18. 20:56.87 ~ Taylor Nuggent (Aucilla Christian) 9
19. 21:17.73 ~ Brandon Bodiford (North Florida Christian) 11
20. 21:34.80 ~ Noah Andrews (North Florida Christian) 10
21. 21:36.83 ~ Matthias Laywell (John Paul II) 9
22. 23:12.69 ~ Brandon Slaughter (Aucilla Christian) 7
23. 23:12.99 ~ J.T. Harp (Aucilla Christian) 8
24. 23:13.28 ~ Macklin Tweedie (John Paul II) 12
25. 23:25.11 ~ Cody Riles (North Florida Christian) 11
26. 25:35.93 ~ Evan Bondi (John Paul II) 11
27. 25:40.55 ~ William Goble (John Paul II) 12
28. 28:30.49 ~ Frank DiMarco (John Paul II) 12

Links

• More photos of the FHSAA District 3-1A girls' race
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102609734677633.3440757.5215641&l=23ee8c840c
  
  
• More photos of the FHSAA District 3-1A boys' race
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102609763230413.3440760.5215641&l=84ba348deb
  
  
• 2011 story, "First meet in the state tournament is all Maclay"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/fhsaa-district-3-1a-xc-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "2010 FHSAA District 1-1A Cross-Country Meet"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/district-1-1a-xc-2010.html
  
  
• 2009 story, "2009 FHSAA District 1-1A Cross Country Meet"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/11/2009-fhsaa-district-1-1a-cross-country.html
  
  
• Find an upcoming road or cross-country race in the Tallahassee region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1