Isabella Laughton and Isaac Chambers were swift to the summit at Dueling Summits

Tallahassee, Florida's high school cross-country season began on Saturday morning, 27 August 2022, at the Dueling Summits Meet in Phipps Park. There were earlier, pre-season races, but do those really count? If you sneak into your parents room on December 21 and surreptitiously unwrap a present, that doesn't mean it's Christmas, does it?

Isabella Laughton

So the season opened with Wakulla sophomore Isabella Laughton winning the high school girls' 5K at Dueling Summits, running 22:17. Isaac Chambers, a Lowndes junior, took first in the boys' 5K in 18:10. The Wakulla girls won the team title in their race with 35 points. The Lowndes boys likewise took home a first-place team trophy to Valdosta, Georgia, scoring 42 points.


The girls' race started at 8:00 AM. With a mile to go, Cadence Curnalia, a Thomas County Central sophomore was leading, with Wakulla's Isabella Laughton a step behind. Lowndes sophomore Kendall Johnson and Community Christian senior Teresa Meli followed. However, the final mile included a second descent down to Lake Jackson, followed by a final climb out away from the lake. After that down-and-up, the athletes had less than 400 meters to go, and Meli was leading, five seconds ahead of Johnson and Laughton. The sophomores ran down Meli on the homestretch, with Laughton getting the win in 22:17 and Johnson a close second in 22:19. Meli placed third in 22:22. Valwood junior Emma Burnett outkicked Curnalia for fourth, both runners clocked in 23:09.

The start of the high school girls' 5K

The Wakulla girls had all five scorers in the top ten. After Laughton came junior Taylor Pfeifer (7th, 23:33), sophomore Lana Hawkins (8th, 24:06), junior Liliana Lewis (9th, 24:11), and frosh Ember Odom (10th, 24:12). That added up to 42 points and first place for Wakulla, the second year in a row that the War Eagle girls had won Dueling Summits.


Johnson and Lowndes scored 70 points, placing second in the field of thirteen teams. Led by Meli, Community Christian was third with 118 points.


Team Standings, High School Girls, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. Wakulla, 35
2. Lowndes, 70
3. Community Christian, 118
4. Valwood, 124
5. Lincoln, 137
6. Rickards, 189
7. Thomas County Central, 194
8. Tift County, 196
9. Altha, 227
10. Westover, 239
11. Blountstown, 301
12. Grace Christian, 313
13. Seminole County, 336

Top Ten High School Girls, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. 22:16.20, Isabella Laughton (Wakulla) 10
2. 22:18.80, Kendall Johnson (Lowndes) 10
3. 22:21.10, Teresa Meli (Community Christian) 12
4. 23:08.50, Emma Burnett (Valwood) 11
5. 23:08.80, Cadence Curnalia (Thomas County Central) 10
6. 23:26.60, Ella Burnett (Valwood) 11
7. 23:32.80, Taylor Pfeifer (Wakulla) 11
8. 24:05.30, Lana Hawkins (Wakulla) 10
9. 24:10.60, Liliana Lewis (Wakulla) 11
10. 24:11.30, Ember Odom (Wakulla) 9

The boys' 5K started with a downhill charge toward Lake Jackson. Lowndes juniors Isaac Chambers and Toshiya Bass weren't at the front of that initial charge, but they were neverthless soon leading the race. After the final climb up from Lake Jackson, Chambers was on the homestretch and more than 100 meters ahead of the other runners. He maintained that position all the way to the finish line, arriving first in 18:10. Bass was second in 18:31. Bainbridge junior Jahlae Sapp held off a late challenge by Wakulla frosh Henry Lewis to take third, 18:36 to 18:37.

Isaac Chambers

In addition to the one-two finish of Chambers and Bass, Lowndes also had another top ten finisher; senior Aaron Munger was seventh in 19:19. Lowndes remaining scorers were sophomore Dylan Chambers (14th, 19:36) and frosh Jack Sorensen (19th, 19:53), putting the Vikings first among sixteen teams with 42 points.


Lincoln was the runner-up team, scoring 67 points behind senior Joseph McLeod (10th, 19:26). The Wakulla boys scored 100 points, taking third.


Team Standings, High School Boys, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. Lowndes, 42
2. Lincoln, 67
3. Wakulla, 110
4. Community Christian, 139
5. Blountstown, 146
6. Tift County, 150
7. Rickards, 153
8. Bainbridge, 196
9. Thomasville, 266
10. Thomas County Central, 278
11. Valwood, 351
12. Grace Christian, 365
13. Seminole County, 372
14. Cairo, 402
15. North Florida Christian, 413
16. Westover, 420

Top Ten High School Boys, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. 18:09.60, Isaac Chambers (Lowndes) 11
2. 18:30.30, Toshiya Bass (Lowndes) 11
3. 18:35.40, Jahlae Sapp (Bainbridge) 11
4. 18:36.40, Henry Lewis (Wakulla) 9
5. 18:51.40, Blair Golden (Tift County) --
6. 19:00.40, Ethan Burnett (Valwood) 9
7. 19:18.40, Aaron Munger (Lowndes) 12
8. 19:18.50, Caden Godwin (Bainbridge) 11
9. 19:21.60, Hunter Shuler (Blountstown) 11
10. 19:25.30, Joseph McLeod (Lincoln) 12

Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet High School Winners 2006 - 2022
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
16 September 2006	Maclay, 23	20:44, Laura Hempel (Rickards)
10 September 2007	Maclay, 18	20:36, Jana Stolting (Maclay)
15 September 2008	Maclay, 39	20:18, Jana Stolting (Maclay)
14 September 2009	Maclay, 43	21:05, Stefanie Kurgatt (Maclay)
2 October 2010	West Florida Tech, 27	19:23, Stefanie Kurgatt (Maclay)
8 October 2011	Lincoln, 49	21:16, Savana Osterbye (FSUS)
2012	No meet held in 2012
31 August 2013	Leon, 27	20:35, Madison Harris (Wakulla)
6 September 2014	Leon, 44	21:09, Haleigh Martin (Wakulla)
29 August 2015	Fort Walton Beach, 24	21:16, Caroline Willis (Maclay)
27 August 2016	Chiles, 40	18:47, Alyson Churchill (Lincoln)
26 August 2017	Chiles, 80	18:29, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County)
25 August 2018	Chiles, 27	19:42, Abigail Schrobilgen (Chiles) 12
24 August 2019	Chiles, 39	18:52, Alyson Churchill (Chiles) 12
28 August 2021	Wakulla, 25	21:23, Kelly Davis (Chiles) 12
27 August 2022	Wakulla, 35	22:17, Isabella Laughton (Wakulla) 10
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
16 September 2006	Lincoln, 42	16:56, Joseph Franklin (Godby)
10 September 2007	Maclay, 23	17:18, Whitney Strickland (NFCS)
15 September 2008	Niceville, 36	17:02, Whitney Strickland (NFCS)
14 September 2009	Maclay, 47	17:27, Patrick Swain (Maclay)
2 October 2010	Lincoln, 52	16:10, Jacob Slupecki (Lincoln)
8 October 2011	Lincoln, 63	16:55, Stanley Linton (Wakulla)
2012	No meet held in 2012
31 August 2013	Leon, 34	16:47, Sukhi Khosla (Leon)
6 September 2014	Leon, 15	16:42, Sukhi Khosla (Leon)
29 August 2015	Leon, 52	16:38, Adam Wallenfelsz (Leon)
27 August 2016	Chiles, 32	16:44, Michael Phillips (Chiles)
26 August 2017	Chiles, 23	16:42, Michael Phillips (Chiles)
25 August 2018	Chiles, 32	17:01, Connor Phillips (Chiles) 12
24 August 2019	Leon, 28	17:11, Jackson Yarbrough (Leon) 10
28 August 2021	Chiles, 20	16:32, Wyatt Townsend (Chiles) 11
27 August 2022	Lowndes, 42	18:10, Isaac Chambers (Lowndes) 11

The Red Hills Running Club put four runners in the top five of the middle school girls' 3K, starting with Haley Heitmeyer, who won the race by close to 100 meters. Heitmeyer, an eighth grader at Montford Middle School, ran 12:04--nearly a minute faster than her time in the 2021 Dueling Summits. Lilly Bell, a Maclay eighth-grader, finished second in 12:29.

Middle school girls team champs, Red Hills Running Club

The next three places belonged to Red Hills, though, with eighth-grader Savannah Stanley third in 12:46, eighth-grader Andi Vilardo fourth in 13:01, and sixth-grader Emma-Claire Tanenbaum fifth in 13:17. Red Hills third-grader Acadia Hassel finished twelfth in 14:14, giving Red Hills 24 poiints and first place in a field of ten teams.


The Maclay girls scored 34 points, taking second. Holy Comforter Episcopal school was third with 86 points behind team leader Regan Mayfield. Eighth-grader Mayfield ws thirteenth in 14:16.


Team Standings, Middle School Girls, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. Red Hills Running Club, 24
2. Maclay, 34
3. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 86
4. Trinity Catholic, 98
5. Bainbridge, 110
6. Tifts, 152
7. MacIntyre Park, 208
8. Cornerstone, 248
9. Thomas County, 257
10. Whigham, 261

Top Ten Middle School Girls, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. 12:04.00, Haley Heitmeyer (Red Hills Running Club) 8
2. 12:28.20, Lilly Bell (Maclay) 8
3. 12:45.60, Savannah Stanley (Red Hills Running Club) 8
4. 13:00.60, Andi Vilardo (Red Hills Running Club) 8
5. 13:16.80, Emma-Claire Tanenbaum (Red Hills Running Club) 6
6. 13:37.30, Mary Price (Maclay) 7
7. 13:55.20, Mallory Van Leuven (Maclay) 7
8. 14:00.90, Emerson Huggins (Bainbridge) 7
9. 14:03.10, Ellie Mazziotta (Maclay) 8
10. 14:06.20, Isabella Weyand (Lowndes) 8

Logan Phipps was in the lead pack after the start of the middle school boys' 3K, but he was the only one in the group who could keep up the pace. The Maclay seventh-grader's rivals all dropped back, and Phipps came home a winner in 10:50. Another seventh-grader, Fairview's Emari Thomas, was second in 11:13. Brookwood eighth-grader Wesley Warren placed third in 11:17.

Logan Phipps

A few steps behind Warren, Trinity Catholic seventh-grader James Mogg was fourth in 11:21. Trinity Catholic also had scoring performances from Knight seventh-grader Leo Perez (18th, 12:34), eighth-grader Patrick Bond (20th, 12:38), seventh-grader Asher McGrew (21st, 12:39), and sixth-grader Brody Wallace (36th, 13:12). Those five gave the Knights 66 points and the top spot among sixteen teams in the boys' race.


Lowndes was second with 74 points, led by eighth-grader William Rhoades (11th, 11:54). Maclay and Phipps tallied 96 points, placing third in the team standings.


Team Standings, Middle School Boys, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. Trinity Catholic, 66
2. Lowndes, 74
3. Maclay, 96
4. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 114
5. Thomas County, 114
6. Marianna, 122
7. MacIntyre Park, 126
8. Bainbridge, 262
9. Tifts, 279
10. Whigham, 283
11. Grace Christian, 326
12. Christ Classical, 332
13. Knights Running Club, 355
14. Spring Creek, 414
15. Cornerstone, 444
16. Tallahassee Classical, 477

Top Ten Middle School Boys, 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet

1. 10:49.50, Logan Phipps (Maclay) 7
2. 11:12.50, Emari Thomas (Fairview) 7
3. 11:17.00, Wesley Warren (Brookwood) 8
4. 11:20.40, James Mogg (Trinity Catholic) 7
5. 11:25.30, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 7
6. 11:27.50, Travis Ephriam (Marianna) 8
7. 11:31.90, Ethan Nicholson (Fairview) 8
8. 11:35.00, Connor Thumm (Maclay) 8
9. 11:38.00, Landon Heitmeyer (Unattached) 3
10. 11:47.60, Maxwell Wester (Marianna) 8

Links

• Complete results of the 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQrrlWB6gLYcxRC3EYWx7fd_zVCaUN52IIGQ2zKA3bPR68O-Pop-NXoWfBM3S2ELLJptlfgjgJD1PtH/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the 2022 Dueling Summits Cross-Country Meet
  
  • HS Girls:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119497458648423
    
  • HS Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119497722504653
    
  • MS Girls:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119498603254623
    
  • MS Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119498950309123
    
  
  
• 2021 story, “Kelly Davis and Wyatt Townsend win their duels at Dueling Summits”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/08/kelly-davis-and-wyatt-townsend-win.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Jackson Yarbrough and Alyson Churchill were the winning duo at Dueling Summits”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/08/cougar-xc-2019.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “Chiles sweeps, Phillips repeats, and Funderburk sets a record at the Cougar Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/08/cougar-xc-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Alyson Churchill meets the Challenge, runs 18:47”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/08/cougar-xc-2016.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Leon and Khosla repeat at Cougar Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/09/cougar-xc-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Harris and Khosla take on all challengers at the Challenge”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/09/cougar-xc-2013.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “The 2010 Cougar Challenge belongs to Kurgatt and Slupecki”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/cougar-xc-2010.html
  
  
• 2009 story, “Cougar Challenge opens cross-country season in Tallahassee”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/09/cougar-challenge-opens-cross-country.html
  
  
• Choose an upcoming race in the region from the selection on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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