Scarlett Griffin and Henry Lewis mastered the mob at Marlin Mayhem

Arnold High's annual cross-country meet has had several names over the years, including the Panhandle Championship and the Panhandle Challenge. On Saturday, 7 October 2023, the meet was called Marlin Mayhem. The races were still held on the old Bay Dunes Golf Course, though, and the name change couldn't conceal the fact that South Walton frosh Scarlett Griffin won the girls' 5K by 150 meters, running 19:36. The Wakulla girls took the team title, edging Florida State University School 42 to 44. In the boys' 5K, Wakulla sophomore Henry Lewis went 16:34 to win by about 150 meters, while Community Christian took top team honors with 67 points.


It was the third win of the season for Scarlett Griffin; the South Walton ninth-grader had taken first in the girls' 5K at the Walton County Meet on 19 September 2023 and in the Girls' Varsity A 5K at the FSU Invitational on 30 September 2023. Isabella Laughton, a Wakulla junior, placed second to Griffin in 20:12. Florida State frosh Leah Boutwell finished third in 20:47, and Florida State senior Leah Keller was fourth in 21:47.


Florida State had a third runner in the top ten, eighth-grader Julia Robinson, who was seventh in 22:03. But Wakulla also had three athletes in the top ten, with Laughton joined by seniors Taylor Pfeifer (9th, 22:10) and Analecia Ferrell (10th, 22:13). Wakulla's next two scorers made the difference--junior Lana Hawkins was twelfth in 22:23 and senior Liliana Lewis was thirteenth in 22:24. With those runners across the finish line, Wakulla had a winning score of 42.


Florida State was a very close second with 44 points. South Walton, led by the first place finish of Scarlett Griffin, placed third with 85 points. Eleven teams competed in the race.


Girls' Team Standings, 2023 Marlin Mayhem

1. Wakulla, 42
2. Florida State University, 44
3. South Walton, 85
4. North Bay Haven, 134
5. Community Christian, 146
6. Port Saint Joe, 151
7. Freeport, 163
8. Wiregrass Kings, 177
9. Mosley, 208
10. Rocky Bayou Christian, 289
11. Rutherford, 304

Top Ten Girls, 2023 Marlin Mayhem

1. 19:35.70, Scarlett Griffin (South Walton) 9
2. 20:12.00, Isabella Laughton (Wakulla) 11
3. 20:46.90, Leah Boutwell (Florida State University) 9
4. 21:46.80, Leah Keller (Florida State University) 12
5. 21:52.40, Mary Pickford (North Bay Haven) 7
6. 21:54.30, Bree Thompson (Wiregrass Kings) 10
7. 22:02.60, Julia Robinson (Florida State University) 8
8. 22:06.40, Kennedy Flores (Arnold) 11
9. 22:09.90, Taylor Pfeifer (Wakulla) 12
10. 22:12.80, Analecia Ferrell (Wakulla) 12

After second-place showings in the Suwannee County Invitational on 23 September 2023 and the Wakulla County Meet on 16 September 2023, Henry Lewis got the "W" at Marlin Mayhem. Behind Lewis, two seniors fought for the runner-up spot--Xavier England of Florida State and Riley Treadaway of Wiregrass Kings. Both athletes were clocked in 17:05, but England got there before Treadaway. Nicolas Waddell, a Mosley senior, was fourth in 17:37.

Henry Lewis

Jeremy Collier was Community Christian's first finisher; the Charger sophomore was fifth in 17:44. Collier's fellow Community Christian scorers were eighth-grader Landon Reeves (10th, 18:04), senior Carson Freeland (11th, 18:13), sophomore Luke Meli (16th, 18:48), and junior Bryan Meli (26th, 19:24). Those five Community Christian athletes gave the Chargers 67 points and first place in a field of eleven teams.


Led by sophomore Samuel Merritt (8th, 17:56), Arnold, the host team, placed second with 76 points. Nico Waddell and the Mosley Dolphins were third with 97 points.


Miles and Minutes, LLC, of Tallahassee, Florida timed and scored the 2023 Marlin Mayhem.


Boys' Team Standings, 2023 Marlin Mayhem

1. Community Christian, 67
2. Arnold, 76
3. Mosley, 97
4. Wakulla, 103
5. Florida State University, 106
6. North Bay Haven, 109
7. South Walton, 178
8. Wiregrass Kings, 189
9. Rocky Bayou Christian, 239
10. Port Saint Joe, 267
11. Freeport, 315

Top Ten Boys, 2023 Marlin Mayhem

1. 16:33.80, Henry Lewis (Wakulla) 10
2. 17:04.60, Xavier England (Florida State University) 12
3. 17:04.80, Riley Treadaway (Wiregrass Kings) 12
4. 17:36.50, Nicolas Waddell (Mosley) 12
5. 17:43.90, Jeremy Collier (Community Christian) 10
6. 17:53.20, Ben Kyvik (Florida State University) 11
7. 17:54.10, Joshua Harris (Mosley) 12
8. 17:55.40, Samuel Merritt (Arnold) 10
9. 17:58.60, Andrew Nix (Wakulla) 12
10. 18:03.70, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 8

Marlin Mayhem winners, 2019 - 2023
Boys
Date	Team	Athlete
31 August 2019	Niceville, 26	16:52, Ethan Rowe (Daphne) 12
17 October 2020	Niceville, 41	16:09, Ryan Sloan (Fort Walton Beach) 12
9 October 2021	Pensacola Christian, 48	16:35, Zach Spooner (Matanzas) 11
15 October 2022	Pensacola Christian, 33	16:11, Drew Birx (Pensacola Christian) 12
7 October 2023	Community Christian, 67	16:34, Henry Lewis (Wakulla) 10
Girls
Date	Team	Athlete
31 August 2019	Niceville, 29	18:51, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 11
17 October 2020	South Walton, 44	18:58, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 11
9 October 2021	Pensacola Christian, 51	19:42, Jaimee Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 8
15 October 2022	Pensacola Christian, 24	18:34, Charleen Elizando (North Bay Haven) 12
7 October 2023	Wakulla, 42	19:36, Scarlett Griffin (South Walton) 9

Links

• Complete results of the 2023 Marlin Mayhem
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQfm8coZY-UG2_tEBJGndhUX4Nd62v4-1iwFHv_BBm6-Vzib-gu4zN34VYNTBmbOzTeY-VchaKxQVDm/pubhtml
  
  
• 2022 story, “Charleen Elizando and Drew Birx meet the Panhandle Challenge with wins”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/10/panhandle-champs-2022.html
  
  
• 2020 story, “Chloe Fernander and Ryan Sloan are Panhandle Cross-Country Champions”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/10/panhandle-champs-2020.html
  
  
• Find your next race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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