Matthew Stratton blazes a 15:06 win in the 1A Region 1 Cross-Country Championship

On Friday morning, 5 November 2021, the FHSAA 1A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships opened with a close race, the girls' 5K. In a duel of two Pensacola Christian girls, sophomore RaeAnne Tutton edged eighth-grader Jaimee Tutton, 18:53.8 to 18:53.9. If that weren't enough excitement for the high school cross-country fans in Jacksonville, Florida, the boys' 5K saw Matthew Stratton, a Saint Johns Country Day senior, race 15:06 on the course at the New World Sports Complex. Maclay topped the team standings in the girls' 5K with 35 points, while the Pensacola Christian boys put up 43 points to take first in their race.


Laci Watford, the University Christian senior and 2020 Region 1 champ, was in the field of the girls' 5K. So was Maclay sophomore Susan Koeppel, who had beaten Watford eight days earlier to win the the 1A District 2 championship. The Tutton sisters left them both behind along with the rest of the competition, finishing the race about 50 meters ahead of everyone else in 18:54. Watford was second in 19:05; Susan Koeppel placed fourth in 19:14.


Maclay sophomore Mary Clayton Soto was fifth in 19:16. Pensacola Christian eighth-grader Reagan Smith followed, sixth in 19:22. Maclay answered with eighth-grader Lillian Koeppel seventh in 20:07 and frosh Kassidy Moninger eighth in 20:10. Maclay eighth-grader Caroline Couch finished up the scoring for the Marauders, placing eleventh in 20:29. That gave the Maclay girls 35 points and the school's eighth straight Region 1 girls' title.


Led by the Tuttons, Pensacola Christian was a very close second with 38 points. Providence was third with 168 points, behind the fifteenth-place showing of their top runner, seventh-grader Katie Cunningham. Cunningham ran 20:36.


The top eight teams qualified for the State Championship Meet. Rounding out that top eight were Bishop Snyder (4th, 168 points), Community Christian (5th, 170 points), Port Saint Joe (6th, 186 points), University Christian (7th, 194 points), and Saint Joseph (8th, 202 points).


Team Standings, 2021 FHSAA 1A Region 1 Girls' Cross-Country Championships

1. Maclay, 35 *
2. Pensacola Christian, 38 *
3. Providence, 105 *
4. Bishop Snyder, 168 *
5. Community Christian, 170 *
6. Port Saint Joe, 186 *
7. University Christian, 194 *
8. Saint Joseph, 202 *
9. Saint Johns Country Day, 205
10. Harvest Community, 206
11. Paxton, 270
12. Altha, 326
13. Blountstown, 384
14. Rocky Bayou Christian, 395
15. Wewahitchka, 462

* Qualified for the State Final


Top 15 Girls, 2021 FHSAA 1A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 18:53.80, RaeAnne Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 10
2. 18:53.90, Jaimee Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 8
3. 19:04.30, Laci Watford (University Christian) 12
4. 19:13.20, Susan Koeppel (Maclay) 10
5. 19:15.20, Mary Clayton Soto (Maclay) 10
6. 19:22.00, Reagan Smith (Pensacola Christian) 8
7. 20:06.40, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 8
8. 20:09.30, Kassidy Moninger (Maclay) 9
9. 20:20.00, Emily Wheldon (Bishop Snyder) 10
10. 20:24.40, Paige Brammer (Saint Joseph) 9
11. 20:28.80, Caroline Couch (Maclay) 8
12. 20:32.30, Sofia Peterlevitz (Pensacola Christian) 8
13. 20:34.70, Ana Whitehouse (Saint Joseph) 11
14. 20:34.80, Truth King (University Christian) 10
15. 20:35.70, Katie Cunningham (Providence) 7

The Tutton sisters ran with each other, but Matthew Stratton didn't have much company on the course in the boys' 5K. Running 15:06 will do that. Statton was close to 300 meters ahead of the next runner when he crossed the finish line, the 1A Region 1 champion for the second year in a row. Pensacola Christian senior Jonathan Tutton finished runner-up in 16:03. Maclay junior Clayton Knox placed third in 16:14.


Pensacola Christian put two more athletes in the top ten--junior Andrew Birx was fifth in 16:27 and junior Micah Sleeth was tenth in 17:10. Erick Lund, a Pensacola Christian senior, was eleventh in 17:16. The fifth and final scorer for Pensacola Christian was junior Micah Hodge, fifteenth in 17:25. With Hodge across the finish line, the Warriors had 43 points and the 2021 1A Region 1 title--their first regional win in the 21st Century.


The Maclay boys, Region 1 champs in 2019 and 2020, were second in 2021 with 116 points. Stratton and Saint Johns Country Day scored 143 points, taking third.

The top three teams qualified for the State Final, as did the next five schools--Providence (4th, 153 points), Bishop Snyder (5th, 157 points), Saint Joseph (6th, 175 points), Blountstown (7th, 177 points), and Community Christian (8th, 218 points). The FHSAA State Championship Cross-Country Meet is scheduled for Friday morning, 12 November 2021, at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida.


Team Standings, 2021 FHSAA 1A Region 1 Boys' Cross-Country Championships

1. Pensacola Christian, 43 *
2. Maclay, 116 *
3. Saint Johns Country Day, 143 *
4. Providence, 153 *
5. Bishop Snyder, 157 *
6. Saint Joseph, 175 *
7. Blountstown, 177 *
8. Community Christian, 218 *
9. Rocky Bayou Christian, 228
10. Central, 286
11. Port Saint Joe, 294
12. Malone, 302
13. Wewahitchka, 310
14. Christs Church Academy, 320
15. Jay, 362
16. Trinity Christian, 363

* Qualified for the State Final


Top 15 Boys, 2021 FHSAA 1A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 15:05.70, Matthew Stratton (Saint Johns Country Day) 12
2. 16:02.60, Jonathan Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 12
3. 16:13.80, Clayton Knox (Maclay) 11
4. 16:18.80, Graham Myers (Saint Johns Country Day) 10
5. 16:27.00, Andrew Birx (Pensacola Christian) 11
6. 16:37.20, Victor Farfan (Saint Joseph) 12
7. 16:48.30, Donald Dempsey (Bishop Snyder) 12
8. 17:04.70, Carter Rothell (Maclay) 11
9. 17:08.50, Caden Hoffer (Bishop Snyder) 12
10. 17:09.80, Micah Sleeth (Pensacola Christian) 11
11. 17:15.70, Erick Lund (Pensacola Christian) 12
12. 17:16.40, Chance Thornton (Jay) 11
13. 17:22.90, Jackson Welch (Malone) 9
14. 17:24.20, Jonah Berry (Rocky Bayou) 10
15. 17:24.40, Micah Hodge (Pensacola Christian) 11

FHSAA 1A Region 1 Cross-Country Champions, 1999 - 2021
Boys
Date	Team Champs	Individual Champs
13 November 1999	Maclay, 25	15:36, Ryan Deak (Maclay) 9
11 November 2000	Maclay
10 November 2001	Maclay, 20	16:20, Caleb Carmichael (Florida State) 12
16 November 2002	Maclay, 15	??:??, Ryan Deak (Maclay) 11
1 November 2003	Episcoal, 31	16:32, Justin Jackson (Episcopal) 12
30 October 2004	Episcopal, 82	16:32, Michael Anderson (P K Yonge) 10
5 November 2005	P K Yonge, 72	16:37, Geoffrey Anderson (P K Yonge) 11
4 November 2006	P K Yonge, 36	15:42, Michael Anderson (P K Yonge) 12
10 November 2007	Maclay, 41	16:11, Whitney Strickland (North Florida Christian) 11
15 November 2008	P K Yonge, 33	16:17, Whitney Strickland (North Florida Christian) 12
14 November 2009	P K Yonge, 21	16:21, Patrick Swain (Maclay) 11
12 November 2010	Maclay, 23	16:37, Patrick Swain (Maclay) 12
12 November 2011	Maclay, 25	16:48, Travis Covert (Maclay) 11
10 November 2012	Maclay, 43	16:05, Griffith Rutherford (North Florida Christian) 11
2 November 2013	Maclay, 52	16:38, Griffith Rutherford (North Florida Christian) 12
8 November 2014	Maclay, 34	16:39, Micah Kemp (Jay) 12
31 October 2015	Maclay, 52	16:35, Jackson Neri (Bishop Snyder) 12
28 October 2016	Maclay, 69	17:00, Clay Milford (Maclay) 10
4 November 2017	Providence, 70	16:31, Sean Snyder (Saint Joseph) 12
3 November 2018	Providence, 69	15:47, Junious Brown (Maclay) 11
2 November 2019	Maclay, 70	16:00, Junious Brown (Maclay) 12
7 November 2020	Maclay, 36	15:53, Matthew Stratton (Saint Johns Country Day) 11
5 November 2021	Pensacola Christian, 43	15:06, Matthew Stratton (Saint Johns Country Day) 12
Girls
Date	Team Champs	Individual Champs
13 November 1999	Maclay, 40	18:11, Kara Scanlin (Episcopal) 10
11 November 2000	Episcopal
10 November 2001	Maclay, 51	17:33, Kara Scanlin (Episcopal) 12
16 November 2002	Oak Hall, 40	??:??, Robyn Debenedet (Episcopal) 11
1 November 2003	Oak Hall, 31	18:56, Robyn Debenedet (Episcopal) 12
30 October 2004	Episcopal, 36	19:40, Emily Ingham (Episcopal) 10
5 November 2005	Maclay, 26	19:42, Meghan Roberts (P K Yonge) 8
4 November 2006	Maclay, 29	19:06, Meghan Roberts (P K Yonge) 9
10 November 2007	Maclay, 27	19:13, Alicia Fenley (Maclay) 10
15 November 2008	P K Yonge, 67	18:27, Jana Stolting (Maclay) 11
14 November 2009	Maclay, 46	18:21, Jana Stolting (Maclay) 12
12 November 2010	Oak Hall, 39	18:53, Brittney Olinger (Oak Hall) 9
12 November 2011	Providence, 34	18:17, Stefanie Kurgatt (Maclay) 11
10 November 2012	Providence, 49	19:27, Eden Meyer (Providence) 11
2 November 2013	Providence, 22	19:30, Eden Meyer (Providence) 12
8 November 2014	Maclay, 37	18:53, Maya Espinosa (Baker) 7
31 October 2015	Maclay, 49	19:10, Maya Espinosa (Baker) 8
28 October 2016	Maclay, 52	19:45, Caroline Willis (Maclay) 12
4 November 2017	Maclay, 47	19:55, Audrey Woods (Providence) 11
3 November 2018	Maclay, 48	18:24, Gianna Forte (Bishop Snyder) 12
2 November 2019	Maclay, 23	19:42, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 9
7 November 2020	Maclay, 49	18:40, Laci Watford (University Christian) 11
5 November 2021	Maclay, 35	18:54, RaeAnne Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 10
The 1A Region 1 meet was run at Port Saint Joe High in Port Saint Joe in 1999. The meet was run at the Miccosukee Greenway in Tallahassee in 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The meet was run at Maclay School in Tallahassee in 2001 and 2002. The meet was run at Florida Community College in Jacksonville in 2003. The meet was run at Summit East in Tallahassee in 2004. The meet was run at Sainte Fe College in Gainesville in 2009. The meet was run at Oak Hall High in Gainesville in 2010. The meet was run at Sunnyhill Farms near Tallahassee in 2012 and 2014. The meet was run at Alligator Lake in Lake City in 2011, 2013, and 2015. The meet was run at Escambia Equestrian Center in Pensacola in 2016. The meet was run at New World Golf in Jacksonville in 2018, 2020, and 2021. The meet was held at The Oaks Equestrian Park in Lake City in 2017 and 2019.

Links

• Complete results of the 2021 FHSAA 1A Region 1 Cross-Country Championship Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSmnj3Wo4IY1vL4WTNL4OIcv51t2yo5H-vGmwWJaRWr23RoiQ3X4P3ooXpnRlS5UEiawnLbx5ssNNIA/pubhtml
  
  
• Trouble Afoot! coverage of 2021 FHSAA Region 1 cross-country
  
  • 1A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/11/fhsaa-1a-region-1-2021.html
    
  • 2A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/11/fhsaa-2a-region-1-2021.html
    
  • 3A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/11/fhsaa-3a-region-1-2021.html
    
  • 4A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/11/fhsaa-4a-region-1-2021.html
    
  
  
• 2020 story, “Laci Watford and Matthew Stratton win at 1A Region 1, but Maclay sweeps team honors”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/11/fhsaa-1a-region-1-2020.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Led by Junious Brown and Ella Porcher, Maclay paints Region 1 blue”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/fhsaa-1a-region-1-2019.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Region 1 cross country, Sunny Hill Farms and the road to State”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/11/fhsaa-regon-1-2012.html
  
  
• Find a cross-country, road, or track race for your schedule on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2791