Wyatt Townsend and Ella Porcher bring FLYRA cross-country titles home to Tallahassee

Jacksonville, Florida's Bolles Middle School took both the girls' and the boys' team titles at the ninth annual Florida Youth Running Association Middle School Cross-Country State Championship, held at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida on Saturday morning, 27 October 2018. But while both team trophies were headed to Jacksonville, the individual titles went to Tallahassee. Ella Porcher, an eighth-grader at Tallahassee's Maclay School, won the middle school girls' championship 3K race in 10:50. Another Tallahassee eighth-grader, Wyatt Townsend of Deerlake, took first in the boys' 3K with a 9:55.


It was a close finish at the front in the girls' 3K, with Porcher holding off Samantha Kavanaugh for the win, 10:50 to 10:53. Kavanaugh is an eighth-grader at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Not much farther back, Bolles eighth-grader Elizabeth Csikai took third in 11:03.


The Bolles Bulldogs also had two more girls in the top ten, both eighth-graders--Jillian Candelino took fourth in 11:11, and Ella Mickler was eighth in 11:17. Two more
scorers, seventh-graders Leila Bata (24th, 11:49) and Suki Burgstiner--gave the Bulldogs 67 points and their first FLYRA title ever. Indian Trails, the defending champions, placed second with 137 points, led by seventh-grader Grace Mason (31st, 12:03) and sixth-grader Gabriella Mason (32nd, 12:03). Fruit Cove Middle School was third in the team standings, scoring 143 points behind the eighteenth-place, 11:43 performance of their top runner, eighth-grader Peyton Skoglund.


Girls' teams from Maclay and Holy Comforter Episcopal represented Tallahassee at the State Championship. The Maclay girls were twelfth with 367 points, and Holy Comforter was 26th with 651 points. In addition to state champ Ella Porcher, the Maclay runners were eighth-grader Sofia Paredes (17th, 11:43), seventh-grader Gracie Koeppel (35th, 12:05), sixth-grader Lauren Guyer (225th, 14:00), sixth-grader Payton Thumm (127th, 14:00), sixth-grader Gretchen Van Iddenkinge (266th, 14:44), and seventh-grader Sarah Kathryn Munroe (289th, 15:19). Holy Comforter's State Meet squad was sixth-grader Ava Hill (128th, 13:09), eighth-grader Grace Reichelderfer (155th, 13:23), sixth-grader Kate Reichelderfer (156th, 13:24), eighth-grader Camille Resavage (195th, 13:45), seventh-grader Juliette Heckman (280th, 14:58), and eighth-grader Lucy McKee (300th, 15:53). Other Tallahassee runners in the field included Swift Creek eighth-grader Stella Lewis (58th, 12:25), Trinity Catholic eighth-grader Lillee Tang (78th, 12:37), Deerlake eighth-grader Maya Tang (94th, 12:50), Deerlake seventh-grader Leah Kiros (119th, 13:04), and Deerlake seventh-grader Copeland Frazee (178th, 13:36).


Girls' Team Standings, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. Bolles, 67
2. Indian Trails, 137
3. Fruit Cove, 143
4. Calvary Christian, 149
5. Emerald Coast, 193
6. Ruckel, 201
7. Pine Crest, 237
8. Mount Dora, 272
9. Bell Creek, 275
10. Gulfview, 305
11. Destin, 311
12. Maclay, 367
13. Tavares, 381
14. Saint Francis Xavier Catholic, 383
15. Nolan, 408
16. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic, 422
17. Assumption Catholic, 438
18. East Ridge, 456
19. Rampello, 529
20. Marco Island Charter, 559
21. Westminster Christian, 564
22. Oasis Charter, 581
23. Conchita Espinosa, 596
24. Varsity Lakes, 622
25. Ammons, 632
26. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 651
27. Berkeley Prep, 725
28. Braden River, 751
29. Lutz, 792
30. Palmer Trinity, 823
31. Ivy Hawn, 905
32. Queen of Peace, 914
33. Holy Names, 917
34. Independence, 1000
35. Bok, 1038
36. First Baptist Brandon, 1116
37. Saint John's Episcopal, 1117

Top 15 Girls, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. 10:49.58, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
2. 10:52.88, Samantha Kavanagh (Calvary Christian) 8
3. 11:02.40, Elizabeth Csikai (Bolles) 8
4. 11:10.33, Jillian Candelino (Bolles) 8
5. 11:11.72, Lucrezia Gowdy (Assumption Catholic) 6
6. 11:12.68, Noelle Vu (Mount Dora) 4
7. 11:13.73, Eliana Black (Hillsborough Harriers) 5
8. 11:16.12, Ella Mickler (Bolles) 8
9. 11:21.35, Elizabeth Williamson (The Elite Runner Fort Myers) 6
10. 11:29.05, Lauren McGaffic (Unattached) 8
11. 11:29.40, Emma Hencock (Miami Milers) 8
12. 11:32.89, Lula Katz (Rampello) 6
13. 11:33.66, Sophie Kellogg (Destin) 7
14. 11:34.86, Hailey Holtery (Ruckel) 7
15. 11:34.91, Lily Henderson (Nolan) 7

In collecting five wins during the five races of Leon County Schools' 2018 middle school cross-country season, Deerlake's Wyatt Townsend experienced a close finish. Even at the League Championship Meet, Townsend had comfortable leads by the end of the race. That wasn't the case in the FLYRA boys' 3K at Lakeland, where Riley Novack, a Tavares eighth-grader, was right with Townsend. Townsend had the better kick, though, beating Novack to the finish line 9:55 to 9:56 for the State Championship. Another Tavares eighth-grader, Matthew Raucci, took third in 10:00, just ahead of the 10:02 posted by the fourth-place runner, Varsity Lakes eighth-grader Cooper Banks.


Tavares eighth-grader Noah Musselwhite placed tenth in 10:20, giving the Patriots three runners in the top ten. It was a good start if Tavares was going to add a second team title to the one their boys had collected in 2016. However right behind Musselwhite, Bolles eighth-grader Aidan Ryan crossed the finish line eleventh in 10:22. Two more Bolles eighth-graders were close behind, with Matthew Thomas 21st in 10:39 and Andrew McGraw 22nd in 10:40. Bolles sixth-grader Parker Adams placed 98th for the Bulldogs in 11:27, and Bolles seventh-grader Cole Breuer was 104th in 11:31, wrapping up the Bulldog score--a winning 155 points. Led by the 40th-place, 10:58 showing of seventh-grader Joshua Ruiz, the defending champs from Belen Jesuit placed second with 185 points. Circle Christian scored 232 points for third, led by eighth-grader Jack DeJesus, twelfth in 10:24. Tavares was fourth in the 47-team field, scoring 242 points.


The boys from Tallahassee's Fairview Middle School were 24th in the team standings with 626 points. Tallahassee was also represented by teams from Maclay and Holy Comforter Episcopal; Maclay was 26th with 744 points and Holy Comforter 29th with 762 points.


Tallahassee runners Connor Edwards and Patrick Koon continued their close rivalry in the Lakeland race. Edwards, a Swift Creek eighth-grader was fifteenth in 10:34, while Fairview seventh-grader Koon was sixteenth in 10:36. Also representing Tallahassee at FLYRA, Trinity Catholic seventh-grader Will Springer was 49th in 11:05.14, Montford seventh-grader Jackson Rowe was 75th in 11:18.80, Maclay eighth-grader Clayton Knox was 76th in 11:18.95, Fairview seventh-grader Yien Liu was 121st in 11:35.48, Holy Comforter sixth-grader Henry Fernandez was 131st in 11:38.89, Maclay eighth-grader Lucas Mauch was 137th in 11:40.52, Community Leadership sixth-grader Noah Deem was 147th in 11:48.20, Deerlake eighth-grader Alastair Deng was 158th in 11:53.83, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Matthew Wilbourn was 194th in 12:07.90, Fairview seventh-grader Enijah Thomas was 204th in 12:12.87, Raa seventh-grader Drayden Reams was 216th in 12:17.61, Community Leadership sixth-grader Peter Boulware was 221st in 12:18.76, Maclay eighth-grader Jack Matthews was 228th in 12:22.20, Holy Comforter sixth-grader Barnes Ray was 235th in 12:25.71, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Will Winsor was 237th in 12:26.75, Fairview eighth-grader Lucca Garrison was 245th in 12:28.79, Maclay sixth-grader Marc Campbell was 311th in 12:49.71, Maclay sixth-grader Avery Coffin was 330th in 12:57.53, Holy Comforter sixth-grader Davis Malone was 325th in 12:54.70, Fairview eighth-grader Brantley Gibson was 333rd in 12:58.87, Maclay eighth-grader Oakley Deison was 335th in 13:00.16, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Hudson Leger was 342nd in 13:03.46, Holy Comforter seventh-grader Aiden Merritt was 347th in 13:06.68, and Maclay sixth-grader Robert McAuliffe was 351st in 13:09.34.


Boys' Team Standings, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. Bolles, 155
2. Belen Jesuit, 185
3. Circle Christian, 232
4. Tavares, 238
5. East Ridge, 242
6. Ruckel, 281
7. Liza Jackson, 305
8. Emerald Coast, 313
9. Calvary Christian, 350
10. Oakleaf, 379
11. Pine Crest, 388
12. Fruit Cove, 421
13. Bonita Springs, 427
14. Out of Door, 449
15. Green Cove Springs, 478
16. Pine Ridge, 500
17. Palmer Trinity, 511
18. Montverde, 526
19. Varsity Lakes, 536
20. Queen of Peace, 539
21. Nolan, 581
22. Donahue of Ave Maria, 617
23. River Spring, 626*
24. Fairview, 626*
25. Assumption Catholic, 662
26. Maclay, 744
27. Saint Francis Xavier Catholic, 757
28. Oakridge, 758
29. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 762
30. Lawton Chiles, 771
31. PAL Indian Trails, 790
32. Braden River, 805
33. Conchita Espinosa, 840
34. Marco Island Charter, 850
35. Don Estridge High Tech, 854
36. Ammons, 908
37. Destin, 939
38. Ivy Hawn, 948
39. Bell Creek, 966
40. Rampello, 989
41. Terrace Community, 1011
42. Saint John's Episcopal, 1058
43. Carrollwood, 1073
44. Independence, 1074
45. Abraham Lincoln, 1088
46. Berkley Accelerated, 1265
47. Florida College, 1342

Top 15 Boys, 2018 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. 9:54.52, Wyatt Townsend (Deerlake) 8
2. 9:55.98, Riley Novack (Tavares) 8
3. 9:59.86, Matthew Raucci (Tavares) 8
4. 10:01.59, Cooper Banks (Varsity Lakes) 8
5. 10:05.56, Miguel Pantojas (Unattached) 8
6. 10:06.09, Braxton Legg (Citrus Park Christian) 8
7. 10:08.37, Kaden Levings (Unattached) 8
8. 10:12.71, Andrew Fredericks (Holy Names) 8
9. 10:14.20, Bernardo Barnhart Jr. (Gulf Coast Runners) 8
10. 10:19.64, Noah Musselwhite (Tavares) 8
11. 10:21.59, Aidan Ryan (Bolles) 8
12. 10:23.34, Jack DeJesus (Circle Christian) 8
13. 10:28.21, Mac Williams (Fruit Cove) 8
14. 10:32.81, Kaleb Hollins (Pryor) 8
15. 10:33.66, Connor Edwards (Montford) 8

Florida Youth Running Association Middle School State Cross-Country Championships, 2010 - 2018
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 November 2010	Liza Jackson, 56 points	11:03.60, Daesha Rogers (American Heritage)
5 November 2011	Lake City, 31	10:54.50, Emma Rudman (Liza Jackson) 8
3 November 2012	Eye of the Tiger, 64	11:41.10, Rafaella Gibbons (Unattached) 7
2 November 2013	Pine Crest, 64	11:05.70, Rafaella Gibbons (Orlando Runners) 8
1 November 2014	Pine Crest, 81	10:39.00, Tsion Yared (Pine Crest) 7
31 October 2015	Destin, 94	10:40.30, Ashley Klingenberg (Central Fla Gliders) 8
29 October 2016	Emerald Coast, 79	10:38.67, Ani Veltcheva (Abraham Lincoln) 7
28 October 2017	Indian Trails, 41	10:37.59, Ani Veltcheva (Abraham Lincoln) 8
27 October 2018	Bolles, 67	10:49.58, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 November 2010	Rams TC, 110 points	10:02.70, Kurt Convey (G. W. Carver) 8
5 November 2011	Destin, 59	9:50.80, Brandon Marquez (Avalon) 8
3 November 2012	Ammons, 85	10:21.60, Julian Elortegui (Unattached) 8
2 November 2013	Liza Jackson, 98	9:48.30, Joey Fitzpatrick (Unattached) 8
1 November 2014	Belen Jesuit, 47	9:56.30, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
31 October 2015	Belen Jesuit, 165	10:08.50, Brady Gibson (Gulfview) 8
29 October 2016	Tavares, 145	9:56.76, Adrian Bichara (Miami Elite) 8
28 October 2017	Belen Jesuit, 89	9:43.91, Rheinhardt Harrison (Saint Johns Striders) 8
27 October 2018	Bolles, 155	9:54.52, Wyatt Townsend (Deerlake) 8
The 2010 Championships were run at Sun 'N' Fun Fly In in Lakeland, Florida. The 2011 Championships were run at Sanlan Ranch in Lakeland, Florida. From 2012-2018 the Championships were run at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida.

Links

• Complete results, 2018 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQFtYt-kVUpa2Y9RgzglZSZDk8-ybWz4Y8PZ1N6pOILP85QhO2DWX4Eh-uonHIYTxwUHGboYWTbrD30/pubhtml
  
  
• 2015 story, “Tallahassee at Florida's 2015 Middle School Cross Country Championship”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/florida-ms-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Tallahassee runners fly at FLYRA”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/florida-ms-2014.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “2010 FLYRA Middle School State Cross-Country Championships”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/florida-ms-2010.html
  
  
• Florida Youth Running Association
  http://www.flyra.org/
  
  
• Championship or not, find an upcoming race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2359

Tallahassee at Florida's 2015 Middle School Cross Country Championship

Running for the Central Florida Gliders, Teague Middle School eighth-grader Ashley Klingenberg won the girls' 3K race at Florida's sixth annual Middle School State Cross Country Championships, running 10:41. Gulfview eighth-grader Brady Gibson won the boys' 3K in 10:09. Destin Middle School took the girls' team title with 94 points, while Belen Jesuit put up 145 points to repeat as champs in the boys' race. The Florida Youth Running Association hosted the meet at Holloway Park in Lakeland on Saturday morning, 31 October 2015.


Tallahassee runners have been part of the FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Championships since the meet's inception in 2010, and 2015 was no different. Deerlake eighth-grader Emily Molen was the Capital City's top performer in the girls' race, placing eighth in 11:21. Holy Comforter Episcopal School was fourth in the girls' team standing with 232 points. Hannah Hosay led the Crusaders, finishing 23rd in 11:51. Elizabeth Calabro (57th, 12:29), Avery Smith (95th, 13:00), Kate Smith (114th, 13:14), Lauren Desi (136th, 13:29), Katelyn Dessi (152nd, 13:40), and Kate Krizner (194th, 14:09) also raced for Holy Comforter. Montford Middle School eighth-grader Caitlin Wilkey placed 24th in 11:52.


In the boys' race the top Tallahassee finisher was Holy Comforter eighth-grader Trey Jackson, who placed 22nd in 10:49. Joining Jackson were Crusaders Jackson Roberts (36th, 11:05), Joseph Ashebo (46th, 11:13), Brecht Heuchan (72nd, 11:29), Ben Kirbo (106th, 11:50), Jackson Jones (12:04), and Wilson Roberts (212th, 12:46). When the last Crusader finished, the Holy Comforter boys had 232 points and fourth place in the team standings. Montford Middle School, running as the Mustang running club, placed 14th with 383 points. Sixth-grader Trey Daniels (61st, 11:24) led the Mustangs, with Findley Tucker (84th, 11:36), Hawthorne Hay (94th, 11:41), Tyler Ritchie (165th, 12:19), Sam Hartmann (167th, 12:19), Adam Zierden (183rd, 12:30), and Bryce Workman (211th, 12:45) filling out the team. Four other Tallahassee athletes raced unattached--Maclay eighth-grader Johnny McClure was 31st in 11:00, Deerlake eighth-grader Spencer Amsellem was 51st in 11:10, Maclay eighth-grader Thomas Deison was 88th in 11:38, and Fairview seventh-grader Nicholas Samuel was 204th in 12:41.


Girls' Team Standings, 2015 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. Destin, 94
2. Boca Raton Christian, 105
3. Bolles, 134
4. Holy Comforter, 232
5. Ruckel, 245
6. St. Kevin Catholic, 254
7. Liza Jackson, 278
8. Marco Island Charter, 283
9. Gulfview, 298
10. Emerald Coast, 310
11. Tavares, 321
12. Abraham Lincoln, 322
13. Varsity Lakes, 418
14. Lexington, 445
15. East Ridge, 497
16. Hammocks, 498
17. Oasis Charter, 500
18. Panther Nation, 508
19. Jacksonville Episcopal, 523
20. Terrace Community, 557
21. Daniel Jenkins, 588
22. Westminster, 60
23. Flight Miami, 602
24. Lake City, 619
25. Assumption, 662
26. LLT Academy, 708
27. Ascension Catholic, 712
28. Cypress Lake, 730
29. Lawton Chiles, 749
30. Mason Classical, 818
31. Lakeland Highlands, 823
32. Somerset Academy Canyons, 829
33. Tampa Bay HEAT, 833
34. Family of Christ, 841
35. Queen of Peace, 895
36. Lutz, 914
37. Doral Academy Charter, 957
38. Creekside, 975
39. Channelside, 1060

Top 15 Girls, 2015 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. 10:40.30 ~ Ashley Klingenberg (Central Florida Gliders) 8
2. 10:51.70 ~ Valerie Lastra (Miami Elite) 8
3. 10:58.40 ~ Lilly Holtery (Ruckel) 7
4. 11:03.30 ~ Isabella Pawloski (HTTR Tornadoes) 7
5. 11:09.30 ~ Mia DeRonda (Unattached) 7
6. 11:09.40 ~ Keleigh Scallon (HTTR Tornadoes) 7
7. 11:16.40 ~ Jasmine Hincapie (Boca Raton Christian) 8
8. 11:20.60 ~ Emily Molen (Unattached) 8
9. 11:21.50 ~ Ani Veltcheva (Abraham Lincoln) 6
10. 11:29.60 ~ Jordan Shapiro (Miami Elite) 8
11. 11:31.60 ~ Jacquelyn Abanses (Hillsborough) 7
12. 11:34.40 ~ Mya Bodrato (Central Florida Gliders) 7
13. 11:38.80 ~ Elyse Pleune (Hillsborough) 7
14. 11:40.90 ~ Brooke Brennan (Unattached) 8
15. 11:42.70 ~ Elayna Bahr (Unattached) 8

Boys' Team Standings, 2015 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. Belen Jesuit, 145
2. Gulfview, 159
3. Holy Comforter, 170
4. Windy Hill, 177
5. Destin, 216
6. Ruckel, 224
7. Assumption Catholic, 238
8. Westminster, 246
9. Emerald Coast, 278
10. Liza Jackson, 355
11. Seffner Christian, 356
12. Tavares, 361
13. Panther Nation, 36
14. Mustang Running Club, 383
15. Varsity Lakes, 400
16. Terrace Community, 421
17. Lexington, 448
18. Marco Island Charter, 484
19. Daniel Jenkins, 500
20. Oasis Charter, 519
21. Abraham Lincoln, 573
22. East Ridge, 597
23. Ascension Catholic, 631
24. Cypress Lake, 640
25. Alpha Omega Falcons, 692
26. St. John's Country Day, 703
27. Trinity, 715
28. Mulberry, 729
29. Summit-Questa, 746
30. Geneva Classical, 746
31. Jacksonville Episcopal, 762
32. Queen of Peace, 873
33. Foundation Christian, 873
34. Panthers, 917
35. Independence, 975
36. Corbett, 1020
37. Tampa Bay HEAT, 1036

Top 15 Boys, 2015 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Final

1. 10:08.50 ~ Brady Gibson (Gulfview) 8
2. 10:15.20 ~ Adrian Bichara (Miami Elite) 7
3. 10:18.80 ~ Soloman Weller (Unattached) 8
4. 10:19.80 ~ Benjamin Deangulo (Westminster) 8
5. 10:22.50 ~ David Manning (Trinity) 8
6. 10:24.70 ~ Seth Ziegaus (Lake City) 8
7. 10:26.20 ~ Jacob D'Aleo (Emerald Coast) 8
8. 10:26.30 ~ James Hawver (Ruckel) 8
9. 10:27.10 ~ Kyle Skinner (Elite Runner Fort Myers) 8
10. 10:29.10 ~ John McKenzie (Seffner Christian) 8
11. 10:30.00 ~ Zachary Barry (Unattached) 8
12. 10:30.90 ~ Paul McKenzie (Seffner Christian) 8
13. 10:31.10 ~ Sage Brands (Westminster) 8
14. 10:36.80 ~ Javier Trashorra (Unattached) 8
15. 10:38.40 ~ Griffin Cooney (Creekside) 7

Florida Youth Running Association Middle School State Cross-Country Championships, 2010 - 2015
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 November 2010	Liza Jackson, 56 points	11:03.60, Daesha Rogers (American Heritage)
5 November 2011	Lake City, 31	10:54.50, Emma Rudman (Liza Jackson) 8
3 November 2012	Eye of the Tiger, 64	11:41.10, Rafaella Gibbons (Unattached) 7
2 November 2013	Pine Crest, 64	11:05.70, Rafaella Gibbons (Orlando Runners) 8
1 November 2014	Pine Crest, 81	10:39.00, Tsion Yared (Pine Crest) 7
31 October 2015	Destin, 94	10:40.30, Ashley Klingenberg (Central Fla Gliders) 8
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
13 November 2010	Rams TC, 110 points	10:02.70, Kurt Convey (G. W. Carver) 8
5 November 2011	Destin, 59	9:50.80, Brandon Marquez (Avalon) 8
3 November 2012	Ammons, 85	10:21.60, Julian Elortegui (Unattached) 8
2 November 2013	Liza Jackson, 98	9:48.30, Joey Fitzpatrick (Unattached) 8
1 November 2014	Belen Jesuit, 47	9:56.30, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
31 October 2015	Belen Jesuit, 165	10:08.50, Brady Gibson (Gulfview) 8
The 2010 Championships were run at Sun 'N' Fun Fly In in Lakeland, Florida. The 2011 Championships were run at Sanlan Ranch in Lakeland, Florida. From 2012-2015 the Championships were run at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida.

Links

• Complete results, 2015 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oQo2Vmg2tvhr8QFWTgHQG227Exkipapaj6ohzDYFucA/pubhtml
  
  
• 2014 story, “Tallahassee runners fly at FLYRA”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/florida-ms-2014.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “2010 FLYRA Middle School State Cross-Country Championships”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/florida-ms-2010.html
  
  
• Florida Youth Running Association
  http://www.flyra.org/
  
  
• Championship or not, find an upcoming race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1540

Tallahassee runners fly at FLYRA

Maclay's Clay Milford is the 2014 FLYRA Middle School Boys' State Cross-Country Champion. At Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida, Milford won the 3K title race in 9:56.30, winning by over ten seconds. The Maclay boys were third in the team standings and the Fairview Middle School boys were 20th.


Deerlake's Lawton Campbell (14th, 11:35.80) and HCES's Katherine Resavage (18th, 11:40.50) were the top Tallahassee athletes in the girls' race. The HCES girls' team placed third.


It was the fifth annual Florida Youth Running Association Championships, an event that has become a fixture since it was established in 2010. 261 athletes and 28 teams from every corner of the state competed in the boys race. The girls' race featured 223 harriers and 25 teams. The FLYRA was established to promote cross country to middle school athletes with a goal of improving the sport at all levels. Based on the alumni of that first FLYRA championship, you could say that the project has been successful. The first FLYRA boys champion, Kurt Convey, is a senior on the Miami Coral Reef High cross-country team and an All-State performer. Tallahassee's Raa Middle School took the team title at that first race, and one of their runners was Sukhi Khosla, the defending FHSAA-3A cross country champion as well as the 2014 FHSAA-3A champ in the 1600 and the 3200. Daesha Rogers, the first winner of the FLYRA girl's race, was second in the 2013 FHSAA-2A Girls' Cross Country State Final as a Miami Jackson frosh.


Pine Crest seventh-grader Yared Tsion won the 2014 FLYRA girls' race, blazing a 10:39 3K and winning by nearly half a minute. Yared was joined in the top ten by another member of her school's "Panther Nation" team, Mahdere Yared, sixth in 11:18. Behind the Yareds, the Panther Nation scored a winning team total of 81 points. Led by the 11:38 16th place performance of Savannah Schwab, Tavares Middle School placed second in the girls' team standings with 108 points. The Holy Comforter girls were third with 132 points on the strength of the performances of Katherine Resavage (18th, 11:41), Hannah Hosay (34th, 12:04), Avery Smith (51st, 12:28), Ella Thames (61st, 12:36), Elizabeth Calabro (72nd, 12:44), Hailey Hobbs (80th, 12:50), and Emma McGibany (110th, 13:10).


Tallahassee's Swift Creek Middle School was represented by seventh-graders Alyson Churchill and Megan Churchill, who placed 20th in 11:44 and 33rd in 12:02. Seventh-grader Caitlin Wilkey was Tallahassee Montford's entry in the race; she was 24th in 11:46. Eighth-grader Kenzie Mazziotta (31st, 12:00) and sixth-grader Lindsay James (32nd, 12:01) ran for Tallahassee Maclay in the championship race.


Maclay ace Clay Milford won it all in the boys' race, but Belen Jesuit put two runners in the top ten--Henrique Souza (8th, 10:27) and Sebastian Roa (9th, 10:29--plus another in the top twenty--Rodrigo Madiedo (17th, 10:37). That set up Belen's championship-winning total of 47 points. Hunter Boyd of Tavares Middle School came in 24th in 10:47. 25 seconds later Tavares had their fifth runner across the finish line and had squeaked by Maclay for second place, 92 to 93.


Holy Comforter's sole entry in the boys' race was Joseph Ashebo, who placed 12th in 10:32. Montford Middle had four runners in the race--Bryant McKnight (46th, 11:07), AJ Hodges (67th, 11:15), Hawthorne Hay (147th, 12:05), and Isaiah Estomos (209th, 13:13). Fairview's Charles Hruda (128th, 11:54), Townshend Porcher (152nd, 12:08), Alexander Gilliam (154th, 12:09), Jalen Greenwood (162nd, 12:17), Christopher Robsinson (180th, 12:30), and Jakeim Plummer (184th, 12:36) combined for 521 points, putting the Falcons 20th in the state.


Top Ten Girls' Teams, 2014 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships

1. Panther Nation, 81
2. Tavares, 108
3. Holy Comforter, 132
4. Destin, 162
5. The Prep Schoolers, 166
6. Lexington, 182
7. Liza Jackson, 187
8. Centurion TC, 226
9. Top Flight Runners Club, 259
10. St. Kevin, 259

Top Ten Girls, 2014 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships

1. 10:39.00 ~ Tsion Yared (Panther Nation)
2. 11:04.70 ~ Isabella Pawloski (Hillsborough)
3. 11:05.00 ~ Natalie Varela (Miami Elite)
4. 11:05.10 ~ Rahyah Andressohn (Miami Elite)
5. 11:12.70 ~ Ashley Klingenberg (Central Flor)
6. 11:17.40 ~ Mahdere Yared (Panther Nation)
7. 11:23.40 ~ Charis Ivey (Unattached)
8. 11:23.50 ~ Audrey McAnally (The Prep Schoolers)
9. 11:25.10 ~ Jaden Ault (Centurion TC)

Top Ten Boys' Teams, 2014 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships

1. Belen Jesuit, 47
2. Tavares, 92
3. Maclay, 93
4. Top Flight Runners Club, 167
5. Liza Jackson, 193
6. Emerald Coast, 205
7. Panther Nation, 228
8. Marco Island, 247
9. Ruckel, 250
10. Windy Hill, 293

Top Ten Boys, 2014 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships

1.  9:56.30 ~ Clayburn Milford (Maclay School)
2. 10:06.70 ~ Nick Kamen (Unattached)
3. 10:12.10 ~ Gabriel Curtis (Centurion TC)
4. 10:14.10 ~ Andrew Shepherd (Unattached)
5. 10:16.40 ~ Mamush Galloway (The Prep Schoolers)
6. 10:17.70 ~ Wesley Cusack (Unattached)
7. 10:19.70 ~ Cipriano Martinez (Marco Island)
8. 10:26.50 ~ Henrique Souza (Belen Jesuit)
9. 10:28.70 ~ Sebastian Roa (Belen Jesuit)
10. 10:31.30 ~ Josue Reyes (Unattached)

Links

• Complete results, 2014 FLYRA Middle School Cross-Country Championships
  http://elitetiming.net/live-results/2014/20141101-flyra/
  
  
• 2010 story, "2010 FYRA Middle School State Cross-Country Championships"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/florida-ms-2010.html
  
  
• Florida Youth Running Association
  http://www.flyra.org/
  
  
• Championship or not, find an upcoming race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1242

Kelly and Page run fast at the Flatlander

Should you head to Lakeland, Georgia to watch birds or terrorize fish at Banks Lake, you might notice the sign styling the village as "Georgia's Historic Mural City." This latest nickname, although not undeserved, won't last any longer than the paint on the sides of Lakeland's buildings. It wouldn't be the first name Lakeland has lost. The settlement was originally called Alapaha, later becoming Milltown. The Lakeland name dates back to 1925.


If you aren't coming for the lakes, you might be coming for the festivals, such as the Milltown Motorcade or the Flatlander Fall Frolic. The latest Flatlander Fall Frolic, on Saturday, 31 August 2013, brought no fewer than 81 athletes to Lakeland to run in the road race associated with the annual festival, the Dawg-Gone Good Race 5K.


Ryan Kelly, the cross-country coach at Valdosta Middle School, was the decisive winner in the 3.1-mile footrace, running 17:40 and finishing over half a kilometer ahead of the runner-up. Ty Ty, Georgia master runner Kerry Underwood took second place, running 19:55. The next three places went to Valdosta, Georgia runners Keegan Boyd (3rd, 20:45), Kenneth Wilkey (4th, 21:10), and Toby Wilkey (5th, 21:29).


Thirteen-year-old Makenzee Page was the first female finisher, following the younger Wilkey across the line in sixth place overall at 21:45. Valdosta's Joi Jones was the next female finisher, eighth overall in 22:19. Beth Ford (29th, 27:03) was the first woman master and the sixth female finisher in the race.


The Flatlander Frolic has been around just over four decades and the Dawg-Gone Good Road Race is only a few years younger, but at 75 years old, Joe Christian has them both beat. Christian started racing at the Dawg-Gone Good Race in 1980 and has been competing ever since, notching his 1000th race at this year's 5K in Lakeland. This time around, Christian ran 29:31, finishing 47th overall and first in the 70-and-over age group. He's not done yet, either. Christian was scheduled to start on his second millennium just two days later at the fifth annual Valdosta Labor Day 5K.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Flatlanders Dawg Gone Good Race 5K

1. 17:39.5 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 34) Lake Park, GA
2. 19:54.9 ~ Kerry Underwood (M, 50) Ty Ty, GA
3. 20:44.4 ~ Keegan Boyd (M, 26) Valdosta, GA
4. 21:09.8 ~ Kenneth Wilkey (M, 39) Valdosta, GA
5. 21:28.4 ~ Toby Wilkey (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
6. 21:49.9 ~ Jason Browning (M, 39) Moultrie, GA
7. 22:19.0 ~ Rusty Jones (M, 60) Valdosta, GA
8. 22:27.7 ~ Brandon Gore (M, 25) Tallahassee, FL
9. 22:31.2 ~ Jacob Bennett (M, 15) Lakeland, GA
10. 22:42.3 ~ Scott Wiza (M, 51) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Females, 2013 Flatlanders Dawg Gone Good Race 5K

1. 21:44.6 ~ Makenzee Page (F, 13) Ray City, GA
2. 22:18.7 ~ Joi Jones (F, 18) Valdosta, GA
3. 22:40.4 ~ Melissa Mekpongsatorn (F, 31) Valdosta, GA
4. 25:23.9 ~ Kristina Singley (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
5. 25:37.2 ~ Brooke Reese (F, 13) Jesup, GA
6. 27:02.8 ~ Beth Ford (F, 45) Valdosta, GA
7. 27:12.8 ~ Tammy Hatton (F, 40) Lakeland, GA
8. 27:13.7 ~ Venessa Jesse (F,) Valdosta, GA
9. 27:25.4 ~ Lena Ivey (F, 31) Millwood, GA
10. 27:28.6 ~ Christa Shaw (F, 37) Lakeland, GA

Known champions of the Flatlander Fall Frolic Road Race
Date	Men	Women
2 September 1978	Jamie Martinez
1 September 1979	15:17, Ken Saint John	20:55, Debbie Dickson
2 September 2006	16:48, John Seppala	JoAnn Fuhrer
1 September 2007	Chris Gaither	Alice Smoot
30 August 2008
5 September 2009
4 September 2010
3 September 2011	17:37, Masked Avenger	25:11, Erin Grimme
1 September 2012	18:32, Masked Avenger	27:22 Brooke Reese
31 August 2013	17:40, Ryan Kelly	21:45, Makenzee Page
The 1978 event was a 10,000-meter race.

Links

• Complete results, 2013 Flatlanders Dawg-Gone Good Road Race
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AuBsYKIIn3TCdG8xQXMxZTRUeHVneDFXSG1LUm90UXc
  
  
• 2011 story, "Avenger and Grimme flatten their foes in a Dawg-Gone Good Race"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/flatlander-2011.html
  
  
• Find more interesting old races in the region using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

McLeod and Emory have horsepower to spare in Milltown Motorcade

Up until 1925, the county seat of Lanier County, Georgia was known as Milltown. After 1925 the name was changed to Lakeland, which was no less descriptive but undoubtedly found more favor with anyone involved in promoting real estate or tourism. In spite of the name change, Lakeland has remained a small town. The "Milltown" name persists in the name of several local businesses, and in the annual Milltown Motorcade--an April event dedicated to "the way things used to be." The Motorcade features car shows, an antique car parade, and a dog costume contest. Almost certainly there are funnel cakes. And of course there is a 5K road race. The 2011 race was run on Saturday morning, April 30.


Fitzgerald native Mark McLeod, a cross-country runner at South Georgia College, ran 16:59, winning the Motorcade 5K by a ton. Second place went to the top woman, Lakeland resident and USAF officer Rachael Emory, who ran 22:05. Emory played soccer at the United States Air Force Academy from 2005 to 2008, but she also ran a little track in high school back in Wagoner, Oklahoma. Valdosta's Randy Walker ran 22:46 to place third, finishing as the top master of the morning. The fastest woman master was Sherry Croft of Valdosta, who finished tenth overall in 37:27.


Results, 2011 Milltown Motorcade 5K

1. 16:59 Mark McLeod (M, 19) Fitzgerald, GA
2. 22:05 Rachael Emory (F, 23) Lakeland, GA
3. 22:46 Randy Walker (M, 53) Valdosta, GA
4. 22:54 Steven Dansereau (M, 49) Lakeland, GA
5. 23:31 Robert Preston (M, 38) Douglas, GA
6. 27:31 Larissa Baker (F, 22) Valdosta, GA
7. 28:39 Nola Bridgens (F, 25) Lakeland, GA
8. 30:01 Joe Christian (M, 72) Naylor, GA
9. 32:39 Jessica Edenfield (F, 32) Valdosta, GA
10. 37:27 Sherry Croft (F, 51) Valdosta, GA
11. 37:50 Debbie Walker (F, 53) Valdosta, GA
12. 38:28 Tonya Stalvey (F, 44) Dupont, GA
13. 38:31 Amy Allen (F, 35) Lakeland, GA
14. 38:49 Amelia Kumpel (F, 13) Valdosta, GA
15. 41:20 Tiffany Kumpel (F, 41) Valdosta, GA
16. 44:35 Sarah Peterson (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
17. 44:38 Robin Bush (F, 45) Greenville, FL
18. 44:41 Tailey Ferguson (F, 10) Valdosta, GA
19. 44:49 Elizabeth Kumpel (F, 8) Valdosta, GA
20. 44:51 Demetrius Miller (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
21. 45:14 Teresa Henck (F, 41) Adel, GA
22. 45:45 Nancy Weingerfer (F, 50) Valdosta, GA
23. 46:20 Joella Adams (F, 34) Nashville, GA
24. 47:15 Carol Ekman (F, 67) Lakeland, GA

Links:

• Lakeland & Lanier County annual events
  http://lakelandlanierchamber.net/annual-events/
  
  
• Get Active! Running, racing, and fitness central for Valdosta and south Georgia http://www.getactive.us/
  
  
• Upcoming races in Lakeland or anyplace else within 100 miles of Tallahassee
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1