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
  
  

#2993

Guess which team swept the decks at the Buccaneer Bash

Talk Like A Pirate Day, the holiday nobody knew that they wanted, was 19 September 2023. In Panama City, Florida high school harriers got an early taste of piracy on Saturday morning, 16 September 2023, at the seventh annual Buccaneer Bash Cross-Country Meet. North Bay Haven hosted, but it was Fort Walton Beach that swept the team titles, the girls' squad putting up a winning 29 points and the boys scoring 21. North Bay Haven junior Margaret Bartlow was the first athlete in the girls' 5K, covering the course at Bay Dunes Golf Club in 18:20. Grant Chastain, a Fort Walton Beach senior, won the boys' 5K in 15:53.


Margaret Bartlow had placed second in the 2022 Buccaneer Bash, but she wasn't about to let that happen again in the 2023 race. Hammering an 18:20, Bartlow won the girls' 5K by 200 meters--on a track, her competition would have still been on the backstretch when she crossed the finish line. South Walton frosh Scarlett Griffin was runner-up to Bartlow and the only other girl to break 20:00 that morning, running 19:07. Fort Walton Beach athletes took the next two places, with junior Belicia O'Grady third in 20:09 and senior Reece Knowlton fourth in 20:46.


Fort Walton Beach's three remaining scorers also placed in the top ten, with sophomore Sara Cass Napa sixth in 21:42, junior Charity Lobzun seventh in 22:01, and frosh Leilani Lichlyter ninth in 22:06. Add up the numbers and you'll see that the girls from Fort Walton Beach had 29 points, the best score in the seven-team field. It was the first time Fort Walton Beach had won the Buccaneer Bash.


South Walton, led by Scarlett Griffin's runner-up finish, took second with 46 points. Bartlow and North Bay Haven, the hosts and 2022 Buccaneer Bash champs, were third with 76 points.


Team Standings, 2023 Buccaneer Bash High School Girls' 5K

1. Fort Walton Beach, 29
2. South Walton, 46
3. North Bay Haven, 76
4. Mosley, 97
5. Port Saint Joe, 114
6. Rutherford, 177
7. Wewahitchka, 204

Top Ten, 2023 Buccaneer Bash High School Girls' 5K

1. 18:19.10, Margaret Bartlow (North Bay Haven) 11
2. 19:06.90, Scarlett Griffin (South Walton) 9
3. 20:08.10, Belicia O'Grady (Fort Walton Beach) 11
4. 20:45.40, Reece Knowlton (Fort Walton Beach) 12
5. 21:18.20, Grace Petty (South Walton) 10
6. 21:41.50, Sara Cass Napa (Fort Walton Beach) 10
7. 22:00.10, Charity Lobzun (Fort Walton Beach) 11
8. 22:04.00, Diana Garcia (South Walton) 10
9. 22:05.20, Leilani Lichlyter (Fort Walton Beach) 9
10. 22:21.10, Mary Pickford (North Bay Haven) 7

Grant Chastain didn't have to spend much time looking back in the boys' 5K. If he did, he wouldn't have seen much. Running 15:53, the Fort Walton Beach senior ended up winning the race by more than 170 meters. Walker Elrod, a sophomore from Grace Christian Academy in Bainbridge, Georgia, took second in 16:27. Mosley senior Nicolas Waddell, making his first appearance at the Bash since 2020, was third in 16:46.


Fort Walton Beach Vikings took the next three places. Sophomore Nathan Jucha grabbed fourth with a 17:11, senior Curran O'Grady was fifth in 17:24, and sophomore Slayde Diaz-Poole was sixth in 17:25. Connor Rising completed the scoring for the Vikings; the junior was ninth in 17:32. With all five scorers in the top ten, Fort Walton Beach tallied a mathematically unbeatable 21 points. The Vikings had taken first in a field of nine boys' teams.


Arnold, led by sophomore Remi Kepran (8th, 17:28), placed second in the team standings with 67 points. Waddell and Mosley put up 78 points to place third.


Miles and Minutes, LLC of Tallahassee, Florida timed and scored the 2023 Buccaneer Bash.


Team Standings, 2023 Buccaneer Bash High School Boys' 5K

1. Fort Walton Beach, 21
2. Arnold, 67
3. Mosley, 78
4. North Bay Haven, 91
5. Rocky Bayou Christian, 118
6. Bay, 173
7. Port Saint Joe, 211
8. Wewahitchka, 238
9. Chipley, 240

Top Ten, 2023 Buccaneer Bash High School Boys' 5K

1. 15:52.70, Grant Chastain (Fort Walton Beach) 12
2. 16:26.90, Walker Elrod (Grace Christian) 10
3. 16:45.30, Nicolas Waddell (Mosley) 12
4. 17:10.50, Nathan Jucha (Fort Walton Beach) 10
5. 17:23.10, Curran O'Grady (Fort Walton Beach) 12
6. 17:24.50, Slayde Diaz-Poole (Fort Walton Beach) 10
7. 17:24.90, Aidan Little (Mosley) 12
8. 17:28.00, Remi Kepran (Arnold) 10
9. 17:31.30, Connor Rising (Fort Walton Beach) 11
10. 17:37.00, Alexander Tunnell (Ace Charter) 11

Buccaneer Bash Cross-Country Meet Winners, 2017 - 2023
High School Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
26 August 2017	Choctawhatchee, 33	18:05, Blake Turner (Arnold) 12
25 August 2018	Arnold, 38	18:27, Mason Bennett (Arnold) 12
24 August 2019	Niceville, 35	14:48, Todd Wendel (Niceville) 11
3 October 2020	Arnold, 31	18:40, Eddie Kepran (Arnold) 10
18 September 2021	Leon, 26	16:10, Patrick Koon (Leon) 10
18 September 2022	North Bay Haven, 47	16:32, Kaleb Hollins (Choctawhatchee) 12
17 September 2023	Fort Walton Beach, 21	15:53, Grant Chastain (Fort Walton Beach) 12
High School Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
26 August 2017	Choctawhatchee, 46	19:53, Marisa Ashley (Arnold) 9
25 August 2018	Port Saint Joe, 35	25:36, Autumn Kotelman (Port Saint Joe) 10
24 August 2019	Niceville, 27	16:55, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 11
3 October 2020	North Bay Haven, 32	22:08, Lakyn Carmichael (North Bay Haven) 10
18 September 2021	Leon, 33	19:40, Lillee Tang (Leon) 11
18 September 2022	North Bay Haven, 32	19:15, Charleen Elizondo (North Bay Haven) 12
17 September 2023	Fort Walton Beach, 29	18:20, Margaret Bartlow (North Bay Haven) 11

Links

• Complete results, 2023 Buccaneer Bash
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTX0vRja79aRNtDDii8L_JMcKRPm2J-Rn-fAfkSbOExpRutTSptIeCxPujeGHI_EWZZQL2mtRuyls_l/pubhtml
  
  
• 2021 story, “Lillee Tang and Patrick Koon lead a Leon sweep of the Buccaneer Bash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/09/buccaneer-bash-2021.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “Choctaw sweeps the team titles while Arnold's Ashley and Turner take individual honors at the Buccaneer Bash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/08/buccaneer-bash-2017.html
  
  
• Find an upcoming Bash in the region on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2982

Charleen Elizando and Drew Birx meet the Panhandle Challenge with wins

Saturday morning, 15 October 2022, was late in Florida's high school cross-country season. It was almost time for the first District meet, followed by the round of Regional championships, then the State Meet, and then the long wait till next year. But there was still time for some racing, and that's just what the Arnold High Marlins had in mind that day when they hosted the fourth annual Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge in Panama City. North Bay Haven senior Charleen Elizando won the girls' 5K in 18:34, but it was the girls from Pensacola Christian who took the team title, scoring 24 points. Pensacola Christian senior Drew Birx took first in the boys' 5K with a 16:11, leading his team to a winning score of 33.


The meet opened with the high school girls' 5K, where Charleen Elizando of North Bay Haven won by 50 meters in 18:34. A week earlier, Elizando had thrown down an 18:43 at Tallahassee's Apalachee Regional Park, placing 22nd in the Pre-State Invitational. There was no one ahead of her at the Panhandle Challenge, where her winning time was a girls' meet record--breaking the old record of 18:51 set by Kambry Smith of Fort Walton Beach in 2019. Behind Elizando, two Pensacola Christian athletes were in a close race for second, with junior RaeAnne Tutton getting the nod over frosh Jaimee Tutton. Both Tuttons were clocked in 18:46.

Another Pensacola Christian frosh, Reagan Smith, took fourth in 19:02. The Warriors put two more athletes in the top ten; senior Jessica Chappel was seventh in 19:45 and frosh Sofia Peterlevitz was eighth in 19:46. With five of the first eight finisher, the Pensacola Christian girls had a mathematically unbeatable 24 points and their second straight Panhandle Challenge win.


Behind Elizando's win, North Bay Haven scored 52 points to take second in the eight-team field. The Wakulla girls were second with 76 points, led by sophomore Isabella Laughton (9th, 19:56). Another Big Bend team, Florida State, was fourth with 104 points; their top runner was senior Niya Coleman, sixth in 19:42.


Girls' Team Standings, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

1. Pensacola Christian, 24
2. North Bay Haven, 52
3. Wakulla, 76
4. Florida State University, 104
5. Arnold, 140
6. Community Christian, 145
7. Mosley, 196
8. Rutherford, 236

Top Ten Girls, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

1. 18:34.0, Charleen Elizando (North Bay Haven) 12
2. 18:45.1, RaeAnne Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 11
3. 18:45.1, Jaimee Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 9
4. 19:02.0, Reagan Smith (Pensacola Christian) 9
5. 19:23.2, Margaret Bartlow (North Bay Haven) 10
6. 19:41.5, Niya Coleman (Florida State University) 12
7. 19:44.7, Jessica Chappell (Pensacola Christian) 12
8. 19:46.0, Sofia Peterlevitz (Pensacola Christian) 9
9. 19:55.9, Isabella Laughton (Wakulla) 10
10. 20:32.3, Lakyn Carmichael (North Bay Haven) 12

Drew Birx had finished fourth in the boys' 5K at the 2021 Panhandle Challenge, running 17:01. But the Pensacola Christian senior improved nearly a minute in the 2022 race, running a winning 16:11. North Bay Haven senior Matthew Matson took second, running 16:18. Pensacola Christian junior Andrew Sheppard edged his sophomore teammate, Dominic Litchfield, for third, 16:43 to 16:44.


Pensacola Christian put a fourth Warrior in the top ten; senior Micah Sleeth was ninth in 17:07. Senior Daniel Penley complete Pensacola Christian's scoring, placing sixteenth in 17:59. With five Warriors in, the boys from Pensacola Christian had 33 points, putting them first in the field of ten teams.


North Bay Haven was second with 68 points. Host team Arnold, led by senior Edward Kepran (5th, 16:49), placed third with 75 points.


TimingMD scored and chip-timed the 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge.


Boys' Team Standings, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

1. Pensacola Christian, 33
2. North Bay Haven, 68
3. Arnold, 75
4. Mosley, 115
5. Wakulla, 122
6. Florida State University, 143
7. Community Christian, 186
8. Lincoln, 236
9. Wewahitchka, 253
10. Rocky Bayou Christian, 292

Top Ten Boys, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

1. 16:10.7, Drew Birx (Pensacola Christian) 12
2. 16:17.1, Matthew Matson (North Bay Haven) 12
3. 16:42.3, Andrew Sheppard (Pensacola Christian) 11
4. 16:43.1, Dominic Litchfield (Pensacola Christian) 10
5. 16:48.6, Edward Kepran (Arnold) 12
6. 16:49.4, Carson King (Arnold) 12
7. 16:52.7, Henry Lewis (Wakulla) 9
8. 17:04.5, Nicolas Waddell (Mosley) 11
9. 17:06.5, Micah Sleeth (Pensacola Christian) 12
10. 17:31.3, Aidan Little (Mosley) 11

Panhandle Cross-Country Championship Winners, 2019 - 2022
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
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

Links

• Complete results of the 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vT_m2--gIH8OQXT2IQx4ye0bDPorFxy3IKIXvkOCk8J_cdZylYHDQh5uEpdKMQGW9b-UeAO8ICnRqLa/pubhtml
  
  
• 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
  
  

#2884

Clear skies and clear victories for Patrick Koon and Sofia Bushkell at 3A Region 1

The summer that would never end finally ended in the Florida Panhandle, as Panama City, Florida woke up to temperatures in the 40s on Saturday morning, 6 November 2021. The autumn chill didn't survive the rising sun, though, as the air warmed under clear skies. By late morning Majette Park was seeing the kind of weather that the Chamber of Commerce loves to brag about. In other words, perfect conditions for the 10:00 AM start of the 3A Region 1 High School Cross-Country Championship Meet. Ponte Vedra frosh Sofia Bushkell took advantage of the weather, running a winning 18:24 in the high school girls' 5K and leading her team to a 37-point score and the Region 1 title. Leon frosh Patrick Koon won the boys' 5K in 15:44, while the Fleming Island boys captured the team title with 98 points.


Coming from Florida's east coast and only in her first year of high school cross-country, Sofia Bushkell hadn't had any opportunities to race in the Panhandle, let alone on the Majette Park course. Lack of familiarity was no handicap for the frosh; Bushkell won the Region 1 race by well over a hundred meters. Leon junior Lillee Tang, who had won the Buccaneer Bash at Majette Park back in September, took second in 18:50. Fletcher frosh Tessa Messa placed third in 19:00.


Two Ponte Vedra athletes, senior Ellie Moritz and sophomore Amelia Tackling, tangled for fourth, with Moritz getting the place by inches. Both athletes ran 19:04. Ponte Vedra's remaining two scorers also crossed the finish line within inches of one another; sophomore Lindy White was seventeenth in 19:58 and frosh Daisy Ross was eighteenth in 19:59. With White and Ross home, the Ponte Vedra girls had 37 points and the team title.


Saint Augustine, led by senior Reilly Barber (6th, 19:07), tallied 89 points to take second. Leon and Lillee Tang were third in the team standings with 99 points.


The top eight teams advanced to the State Meet. After Ponte Vedra, Saint Augustine, and Leon, the other qualifiers were Fleming Island (4th, 108 points), Choctawhatchee (5th, 151 points), Wakulla (6th, 170 points), Matanzas (7th, 199 points), and Fort Walton Beach (8th, 226 points).


Team Standings, 2021 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Girls' Cross-Country Championships

1. Ponte Vedra, 37 *
2. St. Augustine, 89 *
3. Leon, 99 *
4. Fleming Island, 108 *
5. Choctawhatchee, 151 *
6. Wakulla, 170 *
7. Matanzas, 199 *
8. Fort Walton Beach, 226 *
9. Gulf Breeze, 246
10. Gainesville, 269
11. Clay, 295
12. Pace, 302
13. Columbia, 321
14. Lincoln, 337
15. Arnold, 353

* Team qualified to race in the State Championship


Top 15 Girls, 2021 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 18:23.8, Sofia Bushkell (Ponte Vedra) 9
2. 18:49.7, Lillee Tang (Leon) 11
3. 18:59.3, Tessa Messa (Fletcher) 9
4. 19:03.2, Ellie Moritz (Ponte Vedra) 12
5. 19:03.3, Amelia Tackling (Ponte Vedra) 10
6. 19:06.9, Reilly Barber (Saint Augustine) 12
7. 19:24.2, Ani Veltcheva (Gainesville) 12
8. 19:32.0, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 12
9. 19:36.3, Lily Moore (Leon) 11
10. 19:38.0, Viola Barquilla (Fletcher) 12
11. 19:49.5, Stella Lewis (Leon) 11
12. 19:51.5, Belicia O'Grady (Fort Walton Beach) 9
13. 19:51.8, Isabella Laughton (Wakulla) 9
14. 19:54.0, Allie Knotts (Fleming Island) 10
15. 19:54.6, Elyse Carmichael (Washington) 9

Autumn 2020 was Patrick Koon's frosh cross-country season. In that first year competing in a Leon High uniform, Koon won only one cross-country race--the 3A Region 1 boys' 5K. 2021 was a different story--sophomore Koon won nearly every cross-country race he entered. The Region 1 race was his first as a defending champion, and defend he did. Koon crossed the finish line over 60 meters ahead of the next runner, covering the course in 15:44. He wasn't the only athlete under 16:00 that morning. Matanzas junior Zach Spooner also cracked 16:00, finishing runner-up in 15:56. Luke Larkin, a Fort Walton Beach senior, ran sub-16:00 as well, placing third in 15:58.


Neither Fleming Island senior Alex Bendig or Fleming Island sophomore John Keester IV ran under 16:00, but they both broke into the top ten, Bending finishing seventh in 16:17 and Keester eighth in 16:18. Fleming Island junior Danny Sakowski placed fourteenth for the Golden Eagles, running 16:50. Senior Chase Van Ginkel and sophomore Roman Mollicone also scored for Fleming Island, finishing 31st in 17:25 and 48th in 17:44. With a 98-point total, Fleming Island caputred the 3A Region 1 boys' team championship.


The 2020 champs, Ponte Vedra, scored 101 points, placing a close second. Ponte Vedra junior Grant Doherty led the Sharks, finishing fourth in 16:04. Luke Larkin and the Fort Walton Beach Vikings were third with 107 points.


Rounding out the top eight (i.e., the teams that qualified for the State Final) were Leon (4th, 117 points), Pace (5th, 135 points), Matanzas (6th, 176 points), Choctawhatchee (7th, 198 points), and Gulf Breeze (8th, 227 points). Five teams from District 1 and three from District 2 advanced.


The Florida High School Cross-Country State Championship Meet will be Friday morning, 12 November 2021, at Apalachee Regional Park, west of Tallahassee, Florida.


Team Standings, 2021 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Boys' Cross-Country Championships

1. Fleming Island, 98 *
2. Ponte Vedra, 101 *
3. Fort Walton Beach, 107 *
4. Leon, 117 *
5. Pace, 135 *
6. Matanzas, 176 *
7. Choctawhatchee, 198 *
8. Gulf Breeze, 220 *
9. Ridgeview (OP), 231
10. Lincoln, 252
11. St. Augustine, 279
12. Middleburg, 302
13. Gainesville, 312
14. Arnold, 326
15. Wakulla, 356
16. Stanton, 391

* Team qualified to race in the State Championship


Top 15 Boys, 2021 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 15:43.4, Patrick Koon (Leon) 10
2. 15:55.4, Zach Spooner (Matanzas) 11
3. 15:57.4, Luke Larkin (Fort Walton Beach) 12
4. 16:03.6, Grant Doherty (Ponte Vedra) 11
5. 16:14.5, James Snipes (Ridgeview) 12
6. 16:15.9, Kaleb Hollins (Choctawhatchee) 11
7. 16:17.0, Alex Bendig (Fleming Island) 12
8. 16:17.7, John Keester IV (Fleming Island) 10
9. 16:19.6, Ben Koppman (Saint Augustine) 12
10. 16:36.8, Davis Brown (Ponte Vedra) 10
11. 16:37.6, Grant Chastain (Fort Walton Beach) 10
12. 16:39.5, Eli Holbrook (Mosley) 12
13. 16:45.6, David Morrison (Lincoln) 12
14. 16:49.9, Danny Sakowski (Fleming Island) 11
15. 16:53.7, Luke Endt (Fort Walton Beach) 11

FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Champions, 2005 - 2021
Boys
Date	Team Champs	Individual Champs
5 November 2005	Chiles, 35	15:53, Jonathan Blocker (Chiles) 12
4 November 2006	Chiles, 50	15:40, Eric Larson (Washington) 11
10 November 2007	Leon, 37	15:19, Eric Larson (Washington) 12
15 November 2008	Leon, 26	15:45, Matt Mizereck (Leon) 11
14 November 2009	Leon, 62	15:27, Matt Mizereck (Leon) 12
13 November 2010	Washington, 48	15:26, William Clark (Creekside) 12
12 November 2011	Fort Walton Beach, 90	15:30, Thomas Howell (Niceville) 10
10 November 2012	Fort Walton Beach, 49	15:26, Thomas Howell (Niceville) 11
2 November 2013	Chiles, 78	15:39, Sukhi Khosla (Leon) 11
8 November 2014	Leon, 35	14:53, Sukhi Khosla (Leon) 12
31 October 2015	Creekside, 45	16:07, Matthew Cashin (Leon) 11
29 October 2016	Chiles, 61	15:51, Michael Phillips (Chiles) 11
4 November 2017	Chiles, 45	15:49, Michael Phillips (Chiles) 12
3 November 2018	Chiles, 69	15:43, Connor Phillips (Chiles) 12
2 November 2019	Leon, 48	16:10, Lewis Benitez-Chaparro (Vanguard) 12
7 November 2020	Ponte Vedra, 54	16:19, Patrick Koon (Leon) 9
6 November 2021	Fleming Island, 98	15:44, Patrick Koon (Leon) 10
Girls
Date	Team Champs	Individual Champs
5 November 2005	Chiles, 47	19:09, Julia Bryant (Chiles) 11
4 November 2006	Chiles, 40	19:11, Julia Bryant (Chiles) 12
10 November 2007	Chiles, 42	19:29, Lauren Day (Crestview) 10
15 November 2008	Chiles, 15	19:02, Carly Thomas (Chiles) 9
14 November 2009	Chiles, 34	18:30, Lilly Williams (Chiles) 10
13 November 2010	Chiles, 45	18:07, Lily Williams (Chiles) 11
12 November 2011	Chiles, 43	17:50, Lilly Williams (Chiles) 12
10 November 2012	Fort Walton Beach, 70	18:33, Susan Givens (Chiles) 12
2 November 2013	Pace, 87	18:45, Emma Rudman (Fort Walton Beach) 10
8 November 2014	Creekside, 40	18:18, Kelly Aponte (Saint Augustine) 11
31 October 2015	Niceville, 63	18:45, Claire Mortiz (Ponte Vedra) 10
29 October 2016	Niceville, 40	17:56, Alyson Churchill (Lincoln) 9
4 November 2017	Chiles, 32	18:08, Ana Wallace (Chiles) 12
3 November 2018	Chiles, 43	17:53, Claire Openshaw (Creekside) 11
2 November 2019	Saint Augustine, 40	18:45, Emily Culley (Chiles) 12
7 November 2020	Leon, 70	18:45, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 12
6 November 2021	Ponte Vedra, 37	18:24, Sofia Bushkell (Ponte Vedra) 9
The 3A Region 1 meet was run at Ridgeview High in Orange Park in 2005. The meet was run at the Miccosukee Greenway in Tallahassee in 2006, 2007, and 2008. The meet was run at Sunnyhill Farms near Tallahassee in 2009, 2010, 2012,  and 2014. The meet was run at Alligator Lake in Lake City in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2020. The meet was run at Sante Fe College in Gainesville in 2016. The meet was run at New World Golf in Jacksonville in 2018. The meet was held at The Oaks Equestrian Park in Lake City in 2017 and 2019. The meet was at Bay Dunes Golf Course in Panama City in 2021.

Links

• Complete results of the 2021 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championship Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRlhXg_AAv4YWG5MuYEu-qa9Zj61UHinzfCxFL5QKM1kwvSI3Yts5omAh0UeTA8qEtT8p2LVM4NjXWk/pubhtml
  
  
• Course map, 2021 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championship Meet
  https://app.box.com/s/12tyew7lcmxgejo7kx9mbfkph3ymu4b3
  
  
• 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-4a-region-1-2021.html
    
  • 4A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/11/fhsaa-4a-region-1-2021.html
    
  
  
• 2020 story, “Region 1 at Alligator Lake is the last win before State for the Leon girls and Ponte Vedra boys”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/11/fhsaa-3a-region-1-2020.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Kambry Smith, Lewis Benitez-Chaparro, St. Augustine, and Leon keep rolling toward State”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/fhsaa-3a-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
  
  
• 2009 story, “2009 FHSAA Region 1-3A / 2A Cross Country Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/11/2009-fhsaa-region-1-3a-2a-cross-country.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
  
  

#2793

Lillee Tang and Patrick Koon lead a Leon sweep of the Buccaneer Bash

The Leon High Lions cross-country squad ventured out of their Tallahassee, Florida lair on Saturday, 18 September 2021, travelling to Panama City for North Bay Haven's fifth annual Buccaneer Bash. Call it a business trip, because the Lions certainly took care of business. First, Leon won the girls' 5K race, putting up a winning 33 points after Lion juniors Lillee Tang and Lily Moore took the first two places in the race, running 19:40 and 19:50. The boys' 5K had a similar outcome. Leon sophomore Patrick Koon won it in 16:10 and Leon junior Jake Rogers placed second in 16:36 while their team score a mathematically unbeatable 26 points.


The girls' 5K was scheduled for 8:00 AM, racing on the grounds of the old Bay Dunes Golf Course. Thirteen schools had athletes in the race. Eleven of those schools had entered full teams. The defending champion of the Buccaneer Bash, North Bay Haven junior Lakyn Carmichael, was on the starting line. None of them could touch Lillee Tang or Lily Moore that morning. The two Leon girls were the only runners in the race to go under 20:00 that morning, Tang throwing down a winning 19:40 and Moore going 19:50 on a soggy course. Charlene Elizondo, a junior racing for host school North Bay Haven, placed third in 20:08.


After Tang and Moore, Leon had two more Lions in the top ten. Stella Lewis, a junior, placed sixth in 21:05. Another Leon junior, Mallory Robinson, placed ninth in 21:23. Leon's remaining scorer was frosh Madi Sims, fifteenth in 22:33. Once Sims had finished, the Leon girls had 33 points and first place in the team standings. Elizondo and the North Bay Haven girls placed second with 50 points, just better than the 55 scored by third-place Choctawhatchee. Choctawhatchee's top runner was Chloe Fernander, a senior, fourth in 20:42.


Team Standings, 2021 Buccaneer Bash High School Girls' 5K

1. Leon, 33
2. North Bay Haven, 50
3. Choctawhatchee, 55
4. Florida State, 114
5. Providence Christian, 123
6. Port Saint Joe, 146
7. Arnold, 177
8. Bay, 233
9. Altha, 260
10. Rutherford, 294
11. Blountstown, 301

Top Ten, 2021 Buccaneer Bash High School Girls' 5K

1. 19:40.00, Lillee Tang (Leon) 11
2. 19:49.60, Lily Moore (Leon) 11
3. 20:07.40, Charleen Elizondo (North Bay Haven) 11
4. 20:42.00, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 12
5. 20:46.40, Kyla Faint (North Bay Haven) 8
6. 21:05.00, Stella Lewis (Leon) 11
7. 21:15.80, Lakyn Carmichael (North Bay Haven) 11
8. 21:19.40, Brylie Kilgore (Choctawhatchee) 11
9. 21:22.70, Mallory Robinson (Leon) 11
10. 21:23.80, Hannah Jacobs (Providence Christian) 9

The course was no drier for the boys' 5K than it had been for the girls' 5K. If anything, it was a bit sloppier after 98 girls had churned up the wet spots. This doesn't matter to cross-country runners, for whom mud is a kind of baptism. It didn't matter to Patrick Koon, who tore around the 5K circuit in 16:10, taking first by about 130 meters. It was the third win in a row for Koon, following victories at the Cecil Field Summer Classic and the Big Bend Invitational.

Jake Rogers of Leon finished runner-up in 16:36, the only athlete in the boys' race other than Koon to crack 17:00. Kaleb Hollins, a Choctawhatchee junior, placed third in 17:20. In a close battle for third, Arnold junior Eddie Kepran edged Conner Patterson, a Providence Christian senior, 17:27 to 17:29. Kepran had won the boys' 5K in the 2020 Buccaneer Bash.


All five of Leon's scorers placed in the top ten. After Koon and Rogers, Leon sophomore William Springer was sixth in 17:41. Another sophomore, William Winsor, took seventh for Leon in 17:49. Making it four sophomores in Leon's scoring five, Quinn Carrasquila placed tenth in 18:30. The Lions had 26 points, first place among the ten teams in the boys' race, and a sweep of the Buccaneer Bash team titles.


Kaleb Hollins and the Choctawhatchee boys were second with 59 points. Arnold, the 2020 champs, squeaked by North Bay Haven 108 to 110, taking third.


Team Standings, 2021 Buccaneer Bash High School Boys' 5K

1. Leon, 26
2. Choctawhatchee, 59
3. Arnold, 108
4. North Bay Haven, 110
5. Blountstown, 145
6. Providence Christian, 158
7. Florida State, 190
8. Port Saint Joe, 197
9. Wewahitchka, 238
10. Marianna, 253

Top Ten, 2021 Buccaneer Bash High School Boys' 5K

1. 16:09.70, Patrick Koon (Leon) 10
2. 16:35.90, Jake Rogers (Leon) 11
3. 17:19.80, Kaleb Hollins (Choctawhatchee) 11
4. 17:26.30, Eddie Kepran (Arnold) 11
5. 17:28.50, Conner Patterson (Providence Christian) 12
6. 17:40.30, William Springer (Leon) 10
7. 17:48.10, William Winsor (Leon) 10
8. 17:51.10, William Armbruster (Choctawhatchee) 12
9. 18:04.70, Matthew Matson (North Bay Haven) 11
10. 18:29.20, Quinn Carrasquilla (Leon) 10

Buccaneer Bash Cross-Country Meet Winners, 2017 - 2021
High School Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
26 August 2017	Choctawhatchee, 33	18:05, Blake Turner (Arnold) 12
25 August 2018	Arnold, 38	18:27, Mason Bennett (Arnold) 12
24 August 2019	Niceville, 35	14:48, Todd Wendel (Niceville) 11
3 October 2020	Arnold, 31	18:40, Eddie Kepran (Arnold) 10
18 September 2021	Leon, 26	16:10, Patrick Koon (Leon) 10
High School Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
26 August 2017	Choctawhatchee, 46	19:53, Marisa Ashley (Arnold) 9
25 August 2018	Port Saint Joe, 35	25:36, Autumn Kotelman (Port Saint Joe) 10
24 August 2019	Niceville, 27	16:55, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 11
3 October 2020	North Bay Haven, 32	22:08, Lakyn Carmichael (North Bay Haven) 10
18 September 2021	Leon, 33	19:40, Lillee Tang (Leon) 11

Links

• Complete results, 2021 Buccaneer Bash
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQfuI2G4jFJSt5cidUc-2ifreEGehKaorjFt838MR8moIew_psZiqZODnee10RiiJFoNPv-4MD3lJrp/pubhtml
  
  
• 2017 story, “Choctaw sweeps the team titles while Arnold's Ashley and Turner take individual honors at the Buccaneer Bash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/08/buccaneer-bash-2017.html
  
  
• Find an upcoming Bash in the region on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2779

Chloe Fernander and Ryan Sloan are Panhandle Cross-Country Champions

In 2019, Arnold High School hosted the Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge at Bay Dunes Golf Course in Panama City, Florida. The meet returned for another edition on Saturday, 17 October 2020, but with its name upgraded to the Panhandle Cross-Country Championship. What's in name? By any other name, the fact would remain that South Walton won the girls' 5K with 44 points, a race where Choctawhatchee junior Chloe Fernander took individual honors in 18:58. Without that title, Niceville would have still scored 41 points to win the boys' 5K for the second year in a row, and Fort Walton Beach senior Ryan Sloan would even so have been first across the finish line in 16:09.


Chloe Fernander had to hold off a challenge from a teammate to win the girls' race. Another junior from Choctawhatchee, Deanna Bottino, was just a few steps back at the finish line. But Fernander got the win by running 18:58 to Bottino's 19:02. South Walton sophomore Ava Flaherty placed third in 19:48, and South Walton senior Patasha Bryan edged Brylie Kilgore, a Choctawhatchee sophomore, for fourth, 20:12 to 20:13.


Kilgore gave Choctawhatchee three runners in the top ten. South Walton matched that when Seahawk frosh Reece Knowlton finished ninth in 20:44. But before any team could bring home even their fourth runner, South Walton's final two scorers crossed the finish line--junior Heidi Scali (13th, 20:47) and senior Aris Short (15th, 21:04). The Seahawks had their winning 41 points.


The Niceville girls, the meet champions in 2019, placed second to South Walton with 70 points. Niceville's top finisher was frosh Lauren Cooper, sixth in 20:29. The Wakulla girls squeaked by Fernander's Choctawhatchee squad to take third, 76 to 77. Wakulla was led by frosh Liliana Lewis, who ran 20:36 for seventh.


Fifteen teams competed in the girls race.


Girls' Team Standings, 2020 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships

1. South Walton, 44
2. Niceville, 70
3. Wakulla, 76
4. Choctawhatchee, 77
5. Fort Walton Beach, 152
6. North Bay Haven, 173
7. Community Christian, 191
8. Crestview, 207
9. Florida State University, 221
10. Bay, 292
11. Paxton, 350
12. Rutherford, 361
13. Chipley, 362
14. Marianna, 400
15. Wewahitchka, 411

Top Ten Girls, 2020 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships

1. 18:57.6, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 11
2. 19:01.2, Deanna Bottino (Choctawhatchee) 11
3. 19:47.8, Ava Flaherty (South Walton) 10
4. 20:11.6, Patasha Bryan (South Walton) 12
5. 20:13.0, Brylie Kilgore (Choctawhatchee) 10
6. 20:28.6, Lauren Cooper (Niceville) 9
7. 20:35.2, Liliana Lewis (Wakulla) 9
8. 20:39.8, Clara Alford (Wakulla) 11
9. 20:43.2, Reece Knowlton (South Walton) 9
10. 20:43.3, Lexi Roberts (Niceville) 9

Ryan Sloan had raced in the Panhandle meet in 2019, finishing a respectable ninth in 17:51. Sloan was through with respectabllity in 2020. Running almost two minutes better than the previous year, Sloan won the boys' 5K by close to 150 meters, running 16:09. Another senior, Choctawhatchee's Darius Johnson, was runner-up to Sloan in 16:37. Wakulla senior Simon Cole took third in 16:51.


Choctawhatchee took the next two places, with sophomore Kaleb Hollins fourth in 16:59 and junior William Armbruster fifth in 17:00. But the Niceville boys, the 2019 winners, also had three scorers in the top ten--juniors Parker Nunley (6th, 17:08) and Ian Masterson (8th, 17:29), and frosh Seamus Hodge (9th, 17:31). Before another Choctawhatchee runner finished, Niceville brought four more athletes home--sophomore William Jetton (11th, 17:36), senior Todd Wendel (12th, 17:37), sophomore Cooper Breeze (13th, 17:38), and frosh Dawson Isbell (14th, 17:39). It took all seven of Niceville's varsity to do it, but the Eagles took first in the fifteen-team field, scoring a narrow 71 to 72 victory over the runners-up from Choctawhatchee.


South Walton was third with 87 points. Their top runner was sneior Cooper Blazer, tenth in 17:35.


Boys' Team Standings, 2020 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships

1. Niceville, 41
2. Choctawhatchee, 42
3. South Walton, 87
4. Crestview, 142
5. Arnold, 152
6. Wakulla, 160
7. North Bay Haven, 236
8. Community Christian, 248
9. Mosley, 257
10. Florida State University, 259
11. Marianna, 319
12. Paxton, 349
13. Wewahitchka, 354
14. Bay, 379
15. Rutherford, 427

Top Ten Boys, 2020 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships

1. 16:08.2, Ryan Sloan (Fort Walton Beach) 12
2. 16:36.9, Darius Johnson (Choctawhatchee) 12
3. 16:50.2, Simon Cole (Wakulla) 12
4. 16:58.9, Kaleb Hollins (Choctawhatchee) 10
5. 16:59.2, William Armbruster (Choctawhatchee) 11
6. 17:07.3, Parker Nunley (Niceville) 11
7. 17:18.7, Eddie Kepran (Arnold) 10
8. 17:28.5, Ian Masterson (Niceville) 11
9. 17:30.7, Seamus Hodge (Niceville) 9
10. 17:34.5, Cooper Blazer (South Walton) 12

Panhandle Cross-Country Championship Winners, 2019 - 2020
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
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

Links

• Complete results of the 2020 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQyj-YswF_TqXrqskhglk7Dti8C7wFET1c7klfempZ2z-5o8r9_OpVF3Pe9_f7w7CHFumUYkRzn27OW/pubhtml
  
  

#2719