Region 1 at Alligator Lake is the last win before State for the Leon girls and Ponte Vedra boys

In Florida high school cross-country, the Regional Meets are the penultimate round of the state championship series, the last race before the State Meet. For Leon High frosh Patrick Koon and Fort Walton Beach senior Kambry Smith, it was also their last win before State. In Lake City's Alligator Park on Saturday morning, 7 November 2020, Koon won the boys' 5K at the 3A Region 1 meet, running 16:19. Smith took first in the girls' race at the meet with an 18:45. The Leon girls were first in the Region with 70 points, while Ponte Vedra claimed the Region 1 boys' title with 54 points.


The girls raced first at Alligator Lake Park. Saint Augustine junior Reilly Barber hung with the leader, Kambry Smith, for the first half of the girls' 5K, but Smith left Barber behind during the second half of the race, winning 18:45 to 18:58. Leon senior Lilli Unger moved up through the field after mid-race to take third in 19:15.


Unger was joined in the top ten by Leon sophomore Lillee Tang, tenth in 20:13. Sophomores Lily Moore (12th, 20:23) and Stella Lewis (19th, 21:16) also scored for Leon, as did Lion senior Avery Calabro (30th, 21:44), each contributing to their team's winning total of 70.


Led by Reilly Barber, Saint Augustine was a close second with 75 points. Ponte Vedra edged New Smyrna Beach for third, 98 to 102--Ponte Vedra led by senior Lauren Bing (4th, 19:45) and New Smyrna Beach by senior Emma Schlageter (8th, 20:01). As the top four teams, Leon, Saint Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and New Smyrna Beach qualified to advance to the State Championship Meet.


Team Standings, 2020 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Girls' Cross-Country Championships

1. Leon, 70 *
2. Saint Augustine, 75 *
3. Ponte Vedra, 98 *
4. New Smyrna Beach, 102 *
5. Choctawhatchee, 136
6. Gulf Breeze, 150
7. Wakulla, 167
8. Fort Walton Beach, 200
9. Seabreeze, 242
10. Lincoln, 249
11. Middleburg, 250
12. Matanzas, 337
13. Stanton, NTS
    Mainland, NTS
    Gainesville, NTS
    Arnold, NTS
    Columbia, NTS
    Pace, NTS
    Ridgeview, NTS
    Deltona, NTS

* Team qualified to race in the State Championship on 14 November 2020


Top 15 Girls, 2020 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 18:44.6, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 12
2. 18:57.4, Reilly Barber (Saint Augustine) 11
3. 19:14.5, Lillian Unger (Leon) 12
4. 19:44.7, Lauren Bing (Ponte Vedra) 12
5. 19:46.4, Deanna Bottino (Choctawhatchee) 11
6. 19:50.6, Emma Mussante (Middleburg) 12
7. 19:56.0, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 11
8. 20:00.1, Emma Schlageter (New Smyrna Beach) 12
9. 20:07.3, Riley Carter (New Smyrna Beach) 12
10. 20:12.6, Lillee Tang (Leon) 10
11. 20:22.8, Annabella Veltcheva (Gainesville) 11
12. 20:22.8, Lily Moore (Leon) 10
13. 20:41.1, Ellie Moritz (Ponte Vedra) 11
14. 20:46.6, Gabriella Berardi (Ponte Vedra) 12
15. 20:49.9, Karah McElhone (Saint Augustine) 12

The boys' 5K looked a lot like the 3A District 2 race a week earlier. Leon's Jacob Rogers and Patrick Koon spent the first half of the race patiently tucked back in the pack, then moved into the lead during the last two kilometers. At the District, though, Rogers had left Koon behind. At the Region it was Koon's turn to shine, and the Leon frosh charged home to win in 16:19. Sophomore Rogers was second in 16:26. Pace senior Francisco Ramirez, runner-up in Region 1 in 2019, placed third in the 2020 race at 16:36.

Patrick Koon

Koon and Rogers, though, were Leon's only two runners in the top ten. Ponte Vedra had three--senior Lucas Bouquot (6th, 16:49), sophomore Grant Doherty (7th, 17:02), and senior Joshua Cills (9th, 17:12). Ponte Vedra's remaining scorers were seniors Aidan West (13h, 17:32) and Colin Lytle (27th, 17:55). Those five scored 54 points for the Sharks, good enough for the Region 1 title.


Led by senior Ryan Sloan (5th, 16:49), Fort Walton Beach was second with 68 points. Saint Augustine placed third with 74 points; their top runner was senior Bela Schein (8th, 17:02). Leon was the final team in the field to qualify for State, taking fourth with 114 points.


The FHSAA State Cross-Country Championship is slated for 13-14 November 2020 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida. Class 3A is scheduled to race on Saturday morning, the second day of competition. But keep an eye on the Gulf of Mexico, because Tropical Storm Eta just might interfere with those plans.


Team Standings, 2020 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Boys' Cross-Country Championships

1. Ponte Vedra, 54 *
2. Fort Walton Beach, 68 *
3. St. Augustine, 74 *
4. Leon, 114 *
5. Gulf Breeze, 155
6. Lincoln, 157
7. New Smyrna Beach, 179
8. Choctawhatchee, 182
9. Stanton, 225
10. Seabreeze, 240
11. Columbia, 285
12. Matanzas, 330
13. Pine Ridge, NTS
    Pace, NTS
    Gainesville, NTS
    Ridgeview, NTS
    Middleburg, NTS
    Wakulla, NTS
    Washington, NTS
    Arnold, NTS
    Rickards, NTS
    Terry Parker, NTS

* Team qualified to race in the State Championship on 14 November 2020


Top 15 Boys, 2020 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 16:19.0, Patrick Koon (Leon) 9
2. 16:25.3, Jacob Rogers (Leon) 10
3. 16:35.8, Francisco Ramirez (Pace) 12
4. 16:45.9, Nicholas Samuel (Lincoln) 12
5. 16:48.1, Ryan Sloan (Fort Walton Beach) 12
6. 16:48.3, Lucas Bouquot (Ponte Vedra) 12
7. 17:01.1, Grant Doherty (Ponte Vedra) 10
8. 17:01.3, Bela Schein (Saint Augustine) 12
9. 17:11.7, Joshua Cills (Ponte Vedra) 12
10. 17:11.8, Luke Larkin (Fort Walton Beach) 11
11. 17:25.1, Tyler Herndon (Seabreeze) 11
12. 17:27.8, Fabrizio Gowdy (Stanton) 12
13. 17:31.5, Aidan West (Ponte Vedra) 12
14. 17:34.2, Benjamin Koppman (Saint Augustine) 11
15. 17:34.5, Finn Youberg (Gulf Breeze) 12

Sixteen years of FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Champions, 2005 - 2020
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
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
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.

Links

• Complete results of the 2020 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championship Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQWOGJSidwIeBOW0HekZ7HKDP-o9LX0qMRf_NY45uFqBnb3yTp6zxF3d_2UQFOe2OJZDkqSLM5N-vr1/pubhtml
  
  
• Trouble Afoot! coverage of 2020 FHSAA Region 1 cross-country
  
  • 1A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/11/fhsaa-1a-region-1-2020.html
    
  • 2A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/11/fhsaa-2a-region-1-2020.html
    
  • 3A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/11/fhsaa-4a-region-1-2020.html
    
  • 4A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/11/fhsaa-4a-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
  
  

#2729

Kambry Smith, Lewis Benitez-Chaparro, St. Augustine, and Leon keep rolling toward State

At its most challenging, cross-country is a sport of barriers. Hills, hedges, fallen trees, fences, and creeks are all barriers that an athlete might encounter during a cross-country race. For a high school cross-country team in Florida, though, there is one last barrier before the State Championship Meet, and that's the Regional. In order to get to State, a team has to place high enough in the Regional Meet to qualify. At the 3A Region 1 Championship Meet on Saturday morning, 2 November 2019, the Saint Augustine girls cleared that hurdle with room to spare, winning the regional title with 40 points. Likewise, the Leon High boys won their race, scoring 48. Fort Walton Beach senior Kambry Smith took first in the girls' 5K, running 18:42.44. In the boys' 5K, Vanguard senior Lewis Benitez-Chaparro edged Pace junior Francisco Ramirez for the win, 16:09.05 to 16:10.00.

Kambry Smith

For Kambry Smith, it was her second post-season win during 2019; nine days earlier she had won the 3A District 1 girls' 5K at Apalachee Regional Park, leading her team to a spot in the Regional Meet. Saint Augustine sophomore Reilly Barber took the runner-up spot behind Barber with a 19:07. Another Saint Augustine harrier, senior Madison Niederriter, was third in 19:14. Ani Veltcheva, a Gainesville sophomore, placed fourth in 19:23.


Saint Augustine had three runners in the top ten--more than any other team--when Elliott Fluman, a senior, finished fifth for the Yellowjackets in 19:25. Juniors Karah McElhone and Illiana Woodruff completed the scoring for Saint Augustine, placing fourteenth in 20:39 and eighteenth in 20:56. With that, the Yellowjackets had 40 points and the first-place team trophy.


Ponte Vedra and Leon each had 100 points. Leon's top runner, junior Avery Calabro (6th, 10:40), finished well ahead of Ponte Vedra's ace, junior Lauren Bing (16th, 20:50). But in high school cross-country, when scores are equal it's the sixth runner that decides the team's place, and Ponte Vedra's sixth runner, senior Sarah McMullin (43rd, 21:44), gave her team the advantage and second place. Leon was third in the eighteen-team field.


The top eight teams qualified for State. Saint Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and Leon each advanced, as did Fort Walton Beach (4th, 149), Choctawhatchee (5th, 170), Matanzas (6th, 180), Wakulla (7th, 237), and Vanguard (8th, 251).


Team Standings, 2019 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Girls' Cross-Country Championships

1. Saint Augustine, 40
2. Ponte Vedra, 100
3. Leon, 100
4. Fort Walton Beach, 149
5. Choctawhatchee, 170
6. Matanzas, 180
7. Wakulla, 237
8. Vanguard, 251
9. Gainesville, 262
10. Gulf Breeze, 271
11. Stanton, 310
12. Lincoln, 326
13. Mainland, 339
14. New Smyrna Beach, 349
15. Pace, 355
16. Seabreeze, 363
17. Columbia, 372
18. Middleburg, 379

Top 15 Girls, 2019 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 18:42.5, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 11
2. 19:06.5, Reilly Barber (Saint Augustine) 10
3. 19:13.8, Madison Niederriter (Saint Augustine) 12
4. 19:22.5, Annabella Veltcheva (Gainesville) 10
5. 19:24.3, Elliott Fluman (Saint Augustine) 12
6. 19:39.1, Avery Calabro (Leon) 11
7. 19:54.1, Kathryn Underhill (Mosley) 12
8. 20:05.9, Lily Moore (Leon) 9
9. 20:07.3, Sydney Stelly (Stanton) 12
10. 20:08.7, Lillian Unger (Leon) 11
11. 20:15.0, Kelly Steffens (Matanzas) 12
12. 20:18.1, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 10
13. 20:21.2, Deanna Bottino (Choctawhatchee) 10
14. 20:38.5, Karah McElhone (Saint Augustine) 11
15. 20:41.5, Lauren Whittier (Lincoln) 11

Lewis Benitez-Chaparro and Francisco Ramirez had already tangled nine days earlier in the boys' race at the 3A District 1 Meet. That race had gone down to the final 200 meters, when Benitez-Chaparro pulled away with the finish line in sight and grabbed a 16:04 to 16:11 win. It was even closer in Lake City. Vanguard's Benitez-Chaparro crossed the finish line less than a second before his Pace rival, Ramirez. Benitez-Chaparro had beaten Ramirez again, 16:09.05 to 16:10.00, but the two would meet again a week later at the State Meet.

Lewis Benitez-Chaparro and Francisco Ramirez

Behind the duelling Benitez-Chaparro and Ramirez, Leon sophomore Jackson Yarbrough placed third in 16:30. Leon frosh Jacob Rogers took fourth in 16:43, edging out Choctawhatchee junior Darius Johnson (5th, 16:44).


Leon had a third top-ten finisher, senior Assencha Ashebo, who was seventh in 16:50. Leon's remaining two scorers were seniors Bryson Gonzalez (14th, 17:00) and Jackson Roberts (20th, 17:15), giving the Lions 48 points and the Region 1 title--their first since 2014.


Ponte Vedra, led by junior Lucas Bouquot (6th, 16:46), was second among nineteen teams with 108 points. Darius Johnson's Choctawhatchee team was third with 130 points, just a few points better than Gainesville (4th, 135) and Stanton (5th, 136). Also qualifying for State were Fort Walton Beach (6th, 160), Lincoln (7th, 180), and Vanguard (8th, 196).


The State Championship Meet will be in Tallahassee, Florida at Apalacheee Regional Park on Saturday morning, 9 November 2019. Florida's State Championship in High School Cross-Country has been contested 53 times since 1947; the meet has been at Apalachee Regional Park each year since 2012.


Team Standings, 2019 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Boys' Cross-Country Championships

1. Leon, 48
2. Ponte Vedra, 108
3. Choctawhatchee, 130
4. Gainesville, 135
5. Stanton, 136
6. Fort Walton Beach, 160
7. Lincoln, 180
8. Vanguard, 196
9. Saint Augustine, 219
10. Pace, 225
11. Gulf Breeze, 275
12. Matanzas, 284
13. New Smyrna Beach, 320
14. Lecanto, 392
15. Seabreeze, 438
16. Belleview, 440
17. Middleburg, 464
18. Ridgeview, 476
19. Pine Ridge, 541

Top 15 Boys, 2019 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championships

1. 16:09.1, Lewis Benitez-Chaparro (Vanguard) 12
2. 16:10.0, Francisco Ramirez (Pace) 11
3. 16:29.8, Jackson Yarbrough (Leon) 10
4. 16:42.2, Jacob Rogers (Leon) 9
5. 16:43.8, Darius Johnson (Choctawhatchee) 11
6. 16:45.3, Lucas Bouquot (Ponte Vedra) 11
7. 16:49.7, Assencha Ashebo (Leon) 12
8. 16:55.7, Christopher Russell (Stanton) 11
9. 16:55.8, Cameron Heinz (Ponte Vedra) 12
10. 16:56.1, Dalton Hawley (Matanzas) 12
11. 16:56.5, Cade Seeber (Gulf Breeze) 11
12. 16:56.6, Chase Wilson (Lecanto) 12
13. 16:58.6, Nicholas Samuel (Lincoln) 11
14. 16:59.1, Bryson Gonzalez (Leon) 12
15. 16:59.9, Nicholas Cain (Gainesville) 12

Fifteen years of FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Champions, 2005 - 2019
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
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
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, and 2015. 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.

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 FHSAA 3A Region 1 Cross-Country Championship Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQTTTCaRzAPd_MMUGyRZ1R3B1Rq39wm9epbqGI23xska5JyZPr-41Z8aIw6_Wl6SGhLTng_kv1P4gWD/pubhtml
  
  
• Trouble Afoot! coverage of 2019 FHSAA Region 1 cross-country
  
  • 1A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/fhsaa-1a-region-1-2019.html
    
  • 2A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/fhsaa-2a-region-1-2019.html
    
  • 3A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/fhsaa-3a-region-1-2019.html
    
  • 4A: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/fhsaa-4a-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
  
  

#2638

Leon's teams, Kambry Smith, and Lewis Benitez-Chaparro each leave 3A District 1 as champions

It was a different FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship Meet at Tallahassee, Florida's Apalachee Regional Park on Thursday morning, 24 October 2019. Instead of just the western tip of the Florida Panhandle, the district went all the way from Pensacola in the west to Ocala in the east. In the new, larger District 1, the players had changed--neither Niceville nor Chiles were still in the District, having moved up to class 4A, while Wakulla was a new addition from class 2A. But it was Leon High School, a long-time player in class 3A, which came out of the meet as District champion in both the boys' race and the girls' race. Fort Walton Beach junior Kambry Smith won the girls' 5K in 18:44, while Ocala Vanguard senior Lewis Benitez-Chaparro was first in the boys' race with a 16:04.

Kambry Smith

Competition opened under cloudy skies at 8:00 AM with the girls' race. Gainesville sophomore Ani Veltcheva, the runner-up in Florida's 2018 high school cross-country state championship race, led the early charge, but Kambry Smith just off her shoulder. By two kilometers into the race, Smith had taken over the lead, ten meters ahead of Veltcheva. That gap widened to nearly 100 meters by the three-kilometer mark. Unchallenged during the final two kilometers, Smith crossed the line first in 18:44. It was Smith's career-best time at Apalachee Regional Park, the state meet course, and thirteen seconds better than her mark in the Pre-State Invitational at ARPXC twelve days earlier. Behind her, Leon junior Avery Calabro had overtaken Veltcheva, going on to place runner-up in 19:18. Veltcheva finished third in 19:36.


Smith wasn't the only Fort Walton Beach junior in the top ten, Jenson Shonk placed tenth for the Vikings in 20:58. But before Shonk could cross the line, Leon already had scoring performances from Calabro, junior Lillian Unger (5th, 19:59), and frosh Lily Moore (8th, 20:32). Frosh runners Mallory Robinson (25th, 21:51) and Stella Lewis (2:05) capped the Lions score, giving the Leon girls 69 points and the 2019 District title. Fort Walton was a close second with 76 points. Another Okalaoosa County team, Choctawhatchee, took third with 98 points.

Avery Calabro

The top ten teams qualified for the Region 1 championship, the second competition in the state championship series. Leon, Fort Walton Beach, and Choctawhatchee advanced, as did Gainesville (4th, 114), Vanguard (5th, 124), Wakulla (6th, 147), Gulf Breeze (7th, 152), Pace (8th, 200), Columbia (9th, 259), and Lincoln (10th, 267). Those teams earned the right to compete at The Oaks Equestrian Center in Lake City, Florida on Saturday, 2 November 2019, in the 3A Region 1 Championship. For the rest of the teams in the race, the 2019 high school cross-country season was over.


Girls' Team Standings, 2019 FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship

1. Leon, 69 *
2. Fort Walton Beach, 76 *
3. Choctawhatchee, 98 *
4. Gainesville, 114 *
5. Vanguard, 124 *
6. Wakulla, 147 *
7. Gulf Breeze, 152 *
8. Pace, 200 *
9. Columbia, 259 *
10. Lincoln, 267 *
11. Lecanto, 335
12. Mosley, 360
13. Belleview, 363
14. Washington, 413
15. Milton, 446
16. Lake Weir, 493

* Team advances to the 3A Region 1 Championship


Top 15 Girls, 2019 FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship

1. 18:43.30, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 11
2. 19:17.50, Avery Calabro (Leon) 11
3. 19:35.30, Annabella Veltcheva (Gainesville) 10
4. 19:43.30, Kathryn Underhill (Mosley) 12
5. 19:58.30, Lillian Unger (Leon) 11
6. 20:10.40, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 10
7. 20:18.40, Deanna Bottino (Choctawhatchee) 10
8. 20:31.70, Lily Moore (Leon) 9
9. 20:38.50, Julia Charske (Vanguard) 11
10. 20:57.30, Jensen Shonk (Fort Walton Beach) 11
11. 21:03.50, Diamond Cooper (Wakulla) 12
12. 21:17.70, Susan Ryan (Gainesville) 12
13. 21:19.40, Elisa Williamson (Gulf Breeze) 10
14. 21:20.50, Brylie Kilgore (Choctawhatchee) 9
15. 21:23.10, Lauren Whittier (Lincoln) 11

The five-kilometer course at Apalachee Regional Park is two loops. The loops differ in length, but both take the runners up "the Wall," a steep rise. Choctaw junior Darius Johnson led opening stages of the 3A District 1 boys' race, but after the first trip up the Wall he had fallen into third, trailing Vanguard senior Lewis Benitez-Chaparro and Pace junior Francisco Ramirez. Two Leon runners--sophomore Jackson Yarbrough and frosh Jacob Rogers--were also moving up on Johnson.

Lewis Benitez-Chaparro & Francisco Ramirez

After the second climb of the Wall, Benitez-Chaparro still had the lead, with Ramirez less than a step behind. The race was still that close with 200 meters to go. On the home stretch, Benitez-Chaparro sprinted away from Ramirez, taking the district title in 16:04. Ramirez was second in 16:11. Yarbrough was third in 16:14 and Rogers fourth in 16:30. Johnson outkicked Gainesville senior Nicholas Cain for fifth, 16:36 to 16:40.


Leon senior Bryson Gonzalez placed tenth in 16:59, making three athletes in the top ten for the Lions. The Lions completed their scoring with senior Assencha Ashebo finishing fourteenth in 17:08 and sophomore Leo Kelly twentieth in 17:15, giving the Leon boys 51 points and first place in the field of twenty teams.

Jackson Yarbrough

Nicholas Cain's Gainesville squad placed second with 81 points, joining Leon in qualifying for the Region 1 contest as did Johnson and Choctawhatchee by placing third with 92 points. Lincoln (4th, 134), Vanguard (5th, 138), Fort Walton Beach (6th, 147), Pace (7th, 187), Gulf Breeze (8th, 195), Lecanto (9th, 280), and Belleview (10th, 310) also advanced to the Region 1 championship in Lake City.


The teams in Lake City on 2 November 2019 will be racing for a berth in Florida's 2019 State Cross-Country Championship Meet. The top eight teams in each race will qualify for the State Meet, scheduled for Saturday, 9 November 2019, on the Apalachee Regional Park Championship Cross-Country Course in Tallahassee.


Boys' Team Standings, 2019 FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship

1. Leon, 51 *
2. Gainesville, 81 *
3. Choctawhatchee, 92 *
4. Lincoln, 134 *
5. Vanguard, 138 *
6. Fort Walton Beach, 147 *
7. Pace, 187 *
8. Gulf Breeze, 195 *
9. Lecanto, 280 *
10. Belleview, 310 *
11. Wakulla, 312
12. Columbia, 385
13. Washington, 386
14. Milton, 409
15. Arnold, 426
16. Mosley, 452
17. Rickards, 495
18. Escambia, 522
19. Pine Forest, 537
20. Lake Weir, 556

* Team advances to the 3A Region 1 Championship


Top 15 Boys, 2019 FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship

1. 16:03.60, Lewis Benitez-Chaparro (Vanguard) 12
2. 16:10.40, Francisco Ramirez (Pace) 11
3. 16:13.70, Jackson Yarbrough (Leon) 10
4. 16:29.30, Jacob Rogers (Leon) 9
5. 16:35.50, Darius Johnson (Choctawhatchee) 11
6. 16:40.00, Nicholas Cain (Gainesville) 12
7. 16:41.90, Cade Seeber (Gulf Breeze) 11
8. 16:55.20, Nicholas Samuel (Lincoln) 11
9. 16:58.00, Finn Youberg (Gulf Breeze) 11
10. 16:58.50, Bryson Gonzalez (Leon) 12
11. 16:59.60, Michael Egorov (Gainesville) 12
12. 17:02.70, Kaleb Hollins (Choctawhatchee) 9
13. 17:05.70, Ryan Sloan (Fort Walton Beach) 11
14. 17:07.10, Assencha Ashebo (Leon) 12
15. 17:07.60, Benjamin Mock (Gainesville) 12

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTnSitj90cyWtEdGZ7zwAuYAUS4gcdNHye4AFOo2F4mMM4yqJqSiHA2VrQMgJiLXWxWGlCX49dNTI55/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the 2019 FHSAA 3A District 1 Cross-Country Championship
  
  • Girls: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10114479673100883
    
  • Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10114544587257393
    
  
  
• 2018 story, “Emily Culley and Sebastian Kenne rock ARPXC, as Chiles sweeps 3A District 3”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/10/fhsaa-3a-district-3-2018.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Cashin and Churchill win in blowouts, but Chiles teams continue to dominate 3A District 3”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/10/fhsaa-3a-district-3-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Tallahassee schools shine in 3A District 3 Meet at Apalachee Regional Park”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/fhsaa-3a-district-3.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Red, white, and flew! Leon harriers Audrey Dogan and Sukhi Khosla win District 3-3A”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/10/fhsaa-district-3-3a-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “District 2 belongs to Chiles and Wakulla”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/11/fhsaa-district-2-3a2a-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “2011 FHSAA District 2-3A / 2A cross-country meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/fhsaa-district-2-3a2a-xc-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “2010 FHSAA District 1-3A Cross-Country Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/2010-district-1-3a-xc.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
  
  

#2626

Kambry Smith and Xander Peacock make a big splash at the Dolphin Dash

The tenth annual Dolphin Dash Cross-Country Meet was hosted by Mosley High, a Bay County school. The other Bay County high schools--Arnold, Bay, North Bay Haven, and Rutherford--were all there. Mosley held the event on Saturday morning, 15 September 2018, at the Lynn Haven Sports Complex, which is in Bay County. Nevertheless, it was two Okaloosa County schools, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville, that dominated the competition. Fort Walton Beach edged Niceville for the top spot in the girls' race, 30 to 34. In the boys' 5K it was Niceville that came out ahead of Fort Walton Beach, 30 to 48. Fort Walton Beach had the individual winner of the girls' 5K, sophomore Kambry Smith, who ran 20:16. It wasn't all about Okaloosa County, though. Blountstown High's ace, junior Xander Peacock, won the boys' race in 17:13.


Fort Walton Beach didn't just have the first runner in the girls' 5K, the Vikings had the first two runners in the girls' 5K, with sophomore Jensen Shonk finishing runner-up in 21:33. Baker junior Maya Espinosa was third in 21:41, adding three points to Fort Walton Beach's score and five points to Niceville's score.


Fort Walton Beach had two more scorers in the top ten--sophomore Colby Orcutt (6th, 22:05) and junior Victoria Orcutt (9th, 22:51). However, all five of Niceville's scorers placed in the top ten--junior Erin Converse (4th, 21:44), senior Jayda Brooks (5th, 21:48), senior Hannah Farley (7th, 22:20), senior Erin Wilcox (8th, 22:45), and sophomore Ellie Segars (10th, 23:07). Niceville's sixth runner, senior Nichole Blake, also finished ahead of the fifth Viking scorer, placing eleventh in 23:25. But sophomore Anna Davis added the final points to Fort Walton Beach's total, coming in twelfth in 24:02. After Davis finished, the Fort Walton Beach girls had 30 points and the team trophy. Niceville was a close second with 34 points. Led by Espinosa, the Baker girls scored 90 points to place third in the twelve-team field.


Team Standings, High School Girls, 2018 Dolphin Dash

1. Fort Walton Beach, 30
2. Niceville, 34
3. Baker Senior, 90
4. Port Saint Joe, 153
5. North Bay Haven, 162
6. Rocky Bayou Christian, 165
7. Rutherford, 202
8. Arnold, 224
9. Bay, 230
10. Wewahitchka, 269
11. Paxton, 289
12. Blountstown, 290

Top Ten High School Girls, 2018 Dolphin Dash

1. 20:15.84, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 10
2. 21:33.27, Jensen Shonk (Fort Walton Beach) 10
3. 21:40.78, Maya Espinosa (Baker Senior) 11
4. 21:43.19, Erin Converse (Niceville) 11
5. 21:47.49, Jayda Brooks (Niceville) 12
6. 22:04.99, Colby Orcutt (Fort Walton Beach) 10
7. 22:19.18, Hannah Farley (Niceville) 12
8. 22:44.04, Erin Wilcox (Niceville) 12
9. 22:50.95, Victoria Orcutt (Fort Walton Beach) 11
10. 23:06.50, Ellie Segars (Niceville) 10

The boys' race followed. Xander Peacock of Blountstown had already outrun all of the Fort Walton Beach and Niceville athletes earlier in the season at the Big Bend Invitational in Tallahassee, Florida on 1 September 2018. He did it again at the Dolphin Dash, winning the race in 17:13 and finishing 70 meters ahead of the next runner. Niceville sophomore Todd Wendel took second in 17:27, and Niceville senior Gabriel Bohler was third in 17:34.


The Niceville boys had two more top ten performances, with junior Dane Dickerson sixth in 18:06 and junior Jake Dever eighth in 18:16. Niceville senior Mattias Hird finished up the scoring for the Eagles, placing eleventh in 18:28. After Hird, the Niceville had 30 points and stood first among twelve teams. Led by the fifth place, 17:45 finish of sophomore Austin Vandyne, Fort Walton Beach was second in the team standings with 48 points. Arnold, led by senior Mason Bennett (4th, 17:40) edged Blountstown for third, 126 to 130. Hosts Mosley were a close fifth with 136 points.


Team Standings, High School Boys, 2018 Dolphin Dash

1. Niceville, 30
2. Fort Walton Beach, 48
3. Arnold, 126
4. Blountstown, 130
5. Mosley, 136
6. North Bay Haven, 155
7. Paxton, 160
8. Rocky Bayou Christian, 223
9. Bay, 233
10. Baker Senior, 294
11. Rutherford, 315
12. Wewahitchka, 369

Top Ten High School Boys, 2018 Dolphin Dash

1. 17:12.99, Xander Peacock (Blountstown) 11
2. 17:26.99, Todd Wendel (Niceville) 10
3. 17:33.06, Gabriel Bohler (Niceville) 12
4. 17:39.24, Mason Bennett (Arnold) 12
5. 17:44.95, Austin Vandyne (Fort Walton Beach) 10
6. 18:05.79, Dane Dickerson (Niceville) 11
7. 18:06.48, Brandon I Meza (Fort Walton Beach) 12
8. 18:15.05, Jake Dever (Niceville) 11
9. 18:22.66, Chris Flores (Fort Walton Beach) 10
10. 18:23.14, Bilal Mohamad (Arnold) 12

Individual champs, Mosley Dolphin Dash, 2009 - 2018
Date	Boys	Girls
17 October 2009	16:35, Gabe Holguin (Bay)	21:22, Sydney Newsom (Mosley)
16 October 2010	16:55, Dieumy Duclos (Godby)	21:08, Bria Upshur (West Florida Tech)
15 October 2011	16:45, Stan Linton (Wakulla)	20:08, Mikayla Hodges (Arnold)
13 October 2012	16:34, Charles Shackelford (Fort Walton Beach)	18:54, Emma Rudman (Fort Walton Beach)
28 September 2013	16:36, Connor Daughton (Maclay)	19:09, Madison Harris (Wakulla)
10 September 2014	16:13, Trey LaNasa (Fort Walton Beach)	19:42, Emma Rudman (Fort Walton Beach)
5 September 2015	17:15, Ethan Mines (Mosley)	19:23, Claire Crist (Niceville)
24 September 2016	17:11, Alix Gennette	21:00, Zeana Guirey (Rutherford)
30 September 2017	18:03, Noah Lleva (Choctawhatchee) 12	20:33, Marisa Ashley (Arnold) 9
15 September 2018	17:13, Xander Peacock (Blountstown) 11	20:16, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 10

Team champs, Mosley Dolphin Dash, 2009 - 2018
Date	Boys	Girls
17 October 2009	Arnold, 43 points	Mosley, 15 points
16 October 2010	Arnold, 65	West Florida Tech, 18
15 October 2011	Crestview, 67	Wakulla, 51
13 October 2012	Fort Walton Beach, 15	Fort Walton Beach, 22
28 September 2013	Maclay, 44	Crestview, 60
10 September 2014	Fort Walton Beach, 23	Fort Walton Beach, 33
5 September 2015	Niceville, 32	Niceville, 18
24 September 2016	Fort Walton Beach, 20	Fort Walton Beach, 30
30 September 2017	Choctawhatchee, 33	Port Saint Joe, 47
15 September 2018	Niceville, 30	Fort Walton Beach, 30

Links

• Complete results of Mosley's 2018 Dolphin Dash, courtesy of Miles and Minutes, LLC
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSqv6PerhkXlGUcRcEYunXr6rJJTg1wUrUZi0hRrmvpVS1ENPHCp4EaQnxE_6cs67Fcm9Cey_Q6G5FU/pubhtml
  
  
• Bay County's 2018 High School Cross-Country Season
  
  • Buccaneer Bash
    
  • Bay Invitational
    
  • Dolphin Dash
    
  • Ram Run [ Coming 29 September 2018 ]
    
  
  
• 2017 story, “Ashley and Lleva take home wins from the Dolphin Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/09/dolphin-dash-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “A Fort Walton Beach kind of day at the Dolphin Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/dolphin-dash-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “A big morning for Niceville at the Dolphin Dash”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/09/dolphin-dash-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “LaNasa and Rudman lead a Fort Walton Beach sweep at the Dolphin Dash”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/09/dolphin-dash-2014.html
  
  
• Find a future opportunity to race with aquatic mammals on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2336