Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Patrick Koon pounds a 14:59 5K win at FHSAA 3A District 1

Before Wednesday, 1 November 2023, no one had ever broken 16:00 on the five-kilometer cross-country course at Twin Oaks Park in Niceville, Florida. That morning, Patrick Koon didn't just break 16:00, be broke 15:00. The Leon High senior ran 14:59, taking first in the FHSAA 3A District 1 boys' cross-country race. Koon's win led Leon to a 28-point score and the District title. Another Leon athlete, Madison Sims, won the earlier girls' 5K at the District meet in 19:01. The Fort Walton Beach girls had the top team, scoring a winning 35 points.


The girls raced first. There was a vanguard of three juniors most of the way--Madison Sims of Leon, Elyse Carmichael of Washington, and Belicia O'Grady of Fort Walton Beach. O'Grady was the defending champion, having won the previous year's race over competition that included Lillee Tang, the 2022 state champion. But in 2023, O'Grady was the first of the lead trio to fall behind when the charge for home started, leaving Sims and Carmichael to duel for the win. Sims won that duel, reaching the finish line first in 19:01. Carmichael was second in 19:05 and O'Grady third in 19:13.

Madison Sims
Madison Sims

Reece Knowlton, a Fort Walton Beach senior, took fourth in 19:42. Fort Walton Beach had a third athlete in the top ten as well; sophomore Martha Curtis was eighth in 21:18. Fort Walton Beach frosh Leilani Lichlyter (12th, 21:24) and junior Charity Lobzun (12th, 21:26) finished the scoring for the Vikings, giving their team 35 points and a District champion trophy.


Gulf Breeze took second in the team standings behind the seventh-place, 21:15 performance of fosh harrier Zoe Liguori-Bills. Lincoln was third with 87 points, led by junior NyAshia Wright (6th, 21:00). Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, and Lincoln each qualified for the 3A Region 1 meet, as did the next five teams--Mosley (4th, 146 points), Choctawhatchee (5th, 146 points), Washington (6th, 146 points), Pine Forest (7th, 184 points), and Rickards (8th, 199 points).


Girls' Team Standings, 2023 FHSAA 3A Distict 1 Cross-Country Meet
  1. Fort Walton Beach, 35
  2. Gulf Breeze, 65
  3. Lincoln, 87
  4. Mosley, 146
  5. Choctawhatchee, 146
  6. Washington, 146
  7. Pine Forest, 184
  8. Rickards, 199
  9. Milton, 225
  10. Escambia, 272

Top Ten Girls, 2023 FHSAA 3A Distict 1 Cross-Country Meet
  1. 19:00.70, Madi Sims (Leon) JR
  2. 19:04.50, Elyse Carmichael (Washington) JR
  3. 19:12.90, Belicia O'Grady (Fort Walton Beach) JR
  4. 19:41.60, Reece Knowlton (Fort Walton Beach) SR
  5. 20:10.80, Isabel Harter (Choctawhatchee) SO
  6. 20:59.60, NyAshia Wright (Lincoln) JR
  7. 21:14.80, Zoe Liguori-Bills (Gulf Breeze) FR
  8. 21:17.90, Martha Curtis (Fort Walton Beach) SO
  9. 21:19.80, Annie Caulkins (Lincoln) SR
  10. 21:22.30, Victoriah Reed (Washington) JR

Patrick Koon had won the 3A District 1 race in 2021 and again in 2022. At the senior's valedictory appearance in District competition, he made it three in a row, taking first in 14:59. Behind Koon, Gulf Breeze frosh Andrew Beroset became the second athlete to break 16:00 at Twin Oaks Park, placing runner-up in District 1 at 15:35. Another half minute after Beroset finished, Fort Walton Beach senior Grant Chastain edged Lincoln sophomore Matthew Hauser for third, 16:11 to 16:12.

Patrick Koon
Patrick Koon

The next three places belonged to Leon seniors--Quinn Carrasquilla was fifth in 16:19, Will Winsor sixth in 16:25, and Will Springer seventh in 16:34. Once Leon junior Cadden Maxwell crossed the finish line ninth in 16:51, the Lions had 28 points and a team title.


Tallahassee had the top two teams, as Lincoln put up 83 points to place second. Fort Walton Beach was a close third with 87. The other teams advancing to the 3A Region 1 meet were Gulf Breeze (4th, 103), Mosley (5th, 117), Arnold (6th, 137), Milton (7th, 226), and Escambia (8th, 245).


The 3A Region 1 Meet is scheduled for Saturday morning, 11 November 2023 at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast. The top eight teams in each race at the Regional Championship will advance to the FHSAA Cross-Country State Championship Meet at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee on Friday morning, 17 November 2023.


Boys' Team Standings, 2023 FHSAA 3A Distict 1 Cross-Country Meet
  1. Leon, 28
  2. Lincoln, 83
  3. Fort Walton Beach, 87
  4. Gulf Breeze, 103
  5. Mosley, 117
  6. Arnold, 137
  7. Milton, 226
  8. Escambia, 245
  9. Rickards, 254
  10. Choctawhatchee, 255

Top Ten Boys, 2023 FHSAA 3A Distict 1 Cross-Country Meet
  1. 14:58.40, Patrick Koon (Leon) SR
  2. 15:34.30, Andrew Beroset (Gulf Breeze) FR
  3. 16:10.10, Grant Chastain (Fort Walton Beach) SR
  4. 16:11.90, Matthew Hauser (Lincoln) SO
  5. 16:18.20, Quinn Carrasquilla (Leon) SR
  6. 16:24.90, Will Winsor (Leon) SR
  7. 16:34.00, Will Springer (Leon) SR
  8. 16:43.50, Nicolas Waddell (Mosley) SR
  9. 16:50.20, Cadden Maxwell (Leon) JR
  10. 16:55.70, Walt Haber (Leon) SR

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Posted by Herb Wills at 10:12 PM
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