No one will forget Elizabeth Funderburk at the Run To Remember

On Saturday morning, 10 August 2019, five miles into the Run To Remember 10K, Myles Gibson was leading the race. It wasn't the first time. Gibson was the course record holder of the Moultrie, Georgia event. He was also the defending champion, having won the 10K in 2018 as well as 2015 and 2016. But the Donalsonville, Georgia master runner wasn't going to collect his fourth Run To Remember title that day.


"Elizabeth Funderburk passed me in the last mile," reported Gibson. "And beat me by about 10 seconds."


After blowing by Gibson, Funderburk went on to finish the race in a winning 39:05, finishing first overall as well as collecting the women's crown. Gibson was the first male finisher, second overall in 39:16.


Like Gibson, Funderburk was no stranger to the Run To Remember, having won women's titles in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Those wins were in the 5K rather than the 10K, but Funderburk had been a schoolgirl in those years. Since then, she had won a Georgia High School State Championship in girls' cross-country, graduated Colquitt High, and in 2018 moved on to collegiate competition with the Seminoles of Florida State University. As a frosh, Funderburk had run varsity in both cross-country and track while pushing her personal bests down to 16:14.82 in the 5,000 meters and 33:31.05 in the 10,000. So it was not suprising that Funderburk was able to go 39:05 on the streets of Moultrie, her hometown--lowering the 10K record at the Run To Remember by more than ten minutes. Not surprising, but still impressive.


Behind Gibson, Mark Niday of Moultrie was second in the men's standings and third overall in 47:46. Camilla, Georgia master runner Bo Moore was the third man and fourth overall in 51:39.


Lindsay Colson finished the 10K as runner-up on the women's side and fifth overall in 53:14. Rhonda Barrett was the top woman master and third female finisher, twelfth overall in 63:20.

Elizabeth Funderburk at the 2014 Run To Remember

Top Ten Women, Sha Missions' 2019 Run To Remember 10K

1. 39:05, Elizabeth Funderburk (F, 19) Moultrie, GA
2. 53:14, Lindsay Colson (F, 34)
3. 63:20, Rhonda Barrett (F, 47)
4. 64:00, Patience Lawson (F, 39)
5. 64:26, Davina Lee (F, 46)
6. 74:56, Karina Amundson (F, 49)
7. 84:17, Jordyn Grizzard (F, 14)
8. 96:32, Faryn Hackett (F, 32)
9. 96:33, Kennedy Hackett (F, 7)
10. 1:40:22, Kathryn Blaylock (F, 51)

Top Ten Men, Sha Missions' 2019 Run To Remember 10K

1. 39:16, Myles Gibson (M, 53) Iron City, GA
2. 47:46, Mark Niday (M, 35) Moultrie, GA
3. 51:39, Bo Moore (M, 45) Camilla, GA
4. 53:55, Jody Jordan (M, 50) Omega, GA
5. 54:51, Julian Strickland (M, 54)
6. 55:40, Shane Smith (M, 51)
7. 58:16, David Griner (M, 50)
8. 59:15, Gw Jenkins (M, 33) Moultrie, GA
9. 60:04, Bill Bootz (M, 51)
10. 63:36, Marty Mathis (M, 50)

In the 2014 Run To Remember 5K, Elizabeth Funderburk posted a 20:12, finishing first overall. Since then, that had stood as the fastest time run on the course by anyone, woman or man. The fastest time, that is, until the 2019 race, when Will Brewster won the 5K in 18:09. Hayes Lightsey also went under Funderburk's mark, placing second overall in 19:46. Chad Northcutt was third in 20:48. Chris Stroh was the fastest master runner in the race, coming in fourth overall in 22:20.


Isabella Grayson, a senior on the cross-country team at Brookwood School, was the first woman in the 5K, placing eighth overall in 24:18. April Mathis was the first woman master and second female finisher, tenth overall in 25:18. Mary Sue Thompson of Moultrie was third in the women's standings and eleventh overall in 25:25.


23 athletes finished the 2019 Run To Remember 10K, with another 71 completing the 5K. Event Technical Services, Inc., of Sylvester, Georgia chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Sha Missions' 2019 Run To Remember 5K

1. 18:09, Will Brewster (M, 25)
2. 19:46, Hayes Lightsey (M, 15)
3. 20:48, Chad Northcutt (M, 35)
4. 22:20, Chris Stroh (M, 49)
5. 23:03, Luis Vargas (M, 24)
6. 23:10, Cam Ook (M, 14)
7. 23:54, Kent Grayson (M, 13)
8. 25:04, Ed Norman (M, 39)
9. 26:14, John Owens (M, 16)
10. 26:21, Will Phillips (M, 32)

Top Ten Women, Sha Missions' 2019 Run To Remember 5K

1. 24:18, Isabella Grayson (F, 17) Thomasville, GA
2. 25:18, April Mathis (F, 50) Moultrie, GA
3. 25:25, Mary Sue Thompson (F, 36) Moultrie, GA
4. 25:28, Jodi Stuckey (F, 34) Moultrie, GA
5. 27:59, Maggie Murphy (F, 34) Moultrie, GA
6. 32:21, Sarah Gatzemeier (F, 33) Hahira, GA
7. 29:47, Anna Hartley (F, 24)
8. 30:07, Ashleigh Childs (F, 24)
9. 31:07, Shana Murphy (F, 47)
10. 31:04, Leah Brsnell (F, 34)

Run 2 Remember 5K winners, 2012 - 2019
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
4 August 2012	10K	54:04, Dale Pate	54:32, Lori Richardson	34
	5K	20:30, Matt Collmar	29:38, Christy Cherry	178
17 August 2013	10K	44:40, Jose Trejo	50:26, Tiffany Powell Nunnally	20
	5K	21:05, Lucas Trejo	22:03, Elizabeth Funderburk	81
2 August 2014	10K	39:16, Dale Pate	52:49, Jennifer Bendewish	20
	5K	22:14, Baylen Young	20:12, Elizabeth Funderburk	59
8 August 2015	10K	37:56, Myles Gibson	55:06, Heather Grantham	18
	5K	20:16, Colby Bearden	20:51, Elizabeth Funderburk	67
1 October 2016	10K	38:19, Myles Gibson	46:48, Amelia Chassevent	20
	5K	23:39, Margarito Moctezuma	25:45, Yasmin Moctezuma	31
12 August 2017	10K	46:44, Case Gregory	53:41, Laura Solomon	15
	5K	22:16, Austin Hunnicutt	25:44, Jodi Stuckey	48
4 August 2018	10K	45:09, Myles Gibson	52:52, Laura McMermott	24
	5K	19:52, Case Gregory	24:33, Jodi Beth Stuckey	82
10 August 2019	10K	39:16, Myles Gibson	39:05, Elizabeth Funderburk	23
	5K	18:09, Will Brewster	24:18, Isabella Grayson	71

Links

• Complete results of Sha Missions' 2019 "Run To Remember"
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTKlTy1wAYdbROVJjVH1dnUh4TQHd-YUUZWWEx7M2GCidW4gHCzP6bSR2DbX3pkq3Ja5vjtxOgUxqaU/pubhtml
  
  
• 2017 story, “Gregory and Solomon win at the Run To Remember 10K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/08/remember-sha-2017.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Myles Gibson has a record race in Moultrie's Run To Remember”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/08/remember-sha-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Dale Pate says goodbye to Southwest Georgia with a record race at Run To Remember”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/08/remember-sha-2014.html
  
  
• Sha Missions
  http://shamissions.org/
  
  
• Find your next race in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2570

Chris Zablocki and Tamara Kozulina each add another "W" to their Tallahassee Marathon tally

Chris Zablocki took first in the Tallahassee Marathon in 2013. Tamara Kozulina was the first woman in 2008. Both runners were back in Tallahassee, Florida on Sunday morning, 3 February 2019, when Zablocki won the 45th annual Tallahassee Marathon, going 2:34:41. Kozulina was the first woman in the race for the fourth year in a row, placing fourteenth overall in 3:04:00. 155 athletes finished the 26.2-mile race.

Chris Zablocki

When Zablocki and Kozulina logged their first Tallahassee Marathon victories, the race had started at Florida State University, running down to Woodville before turning around and returning to campus. Since then the course had changed, and the 2019 Marathon started downtown in front of the Leon County Courthouse. Marathon morning was foggy. Behind the starting line the upper floors of the Capitol were obscured by the mist. The Old Capitol, closer and not as tall, was still visible, the backdrop for the 7:30 AM start.

Tamara Kozulina

Zablocki was a New Englander at the time of his 2013 visit to Tallahassee, but he had managed to do some impressive racing in the South, including wins at the 2014 Jacksonville Marathon, the 2015 Albany Marathon, and the 2016 Albany Marathon. A second Tallahassee title had eluded him, though. In the 2015 Tallahassee Marathon he had finished runner-up, 300 meters behind Mark Chepses.


No one was that close to Zablocki in 2019. Now based in Chicago, eight kilometers into the Marathon he was already 400 meters ahead. By halfway, that margin was 1500 meters. Zablocki slowed during the second half and his lead narrowed slightly, but he was never challenged on his way to the finish line on West Madison Street in College Town, where he arrived in a winning 2:34:41. Austin Whitelaw ran a strong second half to take second in 2:39:34. Charlie Johnson, runner-up in the 2018 Tallahassee Marathon, placed third in 2:41:31. Columbia, South Carolina athlete Orinthal Striggles edged Ian Brown of Americus, Georgia for top master runner honors in the marathon, 2:54:18 to 2:54:28. Striggles and Brown were seventh and eighth overall.

Austin Whitelaw

While Zablocki was wrapping up his second Tallahassee Marathon win, Tamara Kozulina was working on her fifth title in the race and her fourth in a row--a streak that started in the 2016 race. Kozulina kept that streak alive and then some. A marathon is just over 42 kilometers long, and the Clermont master runner finished just over four kilometers ahead of the next woman in the race. 3:04:00 wasn't her fastest Tallahassee Marathon, but it didn't have to be. San Ramon, California master runner Jennifer Bayliss was second in the women's standings, placing 22nd overall in 3:23:48. Alyssa Terry of Tallahassee took third in the women's standings and and 25th overall in 3:31:01.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Marathon

1. 2:34:41, Christopher Zablocki (M, 30) Chicago, IL
2. 2:39:34, Austin Whitelaw (M, 25) Tallahassee, FL
3. 2:41:31, Charlie Johnson (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
4. 2:51:28, Chris Jones (M, 25) Warner Robins, GA
5. 2:52:36, Chris O'Kelley (M, 25) Tallahassee, FL
6. 2:52:36, Charlie Kline (M, 26) Tallahassee, FL
7. 2:54:18, Orinthal Striggles (M, 43) Columbia, SC
8. 2:54:28, Ian Brown (M, 53) Americus, GA
9. 2:58:36, James Buchanan (M, 37) Niceville, FL
10. 2:58:37, Stephen Stiegel (M, 39) Elon, NC

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Marathon

1. 3:04:00, Tamara Kozulina (F, 43) Clermont, FL
2. 3:23:48, Jennifer Bayliss (F, 48) San Ramon, CA
3. 3:31:01, Alyssa Terry (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
4. 3:37:48, Caroline May Poor (F, 32) Tallahassee, FL
5. 3:38:33, Laura McDermott (F, 39) Tallahassee, FL
6. 3:39:42, Sarah Miller (F, 21) Tallahassee, FL
7. 3:40:59, Cecilia Bouaichi (F, 23) Tallahassee, FL
8. 3:49:59, Amy McClenathan (F, 59) Saint Petersburg, FL
9. 3:52:23, Laura Segrera (F, 40) Saint Petersburg, FL
10. 3:52:52, Jenny Early (F, 35) Tallahassee, FL

In the Half-Marathon race, Gainesville, Florida athlete Sergey Zyrianov led at eight kilometers, but Will Christian was on his trail. Lieutenant Commander Christian had been in Tallahassee with the All-Navy Cross-Country Team, competing in the 2019 USATF Cross-Country National Championship. Less than 24 hours after posting a 31:02 in a ten-kilometer cross-country race at Apalachee Regional Park, Christian was on the streets of Tallahassee chasing Zyrianov. Christian caught the Gainesville runner, leaving him over 400 meters behind as he raced to a 67:47 win. Zyrianov took second in 69:09, and Ryan Barrow of Thiboxaux, Louisiana was third in 78:54. David Graf of Tallahassee, Florida was the fastest master runner in the half marathon, placing fourth overall in 79:49.

Will Christian

As a Colquitt High senior, Elizabeth Funderburk had raced the 2018 Tallahassee Half-Marathon, running 88:56 and coming in third in the women's division. As a Florida State frosh taking a redshirt season in indoor track, Funderburk was back in 2019 with visions of running 80:00 and moving up to first. Another Georgia native, Ann Centner, also had ambitions of winning the women's title. Centner, a Ph.D. candidate in nutrition science at Florida State, had a personal best of 85:02 from the 2018 Albany Snickers Half Marathon. Based on past performance, you'd give the edge to Centner.

Elizabeth Funderburk & Ann Centner

Funderburk, however, was giving nothing to Centner. At eight kilometers the two were racing together, leading the women's field. During the next few kilometers, Funderburk broke away, and with seven kilometers to go she was a little over 30 meters ahead of Centner. Funderburk stretched out that lead to nearly 300 meters on the way to College Town, where she crossed the finish line in 80:00, the first woman and fifth overall in the half marathon. Centner finished runner-up on the women's side and seventh overall in 81:00. Lyubov Denisova of Gainesville, Florida was the first woman master and third female finisher in the half marathon, eighth overall in 84:18.

Elizabeth Funderburk

813 athletes finished the 2019 Tallahassee Half-Marathon. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races, with help from RaceSmith of Saint Augustine, Florida.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Half-Marathon

1. 1:07:47, Will Christian (M, 35) Chesapeake, VA
2. 1:09:09, Sergey Zyrianov (M, 34) Gainesville, FL
3. 1:18:54, Ryan Barrow (M, 31) Thibodaux, LA
4. 1:19:49, David Graf (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
5. 1:20:44, Michael Rhodes (M, 50) Perry, FL
6. 1:24:24, Michael Niezgoda (M, 30) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:25:32, Blake Scott (M, 49) Orlando, FL
8. 1:25:56, Tony Guillen (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
9. 1:27:59, Bobby Duggleby (M, 28) Tallahassee, FL
10. 1:29:10, Peter Kaus (M, 34) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Half-Marathon

1. 1:20:00, Elizabeth Funderburk (F, 19) Moultrie, GA
2. 1:21:00, Ann Centner (F, 27) Tallahassee, FL
3. 1:24:18, Lyubov Denisova (F, 47) Gainesville, FL
4. 1:28:33, Lucy Baird (F, 19) Tallahassee, FL
5. 1:28:58, Blair Bodenmiller (F, 32) Tallahassee, FL
6. 1:34:55, Elisha Boggs (F, 42) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:36:28, Brittney Barnes (F, 31) Tallahassee, FL
8. 1:37:13, Melissa Thompson (F, 34) Thomasville, FL
9. 1:38:35, Carrie Murphy (F, 47) Tallahassee, FL
10. 1:38:53, Corinne Porcher (F, 49) Tallahassee, FL

Tallahassee Marathon winners, 1975 - 2019
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
8 March 1975	3:00:07, John Hargreaves		2
25 April 1976	2:58:00, John Hargreaves		7
1977	2:35:59, Tim Simpkins	3:38:59, Betty Ely	22
1978	2:39:00, Tim Simpkins	3:45:00, Donna Glotzbach	19
24 February 1979	2:45:37, Steve Figard	3:03:16, Shirley Silsby	54
2 February 1980	2:35:32, Steve Figard	3:30:33, Victoria Myers	71
7 February 1981	2:37:39, Jim Dickson	3:49:48, Linda Abele	41
13 February 1982	2:28:11, Chris Lingle	3:14:31, Marianne Crawford	95
12 February 1983	2:23:55, Mike Patterson	3:15:06, Christy Orthmann	81
11 February 1984	2:35:00, Rick Miller	3:11:34, Donna Glotzbach	49
9 February 1985	2:41:50, Felton Wright	3:17:09, Debbie Moore	44
23 February 1986	2:40:57, Felton Wright	3:37:35, Joyce Hodges	44
1987	2:40:09, Scott Hinkle	3:14:57, Laura Meighan	72
1988	2:31:39, Tom Swiersz	3:19:54, Lana Hayden	49
1989	2:38:28, TC Carroll	3:07:13, Paula Johnson	93
1990	2:28:43, Jessie Close	3:02:18, Claudia Kasen	107
1991	2:44:41, Steve Carney	2:56:10, Paula Johnson	118
1992	2:28:41, Jessie Close	3:04:52, Paula Johnson	115
1993	2:27:20, Louis Floyd	2:56:22, Fran Fidler	83
1994	2:32:27, Louis Floyd	3:22:21, Lori Karison	133
1995	2:43:45, Paul Hough	3:10:56, Paula Johnson	124
1996	2:43:24, William Flynn	3:29:44, Krista Prentice	70
1997	2:50:45, Daniel Widener	3:33:22, Dee Farnell	111
18 January 1998	2:29:02, Bryon Law	3:09:08, Carrie Weyant	73
17 January 1999	2:56:17, Tom Minor	3:13:51, Martha Vidal	80
16 January 2000	2:46:53, Michael Peck	3:16:13, Melissa Knechtel	51
17 January 2001	2:57:24, David Yon	3:36:01, Carrie Weyant	86
20 January 2002	3:02:32, Ronnie Godwin & Felton Wright	3:21:17, Carrie Weyant
14 December 2003	2:50:32, Michael Western	3:34:48, Kathy Pike	38
15 February 2004	2:55:19, Jack McDermott	3:18:18, Kim Bruce	75
20 February 2005	2:43:38, Jeff Dobias	3:24:24, Lisa Purul	129
19 February 2006	2:51:58, Michael Douma	3:32:11, Teresa Lafleur	79
4 February 2007	2:28:15, Judson Cake	2:46:09, Valerie Gortmaker	168
3 February 2008	2:24:01, Scot Mullins	3:03:38, Tamara Kozulina	209
1 February 2009	2:20:29, George Towett	2:45:05, Nina Kraft	203
7 February 2010	2:26:49, James Kiptoo	3:16:05, Beth Moras	233
6 February 2011	2:28:38, Esteban Vanegas	2:43:32, Karen Harvey	234
5 February 2012	2:27:23, Solomon Kandie	2:40:06, Leah Thorvilson	270
3 February 2013	2:23:26, Chris Zablocki	2:52:49, Nina Kraft	307
2 February 2014	2:24:29, Bryan Morseman	2:46:29, Esther Erb	361
8 February 2015	2:19:12, Mark Chepses	2:46:59, Sarah Crouch	335
7 February 2016	2:31:34, Kennedy Kemei	3:03:20, Tamara Kozulina	224
5 February 2017	2:27:12, Bryan Morseman	3:09:25, Tamara Kozulina	180
4 February 2018	2:26:56, Bryan Morseman	3:03:10, Tamara Kozulina	153
3 February 2019	2:34:41, Christopher Zablocki	3:04:00, Tamara Kozulina	155

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRfQSCdBwpbMJUHiq4Dx8QwPHCYjS6jKkZBTGubj4N80AexXz6yMDHxAX1OXh09ePEshuWyJ2ZqmJ12/pubhtml
  
  
• More photos of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon
  
  • Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10113108088946523&type=1&l=8d3edef33d
    
  • Part 2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10113110556756013&type=1&l=e4d07d3aa2
    
  
  
• 2018 story, “No one rains on Bryan Morseman's parade at the Tallahassee marathon”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/02/tallahassee-marathon-2018.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Strong finishes and Tallahassee Marathon titles for Chepses and Crouch”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/02/tallahassee-marathon-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Morseman and Erb champions at the largest Tallahassee Marathon yet”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/02/tallahassee-marathon-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Tallahassee Marathon comes down to the final sprint for Zablocki”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/02/tallahassee-marathon-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 Story, “Tallahassee Marathon 2012”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/02/tallahassee-marathon-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Vanegas wins and Harvey sets record at Tallahassee Marathon XXXVII”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/02/tallahassee-marathon-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Big wins for Cheruiyot and Moras at the 36th annual Tallahassee Marathon”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/02/tallahassee-marathon.html
  
  
• Website for Gulf Winds Track Club's Tallahassee Marathon
  http://www.tallahasseemarathon.com/
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL17089TY for the 2018 Tallahassee Marathon
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL17089TY
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL17066TY for the 2018 Tallahassee Half Marathon
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL17066TY
  
  
• Longer than a marathon or shorter, you'll find your next Tallahassee region race here:
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2422

Jacob McLeod over Michael Phillips, 8:52.70 to 8:54.62, in the FSU Relays 3200

23 March 2018, was nearly a week after Saint Patrick's Day, but it was nevertheless an athlete from Dublin who dominated the high school boys' 3200-meter race at the Florida State University Relays that Friday evening. Dublin, Georgia, that is, where Jacob McLeod is a senior at Trinity Christian. McLeod went McLeod edged Chiles High senior Michael Phillips for the win in that not-quite-two-mile race, 8:52.70 to 8:54.62. Another Georgia athlete, Colquitt County senior Elizabeth Funderburk, won the girls' 3200 in 10:26.33.


Both McLeod and Phillips were under the meet record for the 3200 of 8:59.50, set in 2015 by Sukhi Khosla of Leon High. McLeod, Phillips, and Khosla are the only athletes to go sub-9:00 at the FSU Relays. Phillips' time was the fastest ever by a Tallahassee high school athlete, eclipsing the 8:55.75 run by Matt Mizereck of Leon in 2010.


Bolles junior Charles Hicks took the field through the first lap in about 69 seconds. That pace must have been too pedestrian for McLeod, because the Dublin senior ran the next lap in 66 seconds, taking the lead and stretching out the field. McLeod continued to set the pace, dropping runners out of the lead pack. Meanwhile, Phillips was moving up through the field. With three laps to go, Phillips was tucked behind McLeod in second, and that's where they were when the gun lap began. But while Phillips smoked a 62.06 final 400 meters, McLeod answered with a blazing 61.39. McLeod was first in 8:52.70 while Phillips took second in 8:54.62. Hicks, the early leader, edged Bishop Kenny senior Nathan Jubran for third, 9:01.11 to 9:01.57.


The boys' 3200 had started off conservatively, but not so the girls' race, where Elizabeth Funderburk led the field through the first lap in 73 seconds. Winter Park senior Rafaella Gibbons, a two-time FSU Relays champion in the event, was just behind Funderburk. Eight laps at 73 seconds would give you a 9:44 3200, half a minute under the FSU Relays record, but the girls didn't maintain that pace. Funderburk ran the next six laps in the 79-80 second range, which was fast enough to drop the rest of the field.


Gibbons stayed close through 800 meters, but fell back on the third. Halfway through the race, Funderburk had opened a 25-meter gap. She doubled that lead during the second half of the race on her way to a 10:26.33 win. In a sophomore vs. sophomore matchup, Creekside's Claire Openshaw held off Tsion Yared of Pine Crest to take second, 10:36.81 to 10:38.40. After challenging Funderburk during the first 800 meters, Gibbons ended the race seventh in 10:54.10.


2017 Florida State University Relays high school boys' 3200, top ten

1. 8:52.70, Jacob McLeod (Trinity Christian) 12
2. 8:54.62, Michael Phillips (Chiles) 12
3. 9:01.11, Charles Hicks (Bolles) 11
4. 9:01.57, Nathan Jubran (Bishop Kenny) 12
5. 9:05.71, Paul Stafford (Lake Wales) 12
6. 9:07.79, Hunter Appleton (Brother Martin) 11
7. 9:09.25, Joshua Collins (Belen Jesuit) 12
8. 9:15.18, Trevor Foley (Citrus Park Christian) 12
9. 9:15.91, Benjamin Hartvigsen (Sarasota) 11
10. 9:16.14, Tristen Montalvo (Saint Cloud) 12

2017 Florida State University Relays high school girls' 3200, top ten

1. 10:26.33, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 12
2. 10:36.81, Claire Openshaw (Creekside) 10
3. 10:38.40, Tsion Yared (Pine Crest) 10
4. 10:45.26, Rebecca Clark (The Villages) 11
5. 10:48.44, Mahdere Yared (Pine Crest) 9
6. 10:50.13, Emily Culley (Chiles) 11
7. 10:54.10, Rafaella Gibbons (Winter Park) 12
8. 10:58.15, Rylee Pustilnik (Spanish River) 10
9. 10:58.61, Audrey McAnally (Trinity Prep) 10
10. 10:58.63, Isabella Bartczak (Dr. Phillips) 12

High School 3200-meter winners, Florida State University Relays, 2006 - 2018
Date	Men	Women
24 March 2006	9:38.76, Daniel Roberts (Crested Butte) 12	11:20.32, Alison Babb (Oak Hall) 12
30 March 2007	9:29.73, Joseph Franklin (Godby) 11	11:34.31, Katy Swain (Maclay) 11
28 March 2008	9:15.18, Joseph Franklin (Godby) 12	10:42.71, Kayla Hale (Holy Trinity) 11
27 March 2009	9:06.78, Derek Wehunt (Sickles) 11	11:02.90, Jana Stolting (Maclay) 11
26 March 2010	9:02.87, Matt Mizereck (Leon) 12	10:41.54, Jana Stolting (Maclay) 12
25 March 2011	9:12.16, Kikanae Punyua (Glenelg) 12	10:34.90, Kacy Smith (Estero) 10
23 March 2012	9:10.37, Andres Arroyo (Colonial) 11	10:30.53, Lily Williams (Chiles) 12
22 March 2013	9:07.38, Mac Macoy (Vestavia Hills) 11	10:15.70, Carmen Carlos (McGill-Toole) 12
21 March 2014	8:59.50, Sukhi Khosla (Leon) 11	10:50.94, Emily Edwards (Fort Myers) 12
27 March 2015	9:03.57, Sukhi Khosla (Leon) 12	10:42.20, Rafaella Gibbons (Winter Park) 9
25 March 2016	9:08.54, Noah Perkins (Seffner Christian) 12	10:35.64, Rafaella Gibbons (Winter Park) 10
24 March 2017	9:03.44, Caleb Pottorff (Lincoln Park) 12	10:23.81, Alyson Churchill (Lincoln) 9
23 March 2018	8:52.70, Jacob McLeod (Trinity Christian) 12	10:26.33, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 12

Links

• Complete results of the 2018 Florida State University Relays at pttiming.com
  https://results.flotrack.org/?mid=1375
  
  
• 2017 story, “Pottorff turns a US #4 9:03.44 and Churchill a US #1 10:23.81 at the FSU Relays”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/03/fsu-relays-3200m-2017.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Friday Night Lights: 3200m Invitational at FSU Relays”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/03/fsu-relays-3200m.html
  
  
• Find upcoming races, fast and scary fast, on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2228

Funderburk blazes a valedictory 17:44.50 at the Yellow Jacket Invitational

Among humans, where a lifetime is traditionally regarded as threescore-and-ten years, twenty-five years is about a generation. In high school sports, though, history moves a little faster. You may compete before and after high school, but your high school athletic career is no more than four years. A team photo taken four years ago includes no faces on today's team. In twenty-five years, that four-year changeover happens six times. In high school sports, twenty-five years is a very, very long time. No athlete is going to remember that far back. Few of the coaches will.


Not much lasts twenty-five years in high school sports. But Thomas County Central High School's Yellow Jacket Cross-Country Invitational has. Maybe no one can tell you who won the first Yellow Jacket Invitational in 1993, but it's nevertheless certain that the 25th annual Invitational was run in Thomasville, Georgia at Thomas County Middle School on Saturday morning, 14 October 2017. And among the athletes on hand to celebrate the twenty-fifth year of the Yellow Jacket Invitational, Colquitt County senior Elizabeth Funderburk ran a stunning 17:45 to win the high school girls' 5K, and Lowndes senior Brishen House won the high school boys' 5K in 17:04.


It was the third trip to the Yellow Jacket Invitational for Funderburk. As a sophomore, the Colquitt County Packer had won the girls' 5K at the 2015 Invitational in a respectable 20:07. In 2016 Funderburk returned to tear up the course in a winning 17:50. In 2017 she ran even faster, going 17:45. Veterans High sophomore Mackenzie Walls, a fourth-place finisher in the 2016 race, took second behind Funderburk, running 19:46. Kaylee Valenzia, a Lowndes senior, was third in 20:54.


It was the girls from Valwood School who took the team title, though. Led by the 21:27 of of sixth-place finisher Riley O'Linn, Valwood edged Veterans for the top spot in the high school girls' team standings, 80 to 82. Lee County was third in the eleven-team field with 98 points, led by junior Caroline Taylor (15th, 23:30).


2017 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Girls

1. Valwood, 80
2. Veterans, 82
3. Lee County, 98
4. Berrien County, 121
5. Lowndes, 154
6. Thomas County Central, 157
7. Colquitt County, 169
8. Bainbridge, 176
9. Aucilla Christian, 184
10. Seminole County, 194
11. Furlow Charter, 253

Top 15 High School Girls, 25th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 17:44.50, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 12
2. 19:46.00, Mackenzie Walls (Veterans) 10
3. 20:53.28, Kaylee Valenzia (Lowndes) 12
4. 21:15.40, Cara Eaton (Thomas County Central) 12
5. 21:24.36, Macy Williams (Seminole County) 10
6. 21:26.94, Riley O'Linn (Valwood) 12
7. 21:33.47, Rebecca Chandler (Berrien County) 10
8. 21:44.41, Brynn Wilson (Veterans) 12
9. 22:00.14, Maya Wynn (Furlow Charter) 9
10. 22:22.60, Hannah Dodd (Berrien County) 9
11. 22:47.23, Katelyn Lancaster (Valdosta) 10
12. 22:56.35, Anna James (Thomas County Central) 9
13. 22:58.59, Brenna Clark (Valwood) 9
14. 23:08.15, Masey Tabb (Seminole County) 10
15. 23:29.79, Caroline Taylor (Lee County) 11

Unlike Funderburk, Brishen House didn't have any history at the Yellow Jacket Invitational. Neverthless, the Lowndes senior made some history in the 2017 high school boys' 5K, winning the race by 140 meters in 17:04. Valdosta senior Noah Richards took second in 17:34, and Lowndes frosh Alec Munger was third in 17:48.


Then came the Veterans High wave. Veterans Warhawks took the next four places, with junior Aamiri Ducksworth fourth in 18:02, senior Robbie Griffith fifth in 18:12, senior Brett Horton sixth in 18:23, and junior Griffin Hodges seventh in 18:25. The Warhawks got a fifth top-ten finish from junior Andrew Bos (10th, 18:38), giving the boys from Kathleen, Georgia a winning 32 points and their second straight Yellow Jacket Invitational team title. Lowndes was second with 64 points, and Valdosta third out of twelve teams with 72.


2017 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Boys

1. Veterans, 32
2. Lowndes, 64
3. Valdosta, 72
4. Colquitt County, 144
5. Thomas County Central, 147
6. Bainbridge, 155
7. Lee County, 175
8. Seminole County, 199
9. Berrien County, 244
10. Aucilla Christian, 319
11. Thomasville, 324
12. Furlow Charter, 332

Top 15 High School Boys, 25th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 17:03.69, Brishen House (Lowndes) 12
2. 17:33.23, Noah Richards (Valdosta) 12
3. 17:47.38, Alec Munger (Lowndes) 9
4. 18:01.94, Aamiri Ducksworth (Veterans) 11
5. 18:11.34, Robbie Griffin (Veterans) 12
6. 18:22.30, Brett Horton (Veterans) 12
7. 18:24.56, Griffin Hodges (Veterans) 11
8. 18:29.51, Jake Merritt (Colquitt County) 12
9. 18:32.53, Deshon Taylor (Valdosta) 12
10. 18:37.33, Andrew Bos (Veterans) 11
11. 18:42.23, Morgan Bolmer (Berrien County) 10
12. 18:47.31, Benjamin Phillips (Lee County) 10
13. 18:48.09, Efrain Diaz (Bainbridge) 12
14. 18:51.64, William Krispin (Valdosta) 12
15. 18:53.62, Rio Espinoza (Veterans) 11

MacIntyre Park sixth-grader Anika Imhoff won the middle school girls' two mile at the Yellow Jacket Invitational with a 17:35. However, MacIntryre Park didn't have a full team so when Thomas County took the next four places plus seventh place with Makaina Griffin (2nd, 17:42), Gracie McNichols (3rd, 17:47), Samantha Jennings (4th, 17:49), Elizabeth Rinehart (5th, 18:45), and MiKayla Voyles (7th, 19:22). Those five runners gave their team the win with a perfect score of 15. Whigam, led by fifth-grader Sada Bostick (14th, 21:08), was second with 50 points.


2017 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Girls

1. Thomas County, 15
2. Whigham, 50

Top 15 Middle School Girls, 25th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 17:34.23, Anika Imhoff (MacIntyre Park) 6
2. 17:41.66, Makaina Griffin (Thomas County) 7
3. 17:46.15, Gracie McNichols (Thomas County) 7
4. 17:48.91, Samantha Jennings (Thomas County) 7
5. 18:44.94, Elizabeth Rinehart (Thomas County) 7
6. 19:19.43, Aly Morabito (MacIntyre Park) 6
7. 19:21.07, MiKayla Voyles (Thomas County) 6
8. 19:34.13, Bailey Maroney (Thomas County) 7
9. 19:35.91, Maggie Palmer (Seminole County) 7
10. 19:42.43, Riley Fisher (Thomas County) 7
11. 19:47.95, Jordyn Tillman (Thomas County) 7
12. 19:55.87, Jo Beth Kelly (Seminole County) 7
13. 20:20.57, Madison Harper (Thomas County) 6
14. 21:07.53, Sada Bostick (Whigham) 5
15. 21:14.15, Sarah Byram (Whigham) 7

Valdosta took the top two places in the middle school boys' two mile, with eighth-grader Parker Jackson winning in 12:32 and seventh-grader Hunter Griffin second in 14:08. Nolan Barnes of MacIntyre Park placed third in 14:30.


But the Cats from Valdosta put two more runners in the top ten, sixth-grader Gabriel Sears (4th, 14:32) and seventh-grader William Gutierrez-Ramirez (7th, 14:55). When sixth-grader Emory Hogan placed twelfth in 15:18 for Valdosta, the Cats had a mathematically unbeatable 26 points and first place out of seven teams in the middle school boys' race. MacIntyre Park was second with 49 points. Lee County placed third with 78 points, led by eighth-grader Landon Jones (5th, 14:32).


2017 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Boys

1. Valdosta, 26
2. MacIntyre Park, 49
3. Lee County, 78
4. Thomas County, 92
5. Seminole County, 127
6. Colquitt County, 171
7. Whigham, 208

Top 15 Middle School Boys, 25th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 12:31.28, Parker Jackson (Valdosta) 8
2. 14:07.84, Hunter Griffin (Valdosta) 7
3. 14:29.52, Nolan Barnes (MacIntyre Park) 8
4. 14:31.58, Gabriel Sears (Valdosta) 6
5. 14:31.83, Landon Jones (Lee County) 8
6. 14:47.61, Cole Sullivan (MacIntyre Park) 8
7. 14:54.28, William Gutierrez Ramirez (Valdosta) 7
8. 14:56.45, Zac McNichols (Thomas County) 8
9. 15:07.61, Reagen Anglin (Thomas County) 7
10. 15:12.03, Lane Whiddon (MacIntyre Park) 8
11. 15:17.14, Baylor Williams (Seminole County) 8
12. 15:17.96, Emory Hogan (Valdosta) 6
13. 15:19.98, Josh May (MacIntyre Park) 7
14. 15:20.54, Antonio Sultul Zapeto (Valdosta) 7
15. 15:21.00, Chase Reeves (Lee County) 8

Yellow Jacket Cross Country Invitational winners, 2008 - 2017
High School Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
18 October 2008	Tift County, 32 points	16:59, Hunter Honeycutt (Tift County)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 41	16:13, Chase Harris (Bainbridge) 11
25 October 2014	Thomas County Central, 74	16:25, Wil Luca (Leon) 12
17 October 2015	Leon, 36	15:47, Poncherella Leonard (Bainbridge) 11
15 October 2016	Veterans, 54	17:13, Colby Jones (Lee County) 11
14 October 2017	Veterans, 32	17:04, Brishen House (Lowndes) 12
High School Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
18 October 2008	Valdosta, 30 points	21:12, JaCourtney Alexander (Cairo)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 30	19:44, Paige Braswell (Bainbridge) 12
25 October 2014	Berrien County, 47	20:58, Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11
17 October 2015	Leon, 44	20:07, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 10
15 October 2016	Lee County, 83	17:50, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
14 October 2017	Valwood, 80	17:45, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 12
Do you have results from the missing years? Please let me know!

Links

• Complete results of Thomas County Central's 2016 Yellow Jacket Cross-Country Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s0057vImPW1vYc1n84FVwDjXxGN_-1MMT5a_E-2GQF4/pubhtml
  
  
• 2016 story, “Elizabeth Funderburk goes 17:50 in Thomasville at the Yellow Jacket Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/10/yellowjacket-xc-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Poncherella Leonard and Elizabeth Funderburk have wings at Yellow Jacket Invite”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/yellowjacket-xc-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Wil Luca, Rebekah Smith finish the season right at Yellow Jacket Cross Country Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/10/yellowjacket-xc-2014.html
  
  
• Can't get an invitation? Find an open race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2110

Chiles sweeps, Phillips repeats, and Funderburk sets a record at the Cougar Challenge

In 2016, Lincoln High frosh Alyson Churchill won the high school girls' 5K at Cougar Cross-Country Challenge, then went on to win the FHSAA state cross-country title for class 3A girls. Additionally, Chiles High junior Michael Phillips won the Cougar Challenge high school boys' 5K that same year, and went on to win the FHSAA state cross-country title for class 3A boys. You might think that's an anomaly, but Joe Franklin, Patrick Swain, and Sukhi Khosla also won state titles in Florida after victories in the Cougar Challenge. In the ten-year history of the meet, that's a lot of state champions. Maybe the Cougar Challenge is a stepping-stone to victory in the State Final, and Florida's athletes should be making pilgrimages to Tallahassee's Phipps Park each autumn to compete in the Challenge. Or maybe Tallahassee just has produced a lot of great cross-country runners, many who have raced in the Cougar Challenge.

Elizabeth Funderburk

In 2017, though, don't look for the Cougar Challenge high school girls' 5K winner to take any state titles in Florida. On Saturday morning, 26 August 2017, that race was won by a Moultrie, Georgia athlete, Colquitt County High senior Elizabeth Funderburk. Funderburk cruised up and down the Phipps Park hills in a girls' meet record of 18:29, besting a field of 182 athletes. Come November, though, Funderburk will be competing for a state title on the Carrollton High course in Carrollton, Georgia instead of racing for a Florida crown at Apalachee Regional Park. The Cougar Challenge just might produce a Florida title in 2017, though. Defending state champ Michael Phillips won the boys' 5K at the Challenge for the second year in a row, running 16:42.

Michael Phillips

The girls' 5K started a few minutes after 8:00 AM. Most of the first kilometer was downhill, encouraging a stiff early pace. Gravity didn't help anyone keep up with Funderburk, though. The Colquitt County High senior had already broken contact with the field by the end of the first kilometer. In addition to the long downhill, the runners also had to negotiate two major uphills. Up or down, Funderburk kept widening the gap. Eventually she was not only out of reach of the other competitors, but out of sight as well. Chiles senior Ana Wallace placed second in the race, running 19:37.


"It was a fast start, so it really hurt me," recalled Wallace. "And of course that last will was killer. I didn't really have anyone to run with because Elizabeth got away from me at the start."

Chiles High girls' cross-country team

Wallace's teammate Emily Culley finished third, giving the Chiles girls a strong start in the team scoring. However, West Florida Tech put four runners in the top twenty--sophomore Skylar Grant (9th, 22:01), juniors Mallory Mott (10th, 22:03) and Maria Areola (11th, 22:06), and sophomore Ale'jandra Gilley (17th, 22:46). Chiles third and fourth runners were sophomore Emily Molen (14th, 22:41) and frosh Brooke Waldal (27th, 23:12). West Florida Tech held a one-point advantage while the teams waited for their fifth scorers. Those final scorers were Chiles senior Shealyn Sullivan (38th, 24:20) and West Florida Tech sophomore Alana Gaynor (45th, 24:55), giving Chiles 80 points and victory. West Florida Tech was second with 86 points. Led by sophomore Elizabeth Calabro (8th, 22:00), Leon High was a close third with 88 points.


Team Standings, High School Girls, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. Chiles, 80
2. West Florida Tech, 86
3. Leon, 88
4. Lincoln, 127
5. Maclay, 152
6. Deerfield Windsor, 182
7. Southland, 189
8. Valwood, 198
9. Suwannee, 284
10. Bainbridge, 296
11. Tift County, 297
12. Community Christian, 336
13. Thomas County Central, 337
14. Colquitt County, 339
15. Wakulla, 376
16. Lowndes, 379
17. Franklin County, 495
18. John Paul II Catholic, 503
19. Brookwood, 553

Top Ten High School Girls, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. 18:28.70, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 12
2. 19:36.71, Ana Wallace (Chiles) 12
3. 20:13.08, Emily Culley (Chiles) 11
4. 20:51.37, Hannah Spooneybarger (Gulf Breeze) 11
5. 21:29.96, Emily Golden (Tift County) 10
6. 21:46.89, Charlotte Augenstein (Deerfield-Windsor) 10
7. 21:57.70, Megan Churchill (Lincoln) 10
8. 21:59.97, Elizabeth Calabro (Leon) 10
9. 22:00.93, Skylar Grant (West Florida Tech) 10
10. 22:02.43, Mallory Mott (West Florida Tech) 11

The runners in the boys' 5K were every bit as anxious as those in the girls' 5K to dash down the first kilometer of downhill running. The leaders went by the mile mark in 5:05, a pace that none of them maintained for the rest of the race. But while everyone in the boys' 5K slowed up, Michael Phillips slowed up least. The Chiles senior took charge, racing to a 16:42 win. Chiles senior Matthew Newland was second in 16:53, and Lincoln senior Clayton Carlson took third in 17:24.

Chiles High boys' cross-country team

Phillips and Newland were joined in the top ten by the rest of the Chiles scorers--senior Robert Nowak (4th, 17:34), junior Connor Phillips (6th, 17:47), and junior Clayburn Milford (10th, 18:00). Those five scored a mathematically unbeatable 23 points, and the Chiles boys won the team title for the second year in a row. Behind the eighth-place finish of sophomore Porter Hill, Deerfield-Windsor edged Lincoln for second in the team standings, 123 to 124. Leon was a close fourth with 126, led by sophomore Joseph Ashebo (15th, 18:32).


Team Standings, High School Boys, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. Chiles, 23
2. Deerfield Windsor, 123
3. Lincoln, 124
4. Leon, 126
5. West Florida Tech, 151
6. Lowndes, 173
7. Wakulla, 178
8. Maclay, 244
9. Tift County, 270
10. Bainbridge, 300
11. Suwannee, 309
12. Rickards, 318
13. Colquitt County, 346
14. John Paul II Catholic, 383
15. Thomas County Central, 393
16. Grace Christian, 419
17. Southland, 477
18. Franklin County, 512
19. Wakulla Christian, 530
20. Jefferson County, 551

Top Ten High School Boys, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. 16:41.70, Michael Phillips (Chiles) 12
2. 16:52.26, Matthew Newland (Chiles) 12
3. 17:23.25, Clayton Carlson (Lincoln) 12
4. 17:33.38, Robert Nowak (Chiles) 12
5. 17:39.72, Brishen House (Lowndes) 12
6. 17:46.02, Connor Phillips (Chiles) 11
7. 17:54.05, Micah Hilliard (Suwannee) 12
8. 17:55.70, Porter Hill (Deerfield-Windsor) 10
9. 17:56.13, Ethan Merritt (Deerfield-Windsor) 12
10. 17:59.05, Clayburn Milford (Chiles) 11

Cougar Cross Country Challenge High School Winners 2006 - 2017
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)
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)

The middle school athletes raced three kilometers at the Cougar Challenge, only enough distance for one trip downhill to the Lake Jackson basin and trip back uphill. Tift eighth-grader Ainsley Toews was the fastest on those slopes in the girls' race, running 13:06 and winning by well over 100 meters. Another Tift runner, seventh-grader Laura Kate Wright, grabbed the runner-up spot in 13:38, while Holy Comforter eighth-grader Sophia Umana took third in 13:43.

Ainsley Toews

Tift took three of the next four places, with seventh-grader Hannah Larger fourth in 13:52, seventh-grader Madeline Perrin fifth in the same time, and sixth-grader Amanda Tovar seventh in 14:01. Once Tovar crossed the finish line, Tift had a near-perfect 18 points and first place in the team standings. Holy Comforter, the 2016 team champs, was second with 49 points. Led by sixth-grader Samantha Jennings (12th, 14:51), Thomas County scored 83 points to place third in the eight-team field.


Team Standings, Middle School Girls, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. Tift, 18
2. Holy Comforter, 49
3. Thomas County, 83
4. Southland, 104
5. Wakulla, 158
6. Riversprings, 174
7. Brookwood, 191
8. Community Leadership, 220

Top Ten Middle School Girls, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. 13:05.43, Ainsley Toews (Tift) 8
2. 13:37.20, Laura Kate Wright (Tift) 7
3. 13:42.75, Sophia Umana (Holy Comforter) 8
4. 13:51.13, Hannah Larger (Tift) 7
5. 13:51.53, Madeline Perrin (Tift) 7
6. 14:00.00, Ryland Bland (Bainbridge) 7
7. 14:00.60, Amanda Tovar (Tift) 6
8. 14:04.20, Camille Resavage (Holy Comforter) 7
9. 14:06.79, Alexandria Vaughan (Tift) 8
10. 14:19.02, Liliana Lewis (Wakulla) 7

In the middle school boys' 3K, Fairview sixth-grader Patrick Koon was racing in Phipps Park for the second Saturday in a row. The previous weekend, Koon had won the Miller Landing Madness 3K in the park. The Cougar Challenge 3K, though, was a different race on a different course.

Patrick Koon

"It was worse than last week," said Koon. "I was hilly. The competition was good. It wasn't just Leon County schools."


Handing the hills and the competition, Koon won the race in 11:06. Case Gregory, a Colquitt County eighth-grader, was second in 11:19. Holy Comforter eighth-grader Leo Kelly was third in 11:34.

Holy Comforter boys' cross-country team

After Kelly, Holy Comforter's next four scorers were eighth-grader Jackson Yarbrough (8th, 12:27), seventh-grader Jack Dessi (14th, 12:56), sixth-grader Will Winsor (15th, 12:56), and sixth-grader Matthew Wilbourn (20th, 13:03). Those five runners gave Holy Comforter 55 points, good enough to successfully defend their 2016 Cougar Challenge title. Colquitt County was second out of eleven teams with 77 points. Led by the seventh-place, 12:23 finish of eighth-grader Alex Cardoso, Tift was third with 93 points.


Team Standings, Middle School Boys, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. Holy Comforter, 55
2. Colquitt County, 77
3. Tift, 93
4. Bainbridge, 111
5. Maclay, 135
6. Southland, 158
7. Fairview, 161
8. Thomas County, 171
9. Community Leadership, 206
10. Whigham, 250
11. Christ Classical, 281

Top Ten Middle School Boys, 2017 Cougar Cross-Country Challenge

1. 11:05.23, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 6
2. 11:18.20, Case Gregory (Colquitt County) 8
3. 11:33.95, Leo Kelly (Holy Comforter) 8
4. 11:52.62, Tanner Humphrey (Southland) 8
5. 12:08.32, Hayes Lightsey (Colquitt County) 8
6. 12:14.46, Jack Saussy (Brookwood) 8
7. 12:22.11, Alex Cardoso (Tift) 8
8. 12:26.30, Jackson Yarbrough (Holy Comforter) 8
9. 12:28.14, Blair Golden (Tift) 6
10. 12:31.71, Aide Van Iddekinge (Maclay) 7

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 Godby Cougar Cross-Country Challenge
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vT3CtgiS7qd10IzvxdWWS5VdXGqshg5UqXAfTcP8uo9d0E4cMvWnUR2QHSnY6XvETwac83pdn9mI1kW/pubhtml
  
  
• More photos of the 2017 Cougar Cross Country Challenge
  
  • HS Girls:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10110430146334983.1073742295.5215641&type=1&l=e0696720e8
    
  • HS Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10110431657501593.1073742296.5215641&type=1&l=83b76ff17d
    
  • MS Girls:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10110432963669023.1073742297.5215641&type=1&l=5cb26fe5e5
    
  • MS Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10110433372275173.1073742298.5215641&type=1&l=7c50e27091
    
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2017 Cougar Cross Country Challenge
  https://plus.google.com/photos/112560881455823075870/album/6458668563286301137
  
  
• 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
  
  

#2060

Elizabeth Funderburk goes 17:50 in Thomasville at the Yellow Jacket Invitational

By mid-October, high school cross-country teams in Florida and Georgia are looking toward their respective state championship series. But in South Georgia the regular season isn't over until after Thomas County Central hosts the Yellow Jacket Invitational. So on Saturday morning, 15 October 2016, harriers from Southwest Georgia and the Big Bend of Florida gathered at Thomas County Middle School for the 24th annual Yellow Jacket Invitational.


The meet opened with a spectacular run by Elizabeth Funderburk in the high school girls' 5K. Funderburk had won the race in 2015, but in 2016 the Colquitt County junior crushed the field, finishing 600 meters ahead of the next runner in 17:50. Alli Hay of Pataula Charter was second in 20:16. Pelham's Monica Webb edged Mackenzie Walls of Veterans for third, 21:08 to 21:13.


Veterans had a second runner in the top ten, Byrnn Wilson, who was ninth in 22:17. Lee County only had one top ten finisher, Ansley Cain, eighth overall in 22:09. But Lee County also had scoring performances from Caroline Taylor (16th, 23:04), Ramsay Miller (17th, 13:25), Rachel Kiesau (20th, 23:47), and Ashley Bennett (34th, 25:18). Lee County had 83 points and the team title; Veterans scored 89 for a close second. Host team Thomas County Central was third with 113 points, led by the seventh-place 21:58 finish of Cara Eaton.


2016 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Girls

1. Lee County, 83
2. Veterans, 89
3. Thomas County Central, 113
4. Worth County, 127
5. Colquitt County, 135
6. Bainbridge, 165
7. Berrien County, 175
8. Lincoln, 207
9. Bradwell Institute, 209
10. Baconton Charter, 252
11. Pelham, 265
12. Albany, 280
13. Thomasville, 282
14. Furlow Charter, 373
15. Cairo, 410

Top 15 High School Girls, 24th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 17:49.80 ~ Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
2. 20:15.36 ~ Alli Hay (Pataula Charter) 12
3. 21:07.34 ~ Monica Webb (Pelham) 12
4. 21:12.11 ~ Mackenzie Walls (Veterans) 9
5. 21:42.55 ~ Nicole Presley (Baconton Charter) 12
6. 21:55.09 ~ Riley O'Linn (Valwood) 11
7. 21:57.15 ~ Cara Eaton (Thomas County Central) 11
8. 22:08.48 ~ Ansley Cain (Lee County) 12
9. 22:16.05 ~ Byrnn Wilson (Veterans) 11
10. 22:17.93 ~ Rebecca Chandler (Berrien County) 9
11. 22:27.39 ~ Kailey Brough (Bradwell Institute) 11
12. 22:39.32 ~ Brianna Zupko (Worth County) 9
13. 22:43.27 ~ Uriyah Davis (Bainbridge) 11
14. 22:59.09 ~ Elizabeth Santiago (Bradwell Institute) 12
15. 23:02.25 ~ Angela Cipriani (Thomas County Central) 12

There were no 600-meter leads in the high school boys' 5K, a much closer race. Lee County junior Colby Jones won the race in 17:13, just ahead of the 17:18 posted by runner-up Jake Merritt of Colquitt County. Brandon Taylor was just a few more steps back, third in 17:22.


As in the girls' race, the competition for the team title was a showdown between Lee County and Veterans. Lee County had three runners in the top ten--Jones, Hunter Hatfield (4th, 17:40), and Benjamin Phillips (9th, 18:31). Veterans only had a pair of top-ten finishers, Tyree Steele (5th, 17:43) and Robbie Griffin (7th, 18:19). But while Lee County was waiting for a fourth scorer, Veterans put Griffin Hodges (13th, 18:41), Tyler Webb (14th, 18:42), and Aamiri Ducksworth (15th, 18:43) across the finish line--as well as pushers Isaac Jennings (16th, 18:46) and Brett Horton (21st, 18:55). Veterans had 54 points, giving the boys from Kathleen, Georgia the team title. Lee County was second with 66 points. Led by frosh Daniel Stewart (8th, 18:26), Albany was third with 109 points.


2016 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Boys

1. Veterans, 54
2. Lee County, 66
3. Albany, 109
4. Thomas County Central, 143
5. Lincoln, 150
6. Bainbridge, 152
7. Berrien County, 197
8. Worth County, 201
9. Colquitt County, 246
10. Leon, 252
11. Bradwell Institute, 290
12. Baconton Charter, 329
13. Thomasville, 365
14. Cairo, 383
15. Pelham, 403
16. Furlow Charter, 421

Top 15 High School Boys, 24th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 17:12.50 ~ Colby Jones (Lee County) 11
2. 17:17.10 ~ Jake Merritt (Colquitt County) 11
3. 17:21.80 ~ Brandon Taylor (Thomas County Central) 12
4. 17:39.94 ~ Hunter Hatfield (Lee County) 11
5. 17:42.85 ~ Tyree Steele (Veterans)
6. 17:51.98 ~ John Bohnstengel (Leon) 11
7. 18:18.66 ~ Robbie Griffin (Veterans) 11
8. 18:25.58 ~ Daniel Stewart (Albany) 9
9. 18:30.82 ~ Benjamin Phillips (Lee County) 9
10. 18:33.95 ~ Jackson Roberts (Leon) 9
11. 18:37.00 ~ Gian Kerlegon (Albany) 11
12. 18:38.70 ~ Cedric Williams (Albany) 12
13. 18:40.06 ~ Griffin Hodges (Veterans) 10
14. 18:41.76 ~ Tyler Webb (Veterans) 12
15. 18:42.11 ~ Aamiri Ducksworth (Veterans) 10

For the second year in a row, Anna James took first in the middle school girls competition. James, a Thomas County eighth-grader, ran the two-mile course in 15:23. Maya Wynn of Furlow Charter was second in 16:00, and Maddie Harper of Berrien County came in third in 16:11.


Harper was followed across the finish line by the rest of the Berrien County scorers--Gaylon Griner (4th, 16:35), Hannah Dodd (5th, 16:43), Stephanie Kimbrel (6th, 16:45), and Zoey Hodge (7th, 16:59). Those five runners gave Berrien County a mathematically unbeatable score of 25 points and the middle school girls' team title. James' Thomas County team was second with 72 points, just ahead of the 76 scored by third-place Colquitt County.


2016 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Girls

1. Berrien County, 25
2. Thomas County, 72
3. Colquitt County, 76
4. Pataula Charter, 105
5. Furlow Charter, 131
6. Baconton Charter, 147

Top 15 Middle School Girls, 24th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 15:22.47 ~ Anna James (Thomas County) 8
2. 15:59.18 ~ Maya Wynn (Furlow Charter) 8
3. 16:10.26 ~ Maddie Harper (Berrien County) 8
4. 16:34.86 ~ Gaylon Griner (Berrien County) 6
5. 16:42.95 ~ Hannah Dodd (Berrien County) 8
6. 16:44.88 ~ Stephanie Kimbrel (Berrien County) 8
7. 16:58.54 ~ Zoey Hodge (Berrien County) 7
8. 17:18.88 ~ Maggie Hand (Berrien County) 6
9. 17:26.55 ~ Emma Giddens (Berrien County) 7
10. 17:30.81 ~ Abigail Dismukes (Pataula Charter) 4
11. 17:36.86 ~ Makenna Maroney (Thomas County) 8
12. 17:48.21 ~ Evelyn Vasquez (Colquitt County) 7
13. 17:51.29 ~ Brianna Thornton (Pataula Charter) 5
14. 17:51.80 ~ Aixa Santiago (Bradwell Institute) 6
15. 18:04.91 ~ Kathrine Brooke Wright (Colquitt County) 7

Lawson Brinkley of MacIntyre Park took first in the middle school boys' two-mile in 14:04, comfortably ahead of the 14:13 posted by runner-up Nicholas Samuel of Fairview. It was the third race in ten days for Samuel, coming after the Leon County Championship on 5 October 2016 and the Tallahassee Open on 13 October 2016. Chandler Gaskins of Berrien County placed third in 14:42.

MacIntyre Park placed two more runners in the top ten--Matthew Lewis (6th, 15:15) and Nolan Barnes (10th, 15:35). Lane Whiddon (12th, 15:45) and Andrew Geyer (17th, 15:54) finished the scoring for MacIntyre Park, giving their team a winning 38 points. Berrien County squeaked ahead of Lee County for second 65 points to 66.


2016 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Boys

1. MacIntyre Park, 38
2. Berrien County, 65
3. Lee County, 66
4. Colquitt County, 115
5. Thomas County, 164
6. Furlow Charter, 183
7. Baconton Charter, 184
8. Worth County, 189
9. Whigham, 215

Top 15 Middle School Boys, 24th annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 14:03.75 ~ Lawson Brinkley (MacIntyre Park) 8
2. 14:12.33 ~ Nicholas Samuel (Unattached, FL) 8
3. 14:41.87 ~ Chandler Gaskins (Berrien County) 7
4. 14:45.95 ~ Jonathan Clowers (Pelham) 8
5. 14:49.86 ~ Case Gregory (Colquitt County) 7
6. 15:14.19 ~ Matthew Lewis (MacIntyre Park) 7
7. 15:23.18 ~ Jaquez Jones (Baconton Charter) 8
8. 15:31.61 ~ Chris Tyson (Berrien County) 8
9. 15:34.62 ~ Andrew Harnage (Berrien County) 6
10. 15:34.80 ~ Nolan Barnes (MacIntyre Park) 7
11. 15:38.20 ~ Trent Mays (Lee County) 9
12. 15:44.70 ~ Lane Whiddon (MacIntyre Park) 7
13. 15:46.44 ~ Hunter Janes (Lee County) 6
14. 15:47.98 ~ Edward Ostrander (Lee County) 7
15. 15:49.88 ~ Luke Paramore (Worth County) 6

Yellow Jacket Cross Country Invitational winners, 2008 - 2016
High School Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
18 October 2008	Tift County, 32 points	16:59, Hunter Honeycutt (Tift County)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 41	16:13, Chase Harris (Bainbridge) 11
25 October 2014	Thomas County Central, 74	16:25, Wil Luca (Leon) 12
17 October 2015	Leon, 36	15:47, Poncherella Leonard (Bainbridge) 11
15 October 2016	Veterans, 54	17:13, Colby Jones (Lee County) 11
High School Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
18 October 2008	Valdosta, 30 points	21:12, JaCourtney Alexander (Cairo)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 30	19:44, Paige Braswell (Bainbridge) 12
25 October 2014	Berrien County, 47	20:58, Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11
17 October 2015	Leon, 44	20:07, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 10
15 October 2016	Lee County, 83	17:50, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
Do you have results from the missing years? Please let me know!

Links

• Complete results of Thomas County Central's 2016 Yellow Jacket Cross-Country Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1s0057vImPW1vYc1n84FVwDjXxGN_-1MMT5a_E-2GQF4/pubhtml
  
  
• 2015 story, “Poncherella Leonard and Elizabeth Funderburk have wings at Yellow Jacket Invite”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/yellowjacket-xc-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Wil Luca, Rebekah Smith finish the season right at Yellow Jacket Cross Country Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/10/yellowjacket-xc-2014.html
  
  
• Can't get an invitation? Find an open race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1800