A winning start to the season for Patrick Koon and Kate Drummond at Cecil Field

New World Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Florida probably was a swamp at one time. The ground has the spongy feeling of land that remembers long years of never being quite dry. During World War II, the land became part of Cecil Field Naval Air Station. In 1975 Fiddler's Green, an eighteen-hole golf course, was built. New owners renamed the site New World Golf Course, then added disc golf in 2015. high school cross-country arrived in 2017 as the Cecil Field Pre-Season Classic, thanks to Bishop Snyder coach Richard Fannin. On Friday evening, 27 August 2021, the meet moved into the regular season and became the Cecil Field Summer Classic.


Over 1600 athletes crossed a finish line in the races at the 2021 Classic, including 196 in the high school girls' elite 5K. Of those nearly 200, the first was Buchholz junior Kate Drummond, who won the race by 70 meters in 18:39. Leon sophomore Patrick Koon was first among 228 finishers in high school boys' elite 5K, cruising the course in a course and meet record 15:15.

Kate Drummond

The girls' elite race started promptly at 7:15 PM. A flurry of athletes with more optimism than judgment set the early pace. Two kilometers into the race, fatigue had cleared them away and Zoe Pustilnik, a Spanish River senior, was leading. Kate Drummond was just off Pustilnik's right shoulder.


During the third kilometer, Drummond took over, opening a three-second gap. The gap grew. With 600 meters to go, Drummond was ten seconds ahead of the next runner, Timber Creek senior Amber Schulz. Pustilnik was a few steps back in third. Those positions held till the finish line, where Drummond was first in 18:39. It was her first high school cross-country win. Schulz was runner-up in 18:55. Pustilnik held off Episcopal frosh Lucrezia Gowdy to take third, both runners clocked in 19:02.

Amber Schulz

In the team standings, Bolles was first in the field of twenty schools, led by the seventh-place finish of Bulldog junior Elizabeth Csikai. Csikai ran 19:17. Bolles remaining scorers were frosh Elizabeth McClure (14th, 19:42), forsh Estella Bruneau (20th, 19:53), senior Maddie Popp (24th, 20:03), and sophomore Leila Bata (31st, 20:11). Those five gave the Bulldogs 93 points and the win. Drummond's Buchholz Bobcats were second with 128 points. Leon High, led by Lion junior Lily Moore (5th, 19:09), scored 139 points to take third.


Team Standings, High School Girls' Elite 5K

1. Bolles, 93
2. Buchholz, 128
3. Leon, 139
4. Circle Christian, 158
5. Maclay, 213
6. Niceville, 229
7. Satellite, 243
8. Bishop Kenny, 269
9. Viera, 270
10. Saint Augustine, 272
11. Spanish River, 274
12. Pensacola Christian, 283
13. Timber Creek, 294
14. Winter Park, 295
15. Bartram Trail, 303
16. Mount Dora, 315
17. Creekside, 376
18. Jacksonville Episcopal, 389
19. Nease, 416
20. Richmond Hill, 508

Top Ten Athletes, High School Girls' Elite 5K

1. 18:39, Kate Drummond (Buchholz) 11
2. 18:55, Amber Schulz (Timber Creek) 12
3. 19:02, Zoe Pustilnik (Spanish River) 12
4. 19:02, Lucrezia Gowdy (Jacksonville Episcopal) 9
5. 19:09, Lily Moore (Leon) 11
6. 19:10, Reilly Barber (Saint Augustine) 12
7. 19:17, Elizabeth Csikai (Bolles) 11
8. 19:20, Lucy Voss (Buchholz) 10
9. 19:31, Emma White (Buchholz) 10
10. 19:35, Lillee Tang (Leon) 11

With daylight fading from clouds and sunset, the high school boys' elite 5K got underway at 7:45 PM. 400 meters from the starting line, Patrick Koon took the lead. Nick Carpenter, a Trinity Prep senior, tucked in behind Koon. Carpenter remained a step behind in Koon's wake through two kilometers, but Koon began to pull away during the third kilometer. With 600 meters to go, Koon was 15 seconds ahead.

Patrick Koon

Meanwhile, Matthew Stratton, a Saint Johns Country Day senior, had caught up with Carpenter. Fighting for second, Carpenter and Stratton began to eat into Koon's lead. As the finish line approached, Stratton left Carpenter behind and charged after Koon.


But the Leon sophomore was too far ahead. Koon made it to the finish line in 15:15, five seconds ahead of Stratton's 15:20. Both runners under the previous course record. Carpenter nabbed third in 15:26.


Viera senior Michael Toppi nabbed fourth in 15:38. Toppi was one of two Viera athletes in the top ten, the other was junior Cameron Raney, tenth in 15:59. Viera's remaining scorers were senior Robbie Naberhaus (12th, 16:05), junior Aedan Rendeck (27th, 16:44), and frosh Jack Girard (37th, 16:54), givng the Hawks 80 points and first place among 22 teams. Led by the fifth place finish Satellite took second with 98 points, led by senior Justin Wilson, fifth in 15:44. Bolles was third, scoring 103 points behind the top Bulldog, senior William Brady. Brady was eighth in 15:58.


Team Standings, High School Boys' Elite 5K

1. Viera, 80
2. Satellite, 98
3. Bolles, 103
4. Creekside, 166
5. Circle Christian, 207
6. Bartram Trail, 219
7. Niceville, 221
8. Leon, 225
9. Buchholz, 238
10. Nease, 239
11. Oak Hall, 318
12. Spanish River, 320
13. Richmond Hill, 322
14. Pensacola Christian, 410
15. Winter Park, 424
16. Bishop Kenny, 433
17. Melbourne, 447
18. Maclay, 449
19. Timber Creek, 466
20. Saint Francis Catholic, 532
21. Fort Walton Beach, 569
22. Saint Augustine, 590

Top Ten Athletes, High School Boys' Elite 5K

1. 15:15, Patrick Koon (Leon) 10
2. 15:21, Matthew Stratton (Saint Johns Country Day) 12
3. 15:26, Nick Carpenter (Trinity Prep) 12
4. 15:38, Michael Toppi (Viera) 12
5. 15:44, Justin Wilson (Satellite) 12
6. 15:50, Emerson Miller (Buchholz) 11
7. 15:56, Dayton Law (Satellite) 12
8. 15:58, William Brady (Bolles) 12
9. 15:58, Caden Montini (Oak Hall) 11
10. 15:59, Cameron Raney (Viera) 11

Before the elite races, the girls' varsity 5K and the boys' varsity 5K had the course. A light rain fell during the girls' varsity race. By two kilometers Oakleaf junior Sierra Barrera had moved up through the field to take the lead. During the third kilometer, Rockedge sophomore Malinda Underwood and Fletcher frosh Tessa Massa moved up four places and pulled even with Barrera. The rest of the race was Barrera, Massa, and Underwood fighting for first, farther and farther ahead of the rest of the field. It came down to the final kick. Underwood edged Barrera for the win, both running 20:19, with Massa a hair behind in 202:20.

Malinda Underwood, Tessa Massa, Sierra Barrera

It was a Bulldog vs. Bulldog battle in the team standings, with the Bolles Bulldogs and the Melbourne Bulldogs fighting for first. Bolles had no runners in the top ten, but scorers Kavya Patel (13th, 22:00), Kate Mark (20th, 22:25), Emily Loftin (27th, 22:40), Sofia Petrucelli (29th, 22:44), and Lilly Lenger (36th, 23:19) gave their team 109 points. However, Melbourne also had 109 points, thanks to Caroline Bergstrom (7th, 21:33), Aubrey Orcutt (15th, 22:05), Katelyn Apotsos (26th, 22:38), Mehek Niwas (34th, 22:59), and Emma Hanus (43rd, 23:31). Under NFHS rules, a tie score is resolved by comparing the sixth runner on each team--"the team with the best sixth-place finisher shall prevail." In this case, the best sixth-place finsher was Bolles eighth-grader Katherine Libby who placed 41st in 23:30, giving her team first place. Stanton, led by senior Alexandria Richmond (5th, 21:27), was third with 174 points.


Team Standings, High School Girls' Varsity 5K

1. Bolles, 109
2. Melbourne, 109
3. Stanton, 174
4. Clay, 183
5. Fort Walton Beach, 190
6. Bishop Snyder, 212
7. Fletcher, 246
8. Middleburg, 262
9. Niceville, 269
10. Rockledge, 279
11. Creekside, 285
12. Jeff Davis, 311
13. Wolfson, 329
14. Oakleaf, 362
15. Fernandina Beach, 368
16. Mandarin, 377
17. Bishop Kenny, 384
18. Bartram Trail, 392
19. Saint Johns Country Day, 415
20. Nease, 512
21. Saint Francis Catholic, 529
22. Ridgeview, 567
23. Suwannee, 600
24. Jacksonville Episcopal, 642
25. Richmond Hill, 645

Top Ten Athletes, High School Girls' Varsity 5K

1. 20:19, Malinda Underwood (Rockledge) 10
2. 20:19, Sierra Barrera (Oakleaf) 11
3. 20:20, Tessa Massa (Fletcher) 9
4. 21:04, Emily Wheldon (Bishop Snyder) 10
5. 21:19, Ava Quattrocchi (Rockledge) 10
6. 21:27, Alexandra Richmond (Stanton) 12
7. 21:33, Caroline Bergstrom (Melbourne) 10
8. 21:33, Rebecca Stratton (Saint Johns Country Day) 9
9. 21:34, Catalina Romero (Saint Francis Catholic) 10
10. 21:40, Lauren Quinn (Fernandina Beach) 10

James Snipes, a Ridgeview senior, was the early leader of the boys' varsity 5K. He was shadowed for more than three kilometers by Rockledge junior Josiah Price. When Price faded another Rockledge junior, Christian Calderon, took over the pursuit. Calderon couldn't catch Snipes, either. Snipes expanded his lead over the final kilometer to win the race in 16:47. Calderon was second in 16:59. Mandarin junior Gavin Nelson was third in 17:17.

James Snipes

Joining Nelson were Mandarin's other four scorers-sophomore Dominic Geraci (15th, 17:51), senior Max Dedrick (17th, 17:52), junior Casey King (20th, 18:14), and senior Jacob Chattin (41st, 18:53). Those five gave Mandarin 96 points, good for first place in a field of 32 teams. Creekside edged Niceville for second 188 to 189, just ahead of fourth-place Bolles' 190 points. Creekside's top runner was frosh Bill Foulk, eleventh in 17:40; Niceville's first scorer was sophopmore Alexander Buena, seventh in 17:28.


Team Standings, High School Boys' Varsity 5K

1. Mandarin, 96
2. Creekside, 188
3. Niceville, 189
4. Bolles, 190
5. Jeff Davis, 196
6. Jacksonville Episcopal, 236
7. Buchholz, 246
8. Bartram Trail, 272
9. Stanton, 282
10. Bishop Snyder, 314
11. Valdosta, 315
12. Providence, 341
13. Ridgeview, 350
14. Middleburg, 398
15. Rockledge, 432
16. Fletcher, 446
17. Nease, 453
18. Wolfson, 473
19. Saint Johns Country Day, 535
20. Clay, 539
21. Suwannee, 552
22. Richmond Hill, 595
23. Santa Fe, 613
24. Oakleaf, 670
25. Bishop Kenny, 676
26. Fernandina Beach, 676
27. Baker County, 687
28. Mount Dora, 691
29. Trinity Christian, 771
30. Orange Park, 779
31. Christ's Church, 805
32. Saint Francis Catholic, 883

Top Ten Athletes, High School Boys' Varsity 5K

1. 16:47, James Snipes (Ridgeview) 12
2. 16:59, Cristian Calderon (Rockledge) 11
3. 17:17, Gavin Nelson (Mandarin) 11
4. 17:20, Donald Dempsey (Bishop Snyder) 12
5. 17:23, Josiah Price (Rockledge) 11
6. 17:27, Graham Myers (Saint Johns Country Day) 10
7. 17:28, Alexander Buena (Niceville) 10
8. 17:30, Matthew Ortiz (Santa Fe) 12
9. 17:30, Parker Jackson (Valdosta) 12
10. 17:35, Caden Hoffer (Bishop Snyder) 12

First Place Sports of Jacksonville, Florida timed and score the 2021 Cecil Field Summer Classic. High school cross-country returns to New World Sports on 2 October 2021 at the New World Fall Spectacular.


Links

• Complete results of the varsity and elite races at the 2021 Cecil Field Summer Classic
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRK2QKiXlTU-krPV3v4zQrLFt9Bzc-vvSCNuozB4PFC3BN5XwdpkPlXwBxYfiu6K9J44nJMwFGTadUZ/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the 2021 Cecil Field Summer Classic
  
  • Boys' Elite 5K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10118315723579973
  • Girls' Elite 5K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10118315900984453
  • Boys' Varsity 5K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10118316138458553
  • Girls' Varsity 5K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10118316277963983
  • Open 5K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10118318175750803
  
  
• Find races closer to Tallahassee on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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