Showing posts with label Lawson's Course. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lawson's Course. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Acadia Hassell and Landon Reeves outrace their rivals at the Tallahassee Open

By 10 October 2023, there were less than three weeks left till the Florida Youth Running Association Middle School Cross-Country Championship. That Tuesday afternoon, though, there was at least one more act left in Tallahassee's middle school cross-country season--Holy Comforter Episcopal School's Tallahassee Open. Acadia Hassell won the girls' 3K by close to 100 meters, running 12:09, while the Holy Comforter girls took the team title with 31 points. Landon Reeves, a Community Christian eighth-grader, won the boys' 3K for the second year in a row, covering the course in 10:12. Maclay had the top boys' team, putting up a winning score of 47.

Acadia Hassell
Acadia Hassell

The middle school girls' 3K started just before 5:15. Earlier, the meet had opened with a mile race for elementary school aged athletes. As a fifth-grader, Acadia Hassell was eligible for the shorter race, but passed on it.


"I prefer longer distances," explained Hassell.

Chloe Molen
Chloe Molen

The early leader in the 3K, though, was Chloe Molen--a Deerlake eighth-grader competing unattached. Half a kilometer into the race, Molen already had a lead of 30 meters. Running more patiently, Hassell was back in seventh place. Molen still led at the halfway point, but Hassell had moved into second and was starting to close.


The second half of the race had barely started when Hassell overtook Molen. By the two-kilometer mark, Hassell had opened a gap, a gap she continued to widen. Molen fell back, ultimately finishing ninth. But Hassell forged on, crossing the finish line in a winning 12:09. Julia Robinson, a Florida State University School eighth-grader, took second in 12:33. Holy Comforter sixth-grader Mackenzie McVay was third in 12:38.

Julia Robinson
Julia Robinson

Holy Comforter put three more Crusaders in the top ten--sixth-grader Madison McVay was sixth in 12:50, sixth-grader Elaine Ungru was seventh in 12:52, and eighth-grader Lillian Anway was eighth in 12:55. When Crusader sixth-grader Eleanor Blalock came home thirteenth in 13:27, the Holy Comforter girls had 31 points, good for first place in the seven-team field.


Julia Robinson and her Florida State teammates were a close second with 38 points. Maclay was third with 73 points; their top finisher was eighth-grader Mallory Van Leuven, eleventh in 13:20.

Mackenzie McVay, Brixton Menendez
Brixton Menendez and Mackenzie McVay

Girls' Team Standings, 2023 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 31
  2. Florida State University, 38
  3. Maclay, 73
  4. Raa, 91
  5. Community Leadership, 150
  6. Trinity Catholic, 159
  7. Tallahassee Classical, 207

Top 10 Girls, 2023 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 12:08.90, Acadia Hassell (Unattached) 5
  2. 12:32.50, Julia Robinson (Florida State University) 8
  3. 12:37.40, Mackenzie McVay (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  4. 12:43.10, Brixton Menendez (Raa) 7
  5. 12:45.20, Elin Quisenberry (Florida State University) 7
  6. 12:49.50, Madison McVay (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  7. 12:51.30, Elaine Ungru (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  8. 12:54.20, Lillian Anway (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 8
  9. 12:56.30, Chloe Molen (Unattached) 8
  10. 13:18.20, Vera Vanlandingham (Florida State University) 6

Had this been Acadia Hassell's first time racing on Holy Comforter's home venue, Lawson's Course?

"No, I ran here a couple other times," said Hassell.

Landon Reeves
Landon Reeves
Likewise, Community Christian's Landon Reeves was no stranger to Lawson's Course. "I've probably run here six times," he said.


Two of those prior appearances were wins; one at the 2022 Tallahassee Open and another at the 2023 Crusader Cross-Country Classic. The road to Reeves' third win wasn't without potholes, however. Immediately after the start of the 2023 Tallahassee Open boys' 3K, a Florida State runner went down right in front of Reeves. The field wasn't recalled. Reeves maneuvered around the fallen athlete and resumed racing. Half a kilometer later he was leading. Just behind Reeves was Emari Thomas, a Fairview eighth-grader competing for the Panhandle Express. Five days earlier, Thomas had won the Leon County Schools' 2023 Middle School Cross-Country Championship.

Emari Thomas
Emari Thomas

Reeves and Thomas were still the first two runners at the halfway point of the race, but Reeves was 50 meters ahead of Thomas by then. That gap grew during the second half of the 3K. Reeves finished the race with a lead of nearly 150 meters, winning in 10:12. Thomas was runner-up in 10:42. James Mogg, a Trinity Catholic eighth-grader, took third in 11:01, and Raa eighth-grader Carson Weiss was fourth in 11:12.


Raa had one more athlete in the top ten; seventh-grader Emerson Gandy placed sixth in 11:20. But Maclay also had two athletes in the top ten--eighth-grader Andrew Campbell was seventh in 11:33 and eighth-grader Henry Proctor was ninth in 11:48. Maclay's next three Marauders were seventh-graders Mirko Usina (13th, 11:57), Grant Ulrich (16th, 12:01), and Wesley Seise (18th, 12:04). With Seise across the finish line, Maclay had 47 points and first place in an eleven-team field.

James Mogg
James Mogg

With 57 points, Raa had to settle for second. Holy Comforter was third with 69 points; the first Crusader in the race was seventh-grader Matthew Nowels, tenth in 11:52.


Boys' Team Standings, 2023 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Maclay, 47
  2. Raa, 57
  3. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 69
  4. Community Christian, 115
  5. Trinity Catholic, 146
  6. Christ Classical, 177
  7. Wakulla, 187
  8. Tallahassee Classical, 222
  9. Community Leadership, 242
  10. Cornerstone, 263
  11. Riversprings, 267

Top 10 Boys, 2023 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 10:11.70, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 8
  2. 10:42.00, Emari Thomas (Panhandle Express) 8
  3. 11:00.60, James Mogg (Trinity Catholic) 8
  4. 11:11.10, Carson Weiss (Raa) 8
  5. 11:15.40, Lawson Phillips (Florida State University) 7
  6. 11:19.10, Emerson Gandy (Raa) 7
  7. 11:32.50, Andrew Campbell (Maclay) 8
  8. 11:35.10, Lincoln Eisenberg (Community Christian) 8
  9. 11:47.10, Henry Proctor (Maclay) 8
  10. 11:51.90, Matthew Nowels (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 7

Tallahassee Open winners, 2014 - 2023
Boys
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Maclay, 189:42, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2710:25, Jacob D'Aleo (Emerald Coast) 8
13 October 2016Holy Comforter, 1711:05, Jackson Yarbrough (Holy Comforter) 7
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 3510:45, Thomas Ashby (Burns) 7
17 October 2018Fairview, 5311:11, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 7
8 October 2019Holy Comforter, 2111:10, William Springer (Holy Comforter) 8
6 October 2020Holy Comforter, 4510:50, Noah Deem (Community Leadership) 8
12 October 2021Community Christian, 4811:08, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 8
11 October 2022Red Hills, 2810:32, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 7
10 October 2023Maclay, 4710:12, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 8
Girls
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Holy Comforter, 2711:28, Katherine Resavage (Holy Comforter) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2111:23, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
13 October 2016Maclay, 1711:35, Lindsay James (Maclay) 8
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 2212:36, Mary Clayton Soto (Holy Comforter) 6
17 October 2018Maclay, 3112:10, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
17 October 2018Maclay, 1912:02, Susan Gracie Koeppel (Maclay) 8
6 October 2020Maclay, 1511:35, Clifton Lewis (Unattached) 7
12 October 2021Maclay, 1711:40, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 8
11 October 2022Red Hills, 1512:03, Charlotte Sikes (Red Hills) 6
10 October 2023Holy Comforter, 3112:09, Acadia Hassell (Unattached) 6


Links
#2996

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Julia Robinson and Landon Reeves were the class of the Crusader Classic

It was a damp Tuesday afternoon at Holy Comforter Episcopal School in Tallahassee, Florida on 26 September 2023. But a little rain never stopped a cross-country runner, and it certainly didn't slow down the harriers who came to race that day at Holy Comforter's annual Crusader Classic. Florida State University School eighth-grader Julia Robinson won the girls' 3K, edging teammate, seventh-grader Elin Quisenberry, 13:23 to 13:27. The two set up a Florida State win in the team competition. In the boys' 3K, Community Christian eighth-grader Landon Reeves threw down a winning 10:38, while the Maclay boys scored 41 points to take the team title.

Julia Robinson
Julia Robinson

The rain had paused at 5:15 when the middle school girls' race started. By the 800-meter mark, a lead pack on nine runners had separated from the field with Florida State's Julia Robinson setting the page. All five Florida State scorers were in the lead pack. At halfway, Robinson was still ahead and the lead pack was down to five runners. With 700 meters to go the pace group had dwindled to three--Robinson, Florida State's Elin Quisenberry, and Holy Comforter sixth-grader Mackenzie McVay.


But Robinson had already gained a few steps on Quisenberry and McVay. She increased that advantage on the way to finish line, crossing first in 13:23. Quisenberry took second in 13:27, and McVay placed third in 13:30.

2023 Crusader Cross-Country Classic
Early leaders in the girls' 3K

After Robinson and Quisenberry, Florida State had three more scorers in the top ten--


eighth-grader Penelope Cabezas was seventh in 14:15, sixth-grader Vera Vanlandingham was eighth in 14:21, and seventh-grader Olivia Gibson was tenth in 14:40. It added up to 28 points and first place for the Seminoles.

FSUS girls' cross-country squad
FSUS Girls

Holy Comforter, the host team, placed second with 39 points, led by Mackenzie McVay. The Maclay girls were third with 59 points; Maclay's first runner was eighth-grader Mary Price, fifth in 14:07.


2023 Crusader Classic Team Standings (Girls)
  1. Florida State University, 28
  2. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 39
  3. Maclay, 59
  4. Marianna, 117
  5. Trinity Catholic, 126
  6. Franklin County, NTS
    Christ Classical, NTS
    Community Leadership, NTS
    Community Christian, NTS
    Riversprings, NTS
    Cornerstone, NTS
    Wakulla, NTS
    Tallahassee Classical, NTS

Top Ten Girls, 2023 Crusader Classic 3K
  1. 13:22.00, Julia Robinson (Florida State University) 8
  2. 13:26.50, Elin Quisenberry (Florida State University) 7
  3. 13:29.20, Mackenzie McVay (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  4. 13:52.70, Madison McVay (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  5. 14:06.50, Mary Price (Maclay) 8
  6. 14:15.00, Mallory Van Leuven (Maclay) 8
  7. 14:18.40, Penelope Cabezas (Florida State University) 8
  8. 14:20.10, Vera Vanlandingham (Florida State University) 6
  9. 14:20.90, Lillian Anway (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 8
  10. 14:39.70, Olivia Gibson (Florida State University) 7

The middle school boys got their chance at the soggy, three-kilometer course at 5:45. Almost from the gun, two athletes charged out ahead of the rest--eighth-grader Landon Reeves of Community Christian and Maclay eighth-grader Logan Phipps. Reeves and Phipps were already 30 meters ahead at the 800-meter mark, with eighth-grader James Mogg of Trinity Catholic in pursuit. Reeves and Phipps continued to increase their lead, racing together through halfway. During the second half of the race, though, Reeves began to pull away from Phipps.
Landon Reeves
Landon Reeves

Holy Comforter is building a track, but on the day of the Crusader Classic that future track was still just a wide, oval ditch filled with rainwater. The final 300 meters of the race went around the outside of the track-to-be. When Reeves arrived there he had broken contact with Phipps. Reeves crossed the finish line with a lead of nearly 50 meters, winning the race in 10:38. Phipps took the runner-up spot in 10:48 and Mogg was third in 11:39.


Maclay had two more athletes in the top ten, with ; eighth-graders Andrew Campbell (7th, 12:47) and Henry Proctor (9th, 12:51). Maclay's remaining scorers were seventh-graders Mirko Usina (13th, 13:04) and Wesley Seise (14th, 13:08), giving the Marauders 41 points and first in the boys' team standings. Holy Comforter, led by eighth-grader Joshua Butera (8th, 12:51) placed second with 53 points. Mogg and Trinity Catholic scored 79 points, taking third.

2023 Crusader Cross-Country Classic
Start of the boys' 3K

Miles and Minutes, LLC, of Tallahassee timed and scored the 2023 Crusader Cross-Country Classic. Holy Comforter hosts one more meet on their home course this season, the Tallahassee Open on Tuesday, 10 October 2023.


2023 Crusader Classic Team Standings (Boys)
  1. Maclay, 41
  2. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 53
  3. Trinity Catholic, 79
  4. Community Christian, 111
  5. Marianna, 127
  6. Christ Classical, 176
  7. Wakulla, 180
  8. Tallahassee Classical, 234
  9. Community Leadership, 243
  10. Riversprings, 252
  11. Cornerstone, 285
  12. Florida State University, NTS

Top Ten Boys, 2023 Crusader Classic 3K
  1. 10:37.60, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 8
  2. 10:47.50, Logan Phipps (Maclay) 8
  3. 11:38.20, James Mogg (Trinity Catholic) 8
  4. 12:13.40, Lincoln Eisenberg (Community Christian) 8
  5. 12:20.10, Lawson Phillips (Florida State University) 7
  6. 12:38.00, Asher McGrew (Trinity Catholic) 8
  7. 12:46.40, Andrew Campbell (Maclay) 8
  8. 12:50.00, Joshua Butera (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 8
  9. 12:50.40, Henry Proctor (Maclay) 8
  10. 12:58.90, Andrew Barnes (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 8

Links
#2985

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Charlotte Sikes and Landon Reeves score firsts at the Tallahassee Open

If you wanted to point to one event as the end of the middle school cross-country season in Tallahassee, Florida, you'd probably choose the Tallahassee Open. Hosted by Holy Comforter Episcopal School on their home course, year after year the meet has been the last chance for middle school harriers to race in Tallahassee. The edition of the Open on Tuesday afternoon, 11 October 2012, was no exception. Charlotte Sikes, the Swift Creek Middle School sixth-grader, won the girls' 3K, running 12:03. Top team honors went to the home team, the Holy Comforter girls' squad, with 45 points. In the boys' 3K, Community Christian seventh-grader Landon Reeves threw down a winning 10:32, while the Maclay boys took first in the team standings with 29 points.


For Charlotte Sikes, it was her ninth cross-country win since August. Sikes had opened the 2022 season by taking the girls' title in the Miller Landing Madness 3K, then proceeded to win all six girls' three-kilometer races in the Leon County Schools' middle school cross-country season--including the LCS League Championship. Along the way, she had also picked up a win in the girls' 3K at the Big Bend Cross-Country Invitational.

Charlotte Sikes
Charlotte Sikes

At Holy Comforter's Tallahassee Open, Sikes had traded her Swift Creek racing kit for the colors of the Red Hills Running Club; she scored her 12:03 win racing for Red Hills. Another Red Hills athlete, Deerlake sixth-grader Emma-Claire Tanenbaum, took second in 12:26. Deerlake seventh-grader Chloe Molen, also racing for Red Hills, grabbed third with a 12:31.


In fact, Red Hills athletes took the first six places, but Red Hills wasn't included in the team competition. The Holy Comforter girls were, though, and the first Crusader across the finish line was fifth-grader Vera VanLandingham, eleventh in 13:17. Four more Crusaders cracked the top twenty--fifth-grader Madison McVay (14th, 13:35), fifth-grader Mackenzie McVay (18th, 13:49), eighth-grader Regan Mayfield (19th, 13:49), and eighth-grader Paeton Cheesborough--giving the Holy Comforter girls 45 points and the team title.


Maclay School took second in the nine-team field, led by eighth-grader Ellie Mazziotta (13th, 13:25). The Seminoles of Florida State University School were third with 60 points; their top runner was eighth-grader Leah Boutwell (8th, 13:07).


Girls' Team Standings, 2022 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 45
  2. Maclay, 61
  3. Florida State University, 80
  4. Riversprings, 105
  5. Christ Classical, 125
  6. Trinity Catholic, 152
  7. Community Leadership, 169
  8. Cornerstone, 204

Top 10 Girls, 2022 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 12:02.80, Charlotte Sikes (Red Hills Running Club) 6
  2. 12:25.10, Emma-Claire Tanenbaum (Red Hills Running Club) 6
  3. 12:30.30, Chloe Molen (Red Hills Running Club) 7
  4. 12:31.50, Haley Heitmeyer (Red Hills Running Club) 8
  5. 12:42.80, Savannah Stanley (Red Hills Running Club) 8
  6. 12:47.40, Andi Vilardo (Red Hills Running Club) 8
  7. 12:57.10, Morgan Lynes (Christ Classical) 8
  8. 13:06.40, Leah Boutwell (Florida State University) 8
  9. 13:07.10, Emma Hammett (Christ Classical) 8
  10. 13:11.60, Julia Robinson (Florida State University) 7

Just a week earlier, Landon Reeves had raced at Holy Comforter in the middle school boys' 3K of the Crusader Cross-Country Classic. He had placed fourth in that first effort, going 10:53. Reeves didn't intend to finish behind anyone at the Tallahassee Open, though. Improving his time on the course to 10:32, the Community Christian seventh-grader nabbed first. Another seventh-grader, Maclay's Logan Phipps, claimed the runner-up spot with a 10:38. Maclay eighth-grader David Barton took third in 10:41.


Maclay got another top-ten finish from sixth-grader Wesley Seise, who placed tenth in 11:44. Maclay's remaining two scorers were sixth-grader Mirko Usina (19th, 12:16) and seventh-grader Henry Proctor (20th, 12:20), giving the Marauders 29 points and first place among ten teams.


Trinity Catholic put up 68 points for second, led by their seventh-grader James Mogg (8th, 11:09). Host team Holy Comforter was third with 87 points; the top Crusader was sixth-grader Matthew Nowels (17th, 12:08).


Miles and Minutes, LLC, of Tallahassee timed and scored the meet.


Boys' Team Standings, 2022 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Maclay, 29
  2. Trinity Catholic, 68
  3. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 87
  4. Florida State University, 104
  5. Christ Classical, 140
  6. Riversprings, 171
  7. Community Leadership, 180
  8. Tallahassee Classical, 218
  9. Cornerstone, 236

Top 10 Boys, 2022 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 10:31.60, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 7
  2. 10:37.40, Logan Phipps (Maclay) 7
  3. 10:40.40, David Barton (Maclay) 8
  4. 10:45.10, Jonathan Kiros (Red Hills Running Club) 8
  5. 10:49.80, Gavin Poucher (Red Hills Running Club) --
  6. 11:04.10, Trent Parsons (Red Hills Running Club) 8
  7. 11:07.10, Salvatore Giove (Red Hills Running Club) 8
  8. 11:08.70, James Mogg (Trinity Catholic) 7
  9. 11:11.10, Yoshi Hutt (Florida State University) 8
  10. 11:43.70, Wesley Seise (Maclay) 6

Tallahassee Open winners, 2014 - 2021
Boys
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Maclay, 189:42, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2710:25, Jacob D'Aleo (Emerald Coast) 8
13 October 2016Holy Comforter, 1711:05, Jackson Yarbrough (Holy Comforter) 7
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 3510:45, Thomas Ashby (Burns) 7
17 October 2018Fairview, 5311:11, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 7
8 October 2019Holy Comforter, 2111:10, William Springer (Holy Comforter) 8
6 October 2020Holy Comforter, 4510:50, Noah Deem (Community Leadership) 8
12 October 2021Community Christian, 4811:08, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 8
11 October 2022Maclay, 2910:32, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 7
Girls
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Holy Comforter, 2711:28, Katherine Resavage (Holy Comforter) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2111:23, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
13 October 2016Maclay, 1711:35, Lindsay James (Maclay) 8
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 2212:36, Mary Clayton Soto (Holy Comforter) 6
17 October 2018Maclay, 3112:10, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
17 October 2018Maclay, 1912:02, Susan Gracie Koeppel (Maclay) 8
6 October 2020Maclay, 1511:35, Clifton Lewis (Unattached) 7
12 October 2021Maclay, 1711:40, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 8
11 October 2022Holy Comforter, 4512:03, Charlotte Sikes (Red Hills) 6


Links
#2882

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Harriers Lillian Koeppel and Luke Meli lead their teams to wins at the Tallahassee Open

Tuesday, 12 October 2021, was a day for cross-country on the east side of Tallahassee, Florida. At least, the Holy Comforter Episcopal School Crusaders made it so, hosting their annual Tallahassee Open Middle School Cross-Country Meet. Maclay eighth-grader Lillian Koeppel won the girls' 3K in 11:40, leading the Marauders to the team title, their third in three years. Community Christian topped the team standings in the boys' 3K for the first time in the meet's history, led by the first-place finish of eighth-grader Luke Meli. Meli covered the three kilometers around the Holy Comforter grounds in 11:08.

Luke Meli
Luke Meli

Lillian Koeppel had been fifth in the Tallahassee Open as a sixth-grader, then second as a seventh-grader. 2021 was her final cross-country season as a middle school athlete, and she seized the opportunity to shine with her 11:40 win. Maclay eighth-graders swept the first three places, with Koeppel followed by Caroline Crouch, second in 12:01, and Nishi Bhanderi, third in 12:42. The line of Marauders was interrupted by Charlotte Sikes and Leah Boutwell. Running unattached, Sikes took fourth in 13:00. Boutwell, a Florida State seventh-grader, was fifth in 13:04.


Maclay's remaining scorers took the next two places. Marauder seventh-graders Ellie Mazziotta and Lilly Bell ran 13:09 and 12:11 for sixth and seventh. Once Bell crossed the finish line, the Maclay girls had seventeen points and a mathematically guaranteed win.


Community Leadership Academy, led by fifth-grader Eliza Moody (17th, 14:40), placed second with 78 points. Florida State and Boutwell were a close third with 80 points.


Girls' Team Standings, 2021 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Maclay, 17
  2. Community Leadership, 78
  3. Florida State, 80
  4. Riversprings, 101
  5. Trinity Catholic, 108
  6. Tallahassee Classical, 155

Top 10 Girls, 2021 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 11:39.40, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 8
  2. 12:00.02, Caroline Couch (Maclay) 8
  3. 12:41.47, Nishi Bhanderi (Maclay) 8
  4. 12:59.99, Charlotte Sikes (Unattached)
  5. 13:03.18, Leah Boutwell (Florida State) 7
  6. 13:08.41, Ellie Mazziotta (Maclay) 7
  7. 13:10.81, Lilly Bell (Maclay) 7
  8. 13:12.74, Addyson Paul (Franklin County) 7
  9. 13:18.22, Ryleigh Gunter (Florida State) 8
  10. 13:39.15, Mae Deison (Maclay) 8

Even though Luke Meli is an eighth-grader, he often doesn't get to run middle school races because he's busy racing for Community Christian's high school squad. Meli makes the most of the middle school events he runs, though. He won the middle school boys' 3K at the FSUS Pre-Season Invitational on 21 August 2021, and at the Big Bend Invitational on 4 September 2021. He picked up another victory at the Tallahassee Open, winning the boys' 3K in 11:08. Another Community Christian eighth-grader, Charles Wilson, finished runner-up in 11:15. Holy Comforter eighth-grader Luke Springer ran 11:18 for third. Two Trinity Catholic athletes duelled for fourth, with eighth-grader Mark Moore edging sixth-grader James Mogg, both clocked in 11:31.


After Meli and Wilson, Community Christian got scoring performances from eighth-grader Benjamin Reeves (13th, 12:08), sixth-grader Landon Reeves (14th, 12:09), and eighth-grader Jeremy Collier (19th, 12:53). With five Chargers home, Community Christian had 48 points and first place.


Maclay took second with 60 points, led by sixth-grader Logan Phipps. Phipps placed seventh overall in 11:32. Led by seventh-grader Randon Manausa, Holy Comforter was third with 69 points.


Miles and Minutes, LLC, of Tallahassee timed and scored the meet.


Boys' Team Standings, 2021 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Community Christian, 48
  2. Maclay, 60
  3. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 69
  4. Falcon Track Club, 84
  5. Trinity Catholic, 99
  6. Community Leadership, 144
  7. Florida State, 185
  8. Cornerstone, 232
  9. Christ Classical, 245

Top 10 Boys, 2021 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 11:07.83, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 8
  2. 11:14.12, Charles Wilson (Community Christian) 8
  3. 11:17.27, Luke Springer (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 8
  4. 11:30.42, Mark Moore (Trinity Catholic) 8
  5. 11:30.99, James Mogg (Trinity Catholic) 6
  6. 11:31.30, Randon Manausa (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 7
  7. 11:31.60, Logan Phipps (Maclay) 6
  8. 11:52.16, David Burton (Maclay) 7
  9. 11:56.08, Collins Dickson (Maclay) 8
  10. 11:57.30, Yoshi Hutt (Florida State) 8

Tallahassee Open winners, 2014 - 2021
Boys
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Maclay, 189:42, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2710:25, Jacob D'Aleo (Emerald Coast) 8
13 October 2016Holy Comforter, 1711:05, Jackson Yarbrough (Holy Comforter) 7
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 3510:45, Thomas Ashby (Burns) 7
17 October 2018Fairview, 5311:11, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 7
8 October 2019Holy Comforter, 2111:10, William Springer (Holy Comforter) 8
6 October 2020Holy Comforter, 4510:50, Noah Deem (Community Leadership) 8
12 October 2021Community Christian, 4811:08, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 8
Girls
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Holy Comforter, 2711:28, Katherine Resavage (Holy Comforter) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2111:23, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
13 October 2016Maclay, 1711:35, Lindsay James (Maclay) 8
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 2212:36, Mary Clayton Soto (Holy Comforter) 6
17 October 2018Maclay, 3112:10, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
17 October 2018Maclay, 1912:02, Susan Gracie Koeppel (Maclay) 8
6 October 2020Maclay, 1511:35, Clifton Lewis (Unattached) 7
12 October 2021Maclay, 1711:40, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 8


Links
#2787

Friday, October 1, 2021

Clifton Lewis and Maxwell Wester conquer at the Crusader Cross-Country Classic

If you saw Clifton Lewis running in Tallahassee, Florida on Thursday, 30 September 2021, you might have thought that she was doing a solo workout. You would be wrong, though; Lewis was racing the girls' 3K at Holy Comforter Episcopal School's Crusader Classic Cross-Country Meet. It would have been a forgiveable error, because the eighth-grader finished the race almost half a kilometer ahead of the field, logging a winning 11:17. The girls' race may have been lacking in drama up front, but not so the boys' 3K. In that race, Mariana seventh-grader Maxwell Wester outkicked Luke Meli, a Community Christian eighth-grader, for the win, 10:46 to 10:47. The Maclay girls took the team title in their race with a near-perfect 17 points, and Community Christian placed first in the boys' race with 53 points.

Clifton Lewis
Clifton Lewis

Clifton Lewis also won the Crusader Classic girls' 3K in 2020; that year a soaking ran fell during the race and the runners had to start in waves due to COVID-19. In 2021 the weather was fair and Lewis got to face all her competitors on the starting line. She didn't face them for long. Once the race was under way, Lewis spent most of the 3000-meters around the Holy Comforter grounds running away from her rivals. After Lewis had logged her winning 11:17, Maclay seventh-grader Ellie Mazziotta finished as runner-up in 13:25. Another Maclay seventh-grader, Lilly Bell, was third in 11:30.


Mazziotta and Bell weren't the only Marauders in the top ten. Maclay eighth-grader Mae Deison was fourth in 13:38, with Maclay sixth-grader Mary Price a close fifth in 13:39. Seventh-grader Aurora Earlywine completed the Maraders' scoring, finishing ninth in 14:09. The Maclay girls had 17 points and their third straight Crusader Classic win.


Community Leadership placed second with 68 points behind seventh-grader Ashlynn Naumann (11th, 14:30), their first finisher. Trinity Catholic edged Riversprings for third in the team standings, 74 to 77. Trinity's top runner was sixth-grader Danielle Sasso, eighth in 14:06, while Riversprings was led by sixth-grader Aerynson Smith, seventh in 14:03.


2021 Crusader Classic Team Standings (Girls)
  1. Maclay, 17
  2. Community Leadership, 68
  3. Trinity Catholic, 74
  4. Riversprings, 77
  5. Wakulla, 119
  6. Franklin County, NTS
    Holy Comforter Episcopal, NTS
    Tallahassee Classical, NTS
    Florida State, NTS
    Cornerstone, NTS
    Jefferson County, NTS
    Community Christian, NTS
    Marianna, NTS

Top Ten Girls, 2021 Crusader Classic 3K
  1. 11:16.29, Clifton Lewis (Unattached) 8
  2. 13:24.57, Ellie Mazziotta (Maclay) 7
  3. 13:30.82, Lilly Bell (Maclay) 7
  4. 13:37.56, Mae Deison (Maclay) 8
  5. 13:38.27, Mary Price (Maclay) 6
  6. 13:53.78, Addyson Paul (Franklin County) 7
  7. 14:02.60, Aerynson Smith (Riversprings) 6
  8. 14:05.03, Danielle Sasso (Trinity Catholic) 6
  9. 14:08.66, Aurora Earlywine (Maclay) 7
  10. 14:27.63, Genevieve Gillespie (Trinity Catholic) 6

After Maxwell Wester and Luke Meli had fought for first, with Wester prevailing 10:46 to 10:47, there was another homestretch struggle third place. This time, three athletes came charging for home. Trinity Catholic eighth=grader Mark Moore dashed in ahead of the other two, taking third in 11:21. Eighth-grader Charles Wilson of Community Christian followed, fourth in 11:22, A few steps back, Trinity Catholic sixth-grader James Mogg placed fifth in 11:24.


With Meli and Wilson, Community Christian had put two runners in the top ten, but so had Trinity Catholic, Holy Comforter, Marianna, and Maclay. Community Christian's remaining three scorers were eighth-grader Benjamin Reeves (14th, 12:13), sixth-grader Landon Reeves (20th, 12;43), and eighth-grader Jeremy Collier (21st, 12:45). That gave the Chargers 53 points and first place, Community Christian's first ever win at the Crusader Classic.


Maclay edged Wester's Marianna team for second, 62 to 63. Maclay's first finisher was eighth-grader Collins Dickson, ninth in 11:41. Hosts and 2020 champs Holy Comforter placed fourth with 72 points, led by eighth-grader Luke Springer (6th, 11:32). Of fourteen schools represented in the boys' race, seven had full teams.


Racing returns to Holy Comforter on Tuesday afternoon, 12 October 2021, with the Tallahassee Open. The girls' 3K is scheduled for 5:15 PM ET, with the boys' 3K following at 5:45.


2021 Crusader Classic Team Standings (Boys)
  1. Community Christian, 53
  2. Maclay, 62
  3. Marianna, 63
  4. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 72
  5. Trinity Catholic, 83
  6. Community Leadership, 158
  7. Cornerstone, 219
  8. Knights Running Club, NTS
    Florida State, NTS
    Riversprings, NTS
    Franklin County, NTS
    Tallahassee Classical, NTS
    Wakulla, NTS
    Jefferson County, NTS

Top Ten Boys, 2021 Crusader Classic 3K
  1. 10:45.35, Maxwell Wester (Marianna) 7
  2. 10:46.50, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 8
  3. 11:20.21, Mark Moore (Trinity Catholic) 8
  4. 11:21.86, Charles Wilson (Community Christian) 8
  5. 11:23.51, James Mogg (Trinity Catholic) 6
  6. 11:31.05, Luke Springer (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 8
  7. 11:33.04, Myles Libert (Marianna) 8
  8. 11:40.42, Randon Manausa (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 7
  9. 11:40.94, Collins Dickson (Maclay) 8
  10. 11:47.82, Logan Phipps (Maclay) 6

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#2782

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Jim Halley and Alison Thumm finish earliest at the better-late-than-never Run For Lawson 10K

The Run For Lawson started as an annual 5K in 2011 with a 10K added to the program in 2012. Through 2017, each cross-country race took athletes on a tour of some beautiful Tallahassee, Florida countryside. Runners got to experience Lawson's Course on the campus of Holy Comforter Episcopal School as well as the hills and fields of Welaunee Plantation.


Meanwhile, Welaunee was changing. After decades of agriculture, it was turning into a residential development. In 2018 the course for the Run For Lawson was unusable because of construction, and the autumn races were postponed.

2019 Run For Lawson 10K winners
Jim Halley, Alison Thumm

But the Run For Lawson was back with new courses on Saturday morning, 16 February 2019. Jim Halley of Tallahassee was first in a field of 44 finishers in the 10K, winning by over a minute in 41:25. Tallahassee master runner Alison Thumm was the first woman in the 6.2-mile race, placing fifth overall in 46:00.


Eric Godin had won the 5K at the 2016 Run For Lawson. He stepped up to the 10K in 2019, taking the runner-up spot in 42:43. Wayne Thumm was the first master runner in the 10K, coming in third overall in 44:21.


Alison Thumm's Run For Lawson 10K title was her second; she had also won the race in 2012, it's inaugural year. Master runner Ali Kelly was second to Thumm in the 2019 women's standings, placing ninth overall in 48:37. Emily Kaiser took third on the women's side and eleventh overall in 48:37.


Top Ten Men, 2019 Run For Lawson 10K
  1. 41:25, Jim Halley (M, 39)
  2. 42:43, Eric Godin (M, 34)
  3. 44:21, Wayne Thumm (M, 46)
  4. 45:30, Jack Chatham (M, 38)
  5. 46:50, Michael Kennett (M, 45)
  6. 48:02, Juan Padron (M, 49)
  7. 48:17, Juan Ordonez (M, 45)
  8. 51:20, Robert Steinmetz (M, 63)
  9. 53:40, Danny Balmer (M, 10)
  10. 54:25, Mark Zeigler (M, 55)

Top Ten Women, 2019 Run For Lawson 10K
  1. 46:00, Alison Thumm (F, 41)
  2. 48:37, Ali Kelly (F, 46)
  3. 52:44, Emily Kaiser (F, 26)
  4. 53:11, Kristin Halley (F, 37)
  5. 55:40, Sarah Brown (F, 32)
  6. 56:16, Allison Richards (F, 24)
  7. 56:48, Ashley Young (F, 32)
  8. 57:09, Lindsey Boomer (F, 26)
  9. 57:46, Karima Anderson (F, 32)
  10. 58:38, Laura Clark (F, 27)

Wyatt Townsend is in this third and final year at Deerlake Middle School. Townsend ran for Deerlake's cross-country team during those years, winning more than half a dozen 3K races during the 2018 season, including Florida's Middle School Boys' Cross-Country Championship. Holy Comforter hosted six middle school cross-country meets on Lawson's Course while Townsend was competing for Deerlake, but he never got to race at any of those. The Deerlake eighth-grader got his first look at Lawson's Course in the 2019 Run For Lawson 5K.


Townsend may have been a first-timer, but he raced like a veteran, winning the 5000-meter race by almost 400 meters. Tallahassee Community College cross-country runner Kendall Ward was the first woman in the 5K, placing fourth overall in 21:56.

Wyatt Townsend, Kendall Ward
Wyatt Townsend, Kendall Ward
At 19:40, Kurt Dietrich, runner-up in the 2017 Run For Lawson 5K, was also runner-up in the 2019 race. David Cruz took third in 21:44. Tom Schulte was the first master runner in the 5K and the fourth male finisher, fifth overall in 22:22.


Running 23:44, Meghan Kennedy edged Ava Hill for second in the women's standings. Hill, a sixth-grader on Holy Comforter's cross-country team, ran 23:46. Kennedy and Hill were ninth and tenth overall. Jaye Danforth (16th, 26:07) finished just ahead of Camilla Schaefer (17th, 26:13) to take fourth on the women's side. Schaefer was the first woman master in the race.


126 athletes finished the 2019 Run For Lawson 5K. Gulf Winds Track Club of Tallahassee chip-timed both the 10K and the 5K.


Top Ten Men, 2019 Run For Lawson 5K
  1. 18:09, Wyatt Townsend (M, 14)
  2. 19:40, Kurt Dietrich (M, 27)
  3. 21:44, David Cruz (M, 37)
  4. 22:22, Tom Schulte (M, 52)
  5. 22:53, Ian Kuhn (M, 15)
  6. 23:25, Henry Mayfield (M, 41)
  7. 23:33, Joe Soto (M, 44)
  8. 23:53, Asher Hill (M, 10)
  9. 24:28, Jeremy Cohen (M, 42)
  10. 24:30, Harrison Kennedy (M, 9)

Top Ten Women, 2019 Run For Lawson 5K
  1. 21:56, Kendall Ward (F, 18)
  2. 23:44, Meghan Kennedy (F, 38)
  3. 23:46, Ava Hill (F, 12)
  4. 26:07, Jaye Danforth (F, 38)
  5. 26:13, Camilla Schaefer (F, 47)
  6. 27:07, Isabel Davis (F, 12)
  7. 28:36, Ellie Mazziotta (F, 9)
  8. 28:51, Stephanie Wade (F, 27)
  9. 29:08, Claire Georgiadis (F, 21)
  10. 29:08, Ireland MacDonell (F, 21)

Run For Lawson champions, 2011 - 2019
DateDistanceMenWomenFinishers
8 October 20115K17:29, Gary Droze22:22, Molly McCann393
6 October 201210K39:32, Tony Guillen52:00, Allison Thumm123
5K18:29, Gary Droze22:00, Molly McCann335
28 September 201310K35:50, Chris Lake45:53, Renee Cox174
5K18:20, Gary Droze21:23, Molly McCann317
1 November 201410K38:58, Paul Guyas45:32, Jillian Heddaeus94
5K19:16, Evan Wilson20:47, Molly McCann221
26 September 201510K41:03, Michael Peymann44:56, Leslie Dickinson98
5K20:56, Hawthorne Hay21:04, Brittney Barnes226
22 October 201610K36:23, Chris O'Kelley45:47, Juanita Chalmers100
5K18:24, Eric Godin20:57, Samantha Reilly205
28 October 201710K41:36, Tony Guillen44:43, Emily Culley63
5K20:38, Eric Houge27:42, Jaye Danforth137
16 February 201910K41:25, Jim Halley46:00, Alison Thumm44
5K18:09, Wyatt Townsend21:56, Kendall Ward126


The photos in this story were taken by the peerless Fred Deckert.


Links
#2433

Friday, October 19, 2018

Maclay girls and Fairview boys triumph at the Tallahassee Open

Tuesday, 8 October 2018, was the date Holy Comforter Episcopal School chose for the Tallahassee Open Middle School Cross-Country Meet. Unfortunately, that was the day before Hurricane Michael, a category four tropical cyclone, made landfall in North Florida, bringing wind gusts in excess of 70 miles per hour to Tallahassee, Florida. Tuesday wasn't a day for running cross-country; it was a day for storm preparation or evacuation.

Ella Porcher, Sofia Paredes
Ella Porcher and Sofia Paredes

But the meet wasn't canceled, it was just postponed. And on Wednesday afternoon, 17 October 2018, Holy Comforter hosted the rescheduled Tallahassee Open. Maclay eighth-graders Ella Porcher and Sofia Paredes, both clocked in 12:10, crossed the line first in the girls' 3K, leading their team to victory. Seventh-grader Patrick Koon won the boys' 3K in 11:11 while his Fairview squad took first in the team standings.


Hurricane winds were only a memory on the afternoon of the meet. Not even a gentle breeze ruffled the grass on Holy Comforter's Lawson's Course, and there were only a few clouds in the sky. It was in the upper 80s during the first race, the elementary school mile, and it was still warm when the middle school girls' 3K started.

Lilly Moore, Lillee Tang, Joey Shonk
Lilly Moore, Lillee Tang, and Joey Shonk

Trinity Catholic eighth-graders Lily Moore and Lillee Tang grabbed the first two positions early. Meanwhile, Ella Porcher and Sofia Paredes were running patiently a little further back. At the end of the first kilometer Moore was still in front, but Porcher and Paredes were just a few steps behind her. The two Maclay runners took over the lead soon after, and were in complete command of the race with a kilometer to go. Joey Shonk, an eighth-grader from Liza Jackson Prep in Fort Walton Beach, had moved up to challenge Moore and Tang for the third position.


No one was challenging Porcher and Paredes, though. They cruised home together in 12:10. Moore took third in 12:29, with Shonk fourth in 12:38 and Tang fifth in 12:47.

Maclay XC girls
Maclay Girls

Seventh-grader Gracie Koeppel made it three runners in the top ten for Maclay, placing sixth in 12:55. Sixth-graders Lauren Guyer (13th, 14:40) and Payton Thumm (14th, 14:43) also scored for Maclay, giving the Marauders 31 points and first place in the six-team field. Trinity Catholic was second with 46 points, just ahead of the 48 points logged by third-place Holy Comforter.


Girls' Team Standings, 2018 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Maclay, 31
  2. Trinity Catholic, 46
  3. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 48
  4. Riversprings, 105
  5. Cornerstone, 137
  6. Community Leadership, 159

Top 10 Girls, 2018 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 12:09.30, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
  2. 12:09.40, Sofia Paredes (Maclay) 8
  3. 12:28.60, Lily Moore (Trinity Catholic) 8
  4. 12:38.00, Joey Shonk (Unattached) 8
  5. 12:46.70, Lillee Tang (Trinity Catholic) 8
  6. 12:54.30, Gracie Koeppel (Maclay) 7
  7. 13:26.40, Stella Lewis (Unattached)
  8. 13:53.20, Ava Hill (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  9. 14:04.20, Ava Griffiths (Trinity Catholic) 6
  10. 14:05.80, Kate Reichelderfer (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6

Neither Porcher nor Paredes had run the Open in 2017, but they had both raced the meet in 2016, finishing almost next to one another in second and third. Patrick Koon had also raced the open in 2016 as a fifth-grader, placing fifth in the boys' 3K at 11:18.


"There were a lot of fast guys in the race that year like Ben Kirbo and Leo Kelly," recalled Koon.

Patrick Koon
Patrick Koon

By 2018, both Kirbo and Kelly had moved on to high school, with Kirbo running for Chiles and Kelly for Leon. After a two-year absence, Koon was back in the Open, and this time he was the "fast guy" in the race, taking the lead almost immediately after the start. Will Springer, a Trinity Catholic seventh-grader, moved into second-place behind Koon, but he couldn't stick with the Fairview seventh-grader. By the two-kilometer mark, Yien Liu, another Fairview seventh-grader, had overtaken Springer.


No one was catching Koon, though, as he raced to the finish line with a winning time of 11:11. Clayton Knox, a Maclay eighth-grader, caught Liu on the homestretch. In the battle to the finish line, Knox held off Liu by just inches to take second, both athletes running 11:34. Springer held off a late charge by Peter Boulware, beating out the Community Leadership sixth-grader for fourth, 11:45 to 11:46.

Clayton Knox, Yien Liu
Clayton Knox and Yien Liu

Seventh-grader Enijah Thomas was Fairview's seventh scorer, placing tenth in 12:09. Eighth-graders Lucca Garrison and Brantley Gibson finished the scoring for the Falcons, placing eighteenth overall in 13:03 and 26th overall in 13:38. After that, Fairview had 53 points and the team title. Maclay was a close second with 58 points. Holy Comforter was third with 62, led by the seventh-place 11:52 performance of sixth-grader Henry Fernandez.


"It was a good race," reflected Koon. "It was pretty hot. I'm glad we won so we could get our teammates to State."

Will Springer
Will Springer

As team champs at the Open, Fairview earned a berth at Florida's middle school State Meet, the ninth annual Florida Youth Running Association Championships. The FLYRA Middle School Championship will be run at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida on Saturday morning, 27 October 2018.


Boys' Team Standings, 2018 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. Fairview, 53
  2. Maclay, 58
  3. Holy Comforter Episcopal, 62
  4. Trinity Catholic, 97
  5. Community Leadership, 112
  6. Christ Classical, 125

Top 10 Boys, 2018 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  1. 11:10.10, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 7
  2. 11:33.10, Clayton Knox (Maclay) 8
  3. 11:33.20, Yien Liu (Fairview) 7
  4. 11:44.10, Will Springer (Trinity Catholic) 7
  5. 11:45.60, Peter Boulware (Community Leadership) 6
  6. 11:47.00, Noah Deem (Community Leadership) 6
  7. 11:51.10, Henry Fernandez (Holy Comforter Episcopal) 6
  8. 11:57.30, Lucas Mauch (Maclay) 8
  9. 12:02.40, Drayden Reams (Knights Running) 7
  10. 12:08.70, Enijah Thomas (Fairview) 7

Tallahassee Open winners, 2014 - 2018
Boys
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Maclay, 189:42, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2710:25, Jacob D'Aleo (Emerald Coast) 8
13 October 2016Holy Comforter, 1711:05, Jackson Yarbrough (Holy Comforter) 7
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 3510:45, Thomas Ashby (Burns) 7
17 October 2018Fairview, 5311:11, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 7
Girls
DateTeam ChampIndividual Champ
23 October 2014Holy Comforter, 2711:28, Katherine Resavage (Holy Comforter) 8
15 October 2015Holy Comforter, 2111:23, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
13 October 2016Maclay, 1711:35, Lindsay James (Maclay) 8
12 October 2017Holy Comforter, 2212:36, Mary Clayton Soto (Holy Comforter) 6
17 October 2018Maclay, 3112:10, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8


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#2352