Charleen Elizando and Drew Birx meet the Panhandle Challenge with wins

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


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

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


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


Girls' Team Standings, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

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

Top Ten Girls, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

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

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


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


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


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


Boys' Team Standings, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

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

Top Ten Boys, 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Challenge

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

Panhandle Cross-Country Championship Winners, 2019 - 2022
Boys
Date	Team	Athlete
31 August 2019	Niceville, 26	16:52, Ethan Rowe (Daphne) 12
17 October 2020	Niceville, 41	16:09, Ryan Sloan (Fort Walton Beach) 12
9 October 2021	Pensacola Christian, 48	16:35, Zach Spooner (Matanzas) 11
15 October 2022	Pensacola Christian, 33	16:11, Drew Birx (Pensacola Christian) 12
Girls
Date	Team	Athlete
31 August 2019	Niceville, 29	18:51, Kambry Smith (Fort Walton Beach) 11
17 October 2020	South Walton, 44	18:58, Chloe Fernander (Choctawhatchee) 11
9 October 2021	Pensacola Christian, 51	19:42, Jaimee Tutton (Pensacola Christian) 8
15 October 2022	Pensacola Christian, 24	18:34, Charleen Elizando (North Bay Haven) 12

Links

• Complete results of the 2022 Panhandle Cross-Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vT_m2--gIH8OQXT2IQx4ye0bDPorFxy3IKIXvkOCk8J_cdZylYHDQh5uEpdKMQGW9b-UeAO8ICnRqLa/pubhtml
  
  
• 2020 story, “Chloe Fernander and Ryan Sloan are Panhandle Cross-Country Champions”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/10/panhandle-champs-2020.html
  
  
• Find your next race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2884

Chris O'Kelley and Katie Sherron take the Pine Run

North of Tallahassee, Florida at the Tall Timbers Research Station, Saturday, 8 October 2022, was another perfect morning for cross-country running. A lot of cross-country running. Twenty kilometers worth of cross-country running. It was Gulf Winds Track Club's 43rd annual Pine Run at Tall Timbers, and Chris O'Kelley won the 12.4-mile race for the second year in a row, this time covering the off-pavement course in 1:12:54. Florida State University professor Dr. Katie Sherron was the first woman in the race, placing eighth overall in 1:24:45.

Chris O'Kelley

It was O'Kelly's third win in the long race; he had also logged victories in 2017 (1:20:31) and 2021 (1:18:02). His 2022 mark, 1:12:54, was his fastest yet at the race and the fastest since 2016, when Stan Linton set the course record of 1:09:46. Dr. Sherron was also a repeat winner, having taken the women's title in 2019 (1:37:40). Her 1:24:45 in the 2022 event was likewise the fastest women's time since 2016, the year Alison Eagen posted the women's course record of 1:23:54. Sherron's time stands as the fastest by a woman master at the Tall Timbers venue.


Trevor Touchton of Fayetteville, North Carolina finished runner-up to Kelly, running 1:13:58. Tallahassee's Hawthorne Hay took third in 1:15:03. Leonardo Canete of Tallahassee was the first master runner in the race for the second year in a row, coming in fourth overall in 1:15:55.


Tallahassee master runner Amy Hines placed second in the women's standings and tenth overall in 1:25:24. Pensacola, Florida master runner Jennifer McGranahan was the third woman and twentieth overall in 1:37:00.


124 athletes finished the 2022 Pine Run 20K, the most since that oft-mentioned 2016 race, when 181 completed the 12.4 miles. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the event.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2022 Pine Run 20K

1. 1:12:54, Chris O'Kelley (M, 29) Tallahassee, FL
2. 1:13:58, Trevor Touchton (M, 27) Fayetteville, NC
3. 1:15:03, Hawthorne Hay (M, 20) Tallahassee, FL
4. 1:15:55, Leonardo Canete (M, 44) Tallahassee, FL
5. 1:17:40, Charlie Johnson (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
6. 1:22:29, Mickey Moore (M, 52) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:22:59, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 54) Tallahassee, FL
8. 1:24:53, Jonathan Caswell (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
9. 1:28:03, Jon Maner (M, 49) Tallahassee, FL
10. 1:28:51, Edward Nabong (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2022 Pine Run 20K

1. 1:24:45, Katie Sherron (F, 40) Tallahassee, FL
2. 1:25:24, Amy Hines (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
3. 1:37:00, Jennifer McGranahan (F, 43) Pensacola, FL
4. 1:40:55, Julie Fink (F, 40) Pensacola, FL
5. 1:48:09, Laura Reina (F, 58) Tallahassee, FL
6. 1:53:14, Cristina Paredes (F, 40) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:53:24, Nancy Proctor (F, 61) Tallahassee, FL
8. 1:53:52, Kendall Meikenhous (F, 35) Tallahassee, FL
9. 1:54:55, Georgina Hernandez (F, 32) Quincy, FL
10. 1:57:12, Signe Ulsamer (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL

Champions of Gulf Winds Track Club's Pine Run 20K, 1977 - 2022
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
15 October 1977	67:19, Herb Wills	86:21, Rosemary Desloge	124
14 October 1978	69:30, Jim Eastman	81:21, Janice Gage	167
13 October 1979	71:28, Louis Floyd	86:29, Laura Ledbetter	144
11 October 1980	71:57, Kirk Fechter	98:20, Michelle Jernigan	134
10 October 1981	75:05, Jeff Doherty	99:40, Marianne Crawford	101
9 October 1982	67:00, Herb Wills	97:17, Kathe Brookover	106
22 October 1983	69:32, Herb Wills	85:43, Patti Sudduth	128
20 October 1984	72:37, Kirk Fechter	89:55, Donna Miller	107
19 October 1985	68:54, Herb Wills	88:22, Patti Sudduth	71
18 October 1986	71:20, Bill Crooks	87:31, Janice Gage Hochstein	146
17 October 1987	68:58, Tom Swiersz	85:56, Kay Capozzi	125
15 October 1988	65:36, Herb Wills	82:29, Paula Johnson	170
14 October 1989	69:46, Herb Wills	89:53, Jodi Waldron	139
13 October 1990	69:55, Herb Wills	85:10, Donna Miller	113
12 October 1991	65:43, Jessie Close	88:16, Mary Jean Yon	150
17 October 1992	66:34, Gary Droze	82:17, Carrie Hunnicutt	141
16 October 1993	75:26, Paul Hoover	80:53, Paula Johnson	134
15 October 1994	72:45, Tim Simpkins	80:18, Jane Johnson	147
14 October 1995	77:39, Tim Simpkins	82:46, Jane Johnson	146
12 October 1996	74:32, Tim Simpkins	80:30, Jane Johnson	172
11 October 1997	71:36, Gary Droze	80:12, Sarah Docter-Williams	156
10 October 1998	73:12, Gary Droze	81:35, Jane Johnson	125
9 October 1999	80:41, Robert Pautienus	82:23 Sarah Docter-Williams	170
14 October 2000	79:28, Art Remillard	82:43, Jane Johnson	150
13 October 2001	80:57, Tim Unger	84:03, Sarah Docter-Williams	128
12 October 2002	83:37, Tim Bolton	86:46, Jane Johnson	137
11 October 2003	84:14, David Yon	97:27, Lisa Whitworth	79
9 October 2004	83:01, David Guerra	91:55, Jane Johnson	94
9 October 2005	79:41, Myles Gibson	89:55, Jane Johnson	136
14 October 2006	78:22, Jay Wallace	81:31, Sheryl Rosen	108
No race held in 2007
11 October 2008	77:45, Vince Molosky	87:32, Kati Gosnell	142
2 October 2009	75:22, Jay Wallace	86:21, Sheryl Rosen	155
9 October 2010	73:39, Vince Molosky	90:21, Jane Johnson	243
8 October 2011	73:15, Kevin Sullivan	84:02, Sheryl Rosen	180
13 October 2012	74:48, Vince Molosky	95:05, Jane Johnson	199
12 October 2013	74:27, Stanley Linton	85:36, Sheryl Rosen	171
11 October 2014	72:10, Chris Lake	87:09, Elspeth Turner	164
10 October 2015	87:59, Benjamin Miedema	98:11, Jane Skalski	151
10 October 2016	69:46, Stan Linton	83:54, Allison Eagen	181
7 October 2017	80:31, Chris O'Kelley	91:59, Sheryl Rosen	103
Race canceled in 2018
5 October 2019	84:34, Chris Jones	97:40, Katie Sherron	111
Race canceled in 2020
2 October 2021	78:02, Chris O'Kelley	95:20, Sheryl Rosen	114
8 October 2022	72:54, Chris O'Kelley	84:45, Katie Sherron	124
From 1977 to 2006 the race was run at International Paper's Southlands Experimental Forest south of Bainbridge, Georgia. From 2008 to 2022 the race has been run at Tall Timbers Research Station at the north end of Leon County, Florida.

Links

• Complete results of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2022 Pine Run 20K at Tall Timbers
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRyUr3qttBCg_Hsg-UAE_HMTfGMM8JOSUlHByfAhXhNl7LR3V1wQoj04_bTEFnISMze7X-mbZnzKEWP/pubhtml
  
  
• 2021 story, “Encore wins at the Pine Run 20K for Chris O'Kelley and Sheryl Rosen”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/10/pine-run-2021.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Chris Jones and Katie Sherron take top billing at the return of the Pine Run”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/10/pine-run-2019.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “O'Kelley and Rosen tear it up at Tall Timbers in the Pine Run”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/10/pine-run-2017.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Miedema and Skalski are tough at Tall Timbers in the Pine Run”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/pine-run-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Sterling debuts for Lake and Turner at Tall Timbers”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/10/pine-run-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Linton and Rosen are the twin terrors of Tall Timbers in Tallahassee's Pine Run 20K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/10/pine-run-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Molosky and Johnson take titles at Tall Timbers”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/10/pine-run-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Sullivan and Rosen tumble records at Tall Timbers”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/10/pine-run-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Molosky and Johnson find their way to wins at Pine Run 20K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/pine-run-2010.html
  
  
• 2009 story, “Wallace, Rosen winners at the 2009 Pine Run”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/10/wallace-rosen-winners-at-2009-pine-run.html
  
  
• Beautyberry and other wildflowers on the Pine Run 20K course
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101068395887923.3217016.5215641&l=45b43048ac
  
  
• If there's another cross-country race like the Pine Run scheduled, it'll be listed here
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2883

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

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
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
23 October 2014	Maclay, 18	9:42, Clayburn Milford (Maclay) 8
15 October 2015	Holy Comforter, 27	10:25, Jacob D'Aleo (Emerald Coast) 8
13 October 2016	Holy Comforter, 17	11:05, Jackson Yarbrough (Holy Comforter) 7
12 October 2017	Holy Comforter, 35	10:45, Thomas Ashby (Burns) 7
17 October 2018	Fairview, 53	11:11, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 7
8 October 2019	Holy Comforter, 21	11:10, William Springer (Holy Comforter) 8
6 October 2020	Holy Comforter, 45	10:50, Noah Deem (Community Leadership) 8
12 October 2021	Community Christian, 48	11:08, Luke Meli (Community Christian) 8
11 October 2022	Maclay, 29	10:32, Landon Reeves (Community Christian) 7
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
23 October 2014	Holy Comforter, 27	11:28, Katherine Resavage (Holy Comforter) 8
15 October 2015	Holy Comforter, 21	11:23, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
13 October 2016	Maclay, 17	11:35, Lindsay James (Maclay) 8
12 October 2017	Holy Comforter, 22	12:36, Mary Clayton Soto (Holy Comforter) 6
17 October 2018	Maclay, 31	12:10, Ella Porcher (Maclay) 8
17 October 2018	Maclay, 19	12:02, Susan Gracie Koeppel (Maclay) 8
6 October 2020	Maclay, 15	11:35, Clifton Lewis (Unattached) 7
12 October 2021	Maclay, 17	11:40, Lillian Koeppel (Maclay) 8
11 October 2022	Holy Comforter, 45	12:03, Charlotte Sikes (Red Hills) 6

Links

• Complete results of the 2022 Tallahassee Open Middle School XC Championship
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTTvq54swCdDKovZ1ubbrdxgDZ0tOxoercZsindHwx4hfJI4w7gXl9pqrIZ6rphF-Sn7WL2hUZVO3IZ/pubhtml
  
  
• 2021 story, “Harriers Lillian Koeppel and Luke Meli lead their teams to wins at the Tallahassee Open”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/10/tlh-ms-xc-open-2021.html
  
  
• 2018 story, “Maclay girls and Fairview boys triumph at the Tallahassee Open”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/10/tlh-ms-xc-open-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “Soto and Ashby were conquerors at Comforter”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/10/tlh-ms-xc-open-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Maclay, Holy Comforter split titles at Tallahassee Open”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/10/tlh-ms-xc-open-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Molen and D'Aleo win, but Holy Comforter's teams sweep the Tallahassee Open”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/tlh-ms-xc-open-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Milburn and Resavage light up Lawson's Course”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/10/tlh-ms-xc-open-2014.html
  
  
• A tour of the 3K route at Lawson's Course via TallahasseeTrails.com
  http://www.tallahasseetrails.com/Cross-Country-Course-Maps/Holy-Comforter-3Km-Course-Tour
  
  
• Find a cross-country race to run yourself on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2882

Charlotte Sikes and Jack Koon starred in the final act of LCS Cross-Country

On Wednesday evening, 5 October 2022, Apalachee Regional Park hosted the final act of Leon County Schools' middle school cross-country season--the League Championship Meet. The Deerlake girls capped a perfect season at the meet, winning the League title with 29 points. The first girl in that three-kilometer race was Charlotte Sikes; the Swift Creek sixth-grader ended an undefeated season with an 11:21 win. The Montford Mustangs took the boys' title with 36 points, while Fairview eighth-grader Jack Koon got his first win of the season when it counted most, running 10:16.


When the meet opened the air was dry, the sky was clear, and temperatures had dipped below 80 °F. The ground was firm and the grass had begun to die back. In short, conditions were excellent when the girls started racing at 6:00 PM. Charlotte Sikes was ahead almost immediately after the starting gun fired. Then she got further ahead. And further still.


From the finish line of the Apalachee Regional Park Cross-Country Course, you can see runner approaching from about 200 meters out. But when Sikes crossed that finish line, you couldn't see the next athlete. She was that far ahead. Her winning time, 11:21, was the fastest ever by a girl at the League Championship Meet. It was also Sikes' best time on the course.

Charlotte Sikes

"It was a lot better than I ran in August," said Sikes. "Like 15 seconds faster."


Behind Sikes, eighth-graders Kaia Ables and Haley Heitmeyer battled for second. Deerlake's Ables prevailed over Heitmeyer of Montford, 11:53 to 11:54. Another Montford eighth-grader, Savannah Stanley, placed fourth in 12:07.


AFter Stanley, though, it was the Deerlake show, with the next three runners wearing Buck green. Seventh-grader Chloe Molen was fifth in 12:12, sixth-grader Emma-Claire Tanenbaum was sixth in 12:14, and sixth-grader Grace Toulon was seventh in 12:40. Deerlake seventh-grader Allie Davenport finished ninth in 12:51, making five Bucks in the top ten and giving the Deerlake girls a winning total of 29 points.


Montford scored 47 points, placing second in the team standings. The Swift Creek girls were third with 79 points.


Girls' Team Standings, Leon County Schools 2022 Middle School Cross-Country Championship

1. Deerlake, 29
2. Montford, 47
3. Swift Creek, 79
4. Raa, 101
5. Cobb, 136
6. Fairview, 149
7. Griffin, 207
8. Nims, 233
9. Fort Braden, NTS
   Woodville, NTS

Top Ten Girls, Leon County Schools 2022 Middle School Cross-Country Championship

1. 11:20.39, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
2. 11:52.24, Kaia Ables (Deerlake) 8
3. 11:53.56, Haley Heitmeyer (Montford) 8
4. 12:06.48, Savannah Stanley (Montford)
5. 12:11.87, Chloe Molen (Deerlake) 7
6. 12:13.10, Emma-Claire Tanenbaum (Deerlake) 6
7. 12:39.43, Grace Toulon (Deerlake) 6
8. 12:49.38, Sadie Blake (Swift Creek) 6
9. 12:51.00, Allie Davenport (Deerlake) 7
10. 12:52.18, Andi Vilardo (Montford) 8

The boys race started at 6:30, with Montford eighth-grader Salvatore Giove the early leader. He was soon overtaken by two other eighth-graders--Jack Koon of Fairview and Jonathan Kiros of Deerlake.


"We caught him near the Leon County logo," said Koon, referring to a design painted on the grass about 600 meters from the start. "Jonathan and I were going back and forth after that. The last place where the fans could all see us, I opened up."


That was about the two-kilometer mark. Over the final kilometer, Koon left Kiros and everyone else behind.


"I couldn't hear him back there, so I thought I had a good lead," said Koon.

Jack Koon

Two weeks earlier, Giove had outkicked Koon to win the Falcon Invitational. A year earlier, Kiros had left Koon behind to win the 2021 League Championship race. In three years of Leon County Schools middle school cross-country, Koon hadn't won a race. That changed at the 2022 championship. After Koon's move with a kilometer to go, no one came back to challenge him, and he crossed the finish line a winner in 10:16, a good bit faster than the 10:53 he had run on the same course in August.


"I felt much better today," said Koon. "More relaxed."


Giove outkicked Kiros for second, both athletes clocked in 10:21. Montford eighth-graders grabbed the next two spots, with Gavin Poucher fourth in 10:40 and Trent Parsons fifth in 10:49.


Montford's remaining scorers were sixth-grader Jack Nottingham (11th, 11:29) and eighth-grader Connor Whitney (14th, 11:41), giving the Mustangs 36 points and the 2022 team title.


Deerlake was a close second with 41 points. The Fairview boys were third with 92 points.


Boys' Team Standings, Leon County Schools 2022 Middle School Cross-Country Championship

1. Montford, 36
2. Deerlake, 41
3. Fairview, 92
4. Raa, 101
5. Swift Creek, 135
6. Cobb, 167
7. Fort Braden, 194
8. Griffin, 251
9. Woodville, 271
10. Nims, 280

Top Ten Boys, Leon County Schools 2022 Middle School Cross-Country Championship

1. 10:15.51, Jack Koon (Fairview) 8
2. 10:20.20, Salvatore Giove (Montford) 8
3. 10:20.93, Jonathan Kiros (Deerlake) 8
4. 10:39.75, Gavin Poucher (Montford) 8
5. 10:48.89, Trent Parsons (Montford) 8
6. 10:59.38, Jacob Hassell (Deerlake) 6
7. 11:02.98, Nicholas Hassell (Deerlake) 6
8. 11:07.07, Cooper Rideout (Swift Creek) 8
9. 11:22.44, Emari Thomas (Fairview) 7
10. 11:25.29, Antonio Clements (Cobb) 7

Leon County Schools had scheduled seven middle school meets for the 2022 cross-country season. The September 30 event, the Mabry Invitational, was canceled due to hurricane fears, but with the League Championship, the full season of six events was in the books. What's next?


"I'm just going to train as much as I can for track season," said Sikes.


"I'm pointing for the State Championships in Lakeland," said Koon. "After that I'll just keep training for track season."

2022 Leon County Schools Middle School Cross-Country Season Summary
Girls
Meet	Team Champ	Individual Champ
ARPXC (Story) 24 August 2022	Deerlake, 29	11:34, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Fort Braden (Story) 31 August 2022	Deerlake, 33	11:44, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Mustang (Story) 6 September 2022	Deerlake, 28	12:29, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Everhart (Story) 14 September 2022	Deerlake, 31	11:52, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Falcon (Story) 22 September 2022	Deerlake, 32	10:59, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
SportsPlex 30 September 2022	Canceled
Championship (Story) 5 October 2022	Deerlake, 29	11:21, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Boys
Meet	Team Champ	Individual Champ
ARPXC (Story) 24 August 2022	Deerlake, 48	10:30, Caio Zacchi (Nims) 8
Fort Braden (Story) 31 August 2022	Montford, 42	10:19, Caio Zacchi (Nims) 8
Mustang (Story) 6 September 2022	Deerlake, 49	10:55, Caio Zacchi (Nims) 8
Everhart (Story) 14 September 2022	Montford, 36	10:39, Caio Zacchi (Nims) 8
Falcon (Story) 22 September 2022	Montford, 37	9:56, Salvatore Giove (Montford) 8
SportsPlex 30 September 2022	Canceled
Championship (Story) 5 October 2022	Montford, 36	10:16, Jack Koon (Fairview) 8

Leon County Schools Middle School Cross-Country Championships Apalachee Regional Park, 2010 - 2022
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
6 October 2010	Raa, 32	13:34, Rebecca Clendinen (Raa) 8
28 September 2011	Swift Creek, 31	13:24, Zoe Sheldon (Swift Creek) 7
26 September 2012	Swift Creek, 36	12:49, Audrey Dogan (Raa) 8
2 October 2013	Swift Creek, 43	13:00, Ana Wallace (Deerlake) 8
1 October 2014	Deerlake, 36	12:12, Lawton Campbell (Deerlake) 8
7 October 2015	Swift Creek, 35	12:08, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
5 October 2016	Montford, 44	13:33, Paige Churchill (Swift Creek) 6
4 October 2017	Swift Creek, 27	13:14, Paige Churchill (Swift Creek) 7
4 October 2018	Swift Creek, 28	12:04, Paige Churchill (Swift Creek) 8
3 October 2019	Deerlake, 36	12:17, Kyra Swart (Deerlake) 6
28 October 2020	Deerlake, 27	12:22, Sophia Youngberg (Montford) 8
7 October 2021	Deerlake, 23	11:58, Annabelle Wiktorski (Montford) 7
5 October 2022	Deerlake, 29	11:21, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
6 October 2010	Raa, 24	11:35, Wil Luca (Raa) 8
28 September 2011	Raa, 58	11:42, Evan Francis (Raa) 8
26 September 2012	Montford, 56	11:49, Matthew Cashin (Raa) 8
2 October 2013	Montford, 37	11:19, Jacob Dodson (Raa) 8
1 October 2014	Fairview, 44	11:59, Tavaris King (Griffin) 8
7 October 2015	Montford, 50	11:34, Nile Bryant (Raa) 8
5 October 2016	Swift Creek, 44	11:38, Weston Blake (Swift Creek) 8
4 October 2017	Deerlake, 50	11:31, Ben Kirbo (Montford) 8
4 October 2018	Deerlake, 38	10:07, Wyatt Townsend (Deerlake) 8
3 October 2019	Fairview, 33	10:08, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 8
28 October 2020	+	+
7 October 2021	Swift Creek, 44	10:46, Jonathan Kiros (Deerlake) 7
5 October 2022	Montford, 36	10:16, Jack Koon (Fairview) 8
Note: LCS held middle-school cross-country championships before 2010. This table summarizes the history of the championship at ARPXC. The races were two miles from 2010 to 2017 and 3 km afterwards.

Links

• Complete results of Leon County Schools' 2022 Middle School Cross Country Championships
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSyCMvOSMVnSJTKJAct1PYYOQ-wn9o0rl4pOK6D9FZN20L5skCUqG6-T4EMu1NS-QNoro_hb5xmOOqq/pubhtml
  
  
• More photos of the 2022 Leon County Schools Middle School Cross Country Championships
  
  • Girls: [ COMING SOON! PLEASE CHECK BACK! ]
  • Boys: [ COMING SOON! PLEASE CHECK BACK! ]
  
  
• The 2022 LCS middle school cross-country season
  
  • ARPXC Invitational https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/08/swift-creek-2022.html
    
  • Fort Braden Run
    
  • Mustang Stampede https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/09/mustang-2022.html
    
  • Everhart Invitational
    
  • Falcon Invitational
    
  • Mabry Invitational
    
  • LCS Championship https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/10/lcs-champs-2022.html
    
  
  
• Leon County Schools' 2022 middle school cross country schedule
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/08/lcs-xc-2021.html
  
  
• 2021 story, “Seventh-graders Annabelle Wiktorski and Jonathan Kiros take LCS Cross-Country titles”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/09/lcs-champs-2021.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Patrick Koon and Kyra Swart lead their teams to Leon County Schools cross-country titles”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/10/lcs-champs-2019.html
  
  
• 2018 story, “Paige Churchill and Wyatt Townsend close their middle school cross-country careers with wins”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/10/lcs-champs-2018.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Swift Creek boys and Montford girls take the Leon County Schools cross-country championship”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/10/lcs-champs-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Emily Molen and Nile Bryant grab 2015 LCS Cross Country titles”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/lcs-champs-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Deerlake girls stun Swift Creek, Fairview boys win first title”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/10/lcs-champs-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Jacob Dodson and Ana Wallace race to 2013 LCS XC titles”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/10/lcs-champs-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Swift Creek girls and Montford boys end season as champions”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/09/lcs-champs-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 girls' story, “Sheldon leads Swift Creek to victory in the 2011 LCS Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/lcs-ms-girls-2011.html
  
  
• 2011 boys' story, “Francis goes 4-0 while Raa boys win when it counts”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/lcs-ms-boys-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Clendinen and Luca lead Raa to LCS Titles”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/lcs-champs-2010.html
  
  
• Even more upcoming distance races in the Tallahassee region
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2881

Joseph Visconti and Madlen Kappeler shine at NAIA Pre-Nationals in Tallahassee

On Saturday morning, 17 September 2022, Tallahassee’s Apalachee Regional Park was the venue for a Pre-National cross country meet—the third Pre-National in the past twelve months. This time it was the NAIA Pre-National Invitational, and the meet opened with Joseph Visconti winning the men's 8K in 25:53. The Valdosta State men claimed too team honors with 40 points. In the women's 5K, Florida Atlantic's Madlen Kappeler threw down a 18:24 for the win, leading the Owls to first place in the team standings with 46 points.

Joseph Visconti

The starting gun fired at 7:30 AM in Field #1, the shot announcing the opening of the meet and the beginning of the men's 8K. At the end of the first kilometer Joseph Visconti led the field, racing unattached and wearing his old high school colors from the Christ School in Arden, North Carolina. Later in the first half of the race, Brishen House of Valdosta State moved up into second. Visconti was farther ahead. By the end of the sixth kilometer, Logan Kraus of Valdosta State took over third. Visconti was farther ahead. Maintaining a 15-second gap over the final two kilometers, Visconti crossed the finish line first in 25:53. House took second in 26:08, and Kraus was third in 26:25.


Valdosta State's Charlie Eaton took ninth in 27:21, giving the Blazers three athletes in the top ten. Dalton Pender (14th, 27:30) and Adam Mastrobuono (20th, 27:51) wrapped up the scoring for the Blazers, giving the team 40 points and first place.

Brishen House

Led by Carson Philbin (5th, 27:07), Savannah College of Art and Design at Atlanta put up 60 points for second. Scoring 78, the Cumberlands Patriots placed third in the field of ten teams. Their top finisher was Noah McClellan, sixth in 27:07.


Men's Team Standings, 2022 NAIA Pre-Nationals

1. Valdosta State, 40
2. SCAD Atlanta, 60
3. Cumberlands, 78
4. SCAD Savannah, 83
5. Mobile, 129
6. Ave Maria, 154
7. Thomas, 199
8. Florida Atlantic, 203
9. Saint Thomas, 229
10. Webber, 292

2022 NAIA Pre-Nationals Men's 8K, Top Ten

1. 25:52.2, Joseph Visconti (Unattached)
2. 26:07.6, Brishen House (Valdosta State) SR-4
3. 26:24.5, Logan Kraus (Valdosta State) JR-3
4. 27:05.0, Preston Webb (Mobile) JR-3
5. 27:06.1, Carson Philbin (SCAD Savannah) JR-3
6. 27:06.4, Noah McClellan (Cumberlands) SO-2
7. 27:16.2, Jonathan Werble (Unattached)
8. 27:17.1, Bryce Derick (SCAD Atlanta) JR-3
9. 27:21.0, Charlie Eaton (Valdosta State) JR-3
10. 27:23.5, DeShawn Crowe (Cumberlands) SO-2

By the halfway point of the women's 5K, Madlen Kappeler was in command of the race. Kappeler, Florida Atlantic's junior from Germany, started the second half with a fifteen-second lead. Angela Cipriani, a Valdosta State assistant coach competing unattached, narrowed that gap during the second half, but couldn't catch Kappeler. Kappeler reached the finish line in a winning 18:24, with Cipriani second in 18:29. Montserrat De Santiago, a senior racing for the Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah, held off Cumberlands frosh Emily Bird for third, 18:39 to 18:43.

Madlen Kappeler

Bird was one of three Cumberlands athletes in the top ten. But in addition to Kappeler, Florida Atlantic also had Casey O'Connor ((5th, 18:53) in the top ten, plus Erin Shannon (14th, 19:36), Jordan Stevens (16th, 19:38), and Holly Arrison (20th, 19:55) in the top twenty. Owl pushers Paige Saiz (23rd, 20:03) and Anabell Reumann (24th, 20:12) added two more points to the Cumberlands score, giving the Florida Atlantic women a 46 to 49 victory.


De Santiago and the SCAD-Savannah women placed third in the field of twelve teams, scoring 83 points.

Angela Cipriani

Thomas University of Thomasville, Georgia hosted the 2022 NAIA Pre-Nationals. Half Mile Timing chip-timed and scored the races.


Women's Team Standings, 2022 NAIA Pre-Nationals

1. Florida Atlantic, 46
2. Cumberlands, 49
3. SCAD Savannah, 83
4. Dalton State, 113
5. Ave Maria, 118
6. Valdosta State, 157
7. Florida Gateway College, 207
8. Mobile, 244
9. Florida A&M, 264
10. St. Thomas (Fla.), 285
11. Tallahassee CC, 286
12. Webber, 338

2022 NAIA Pre-Nationals Women's 5K, Top Ten

1. 18:23.6, Madlen Kappeler (Florida Atlantic) JR-3
2. 18:28.7, Angela Cipriani (Unattached)
3. 18:38.2, Montserrat De Santiago (SCAD Savannah) SR-4
4. 18:42.3, Emily Bird (Cumberlands) FR-1
5. 18:52.7, Casey O'Connor (Florida Atlantic) SO-2
6. 18:56.0, Theresa Long (Ave Maria) JR-3
7. 18:58.6, Ashlyn Liddle (Cumberlands) FR-1
8. 19:00.0, Victoria Shedron (Cumberlands) SR-4
9. 19:06.9, Jane Eiselstein (Unattached)
10. 19:07.4, Caitlyn Koske (Valdosta State) SO-2

Links

• Complete results of the 2022 NAIA Pre-Nationals / Nighthawk Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSp1HpT65fZGITK2dljByouIM2bTnBW1shaccyjg2uRZxuiTpotC1qDCivBhDoXA0OGPSiMn73bGEF7/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the collegiate races at the 2022 Thomas University Nighthawk Invitational
  
  • Men: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119582106164123
    
  • Women: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119582413438343
    
  
  
• Tallahassee area cross country meets in 2022
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/07/tallahassee-xc-2022.html
  
  
• Find your next race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! race calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2880

Braedyn Wormeck, Cassidy De Young, and Flagler Palm Coast own the Nighthawk Invitational

Apalachee Regional Park is in Tallahassee, Florida. Flagler Palm Coast High School is across the state in Palm Coast. It's well over a 200-mile drive between the two--a lot of geography. Neverthless, on Saturday morning, 17 September 2022, the Flagler Palm Coast Bulldog cross-country teams owned Apalachee Regional Park, sweeping the high school races at the Thomas University Nighthawk Invitational. Bulldog sophomore Braedyn Wormeck won the boys' 5K by more than 100 meters, running 16:52 and leading his team to a winning score of 26 points. In the girls' race, led by sophomore Cassidy De Young's 21:40 5K, Flagler Palm Coast athletes nabbbed the first seven places, putting up a perfect score of 15.

Braedyn Wormeck and Hayden Herndon

The first high school race of the morning was the boythe elventh place 18:05 performance of sopomore Landen Turley.s' 5K. Midway, a pair of Flagler Palm Coast athletes had taken over the race--sophomore Braedyn Wormeck and junior Hayden Herndon. The second half of the race belonged to Wormeck; he left Herndon and everyone else far behind. While Wormeck pulled away, Walker Elrod, a frosh from Grace Christian in nearby Bainbridge, overtook Herndon.


Wormeck cruised over the finish line in a winning 16:52. Herndon caught Elrod on the homestretch, kicking past the frosh to take second with a 17:16. Elrod, also clocked in 17:16, placed third.

Hayden Herndon and Walker Elrod

Senior Barak Olago nabbed fourth place for Flagler Palm Coast with a 17:21. The next five places, though, belonged to Steinbrenner High, led by sophomore Charles Clark, whose 17:25 was good for fifth place. But junior Justin Gillliam answered for the Bulldogs, taking tenth in 17:55. Flagler Palm Coast senior Brandon Kalasnik finished the scoring for the Bulldogs, placing twelfth in 18:20 and giving his team a mathematically unbeatable score of 26 points. Flagler Palm Coast had won the boys' 5K at the inaugural Nighthawk Invitational.


With five runners in the top ten, Steinbrenner put up 30 points, good for second place in the field of five teams. Saint Francis placed third with 86 points, led by the elventh place 18:05 performance of sopomore Landen Turley.


High School Boys' Team Standings, 2022 Nighthawk Invitational

1. Flagler Palm Coast, 26
2. George Steinbrenner, 30
3. Saint Francis, 86
4. Leon, 101
5. Colquitt County, 139

Top Ten Boys, 2022 Nighthawk Invitational

1. 16:51.1, Braedyn Wormeck (Flagler Palm Coast) 10
2. 17:15.2, Hayden Herndon (Flagler Palm Coast) 11
3. 17:15.4, Walker Elrod (Grace Christian)
4. 17:20.7, Barak Olago (Flagler Palm Coast) 12
5. 17:24.7, Charles Clark (George Steinbrenner) 10
6. 17:30.4, Brady Peifer (George Steinbrenner) 10
7. 17:38.7, Ethan Russ (George Steinbrenner) 11
8. 17:41.2, Joaquin Abanses (George Steinbrenner) 10
9. 17:43.1, Nicholas Pugh (George Steinbrenner) 11
10. 17:54.8, Justin Gilliam (Flagler Palm Coast) 11

Cassidy De Young, a Flagler Palm Coast sophomore, took the lead in the girls' 5K almost immediately after the starting gun fired. At the halfway point of the race De Yong was already half a minute ahead of the next runner. No one closed that gap to challenge her. In fact, De Young only got farther ahead on her way to the finish line, which she crossed in a winning 21:40.

Cassidy De Young

Two more Flagler Palm Coast runners dueled for second, with senior Genesis Epstein edging frosh Arianna Slaughter for that runner-up spot, 22:23 to 22:24.


Likewise, a pair of athletes from Flagler Palm Coast were in a close race for fourth. Senior Arianna Slaughter inched ahead of sophomore Annabelle Moore to decide that battle, both clocked in 22:59. With that, the Bulldogs had taken the first five places, tallying fifteen points--the lowest possible score in cross-country. Another first-place team trophy was going back to Palm Coast.

Arianna Slaughter and Genesis Epstein

Port Saint Joe eighth-grader RJ Gerlach was the first non-Bulldog to finish. Gerlach took eighth in 24:34, leading her team to second place with 56 points. Colquitt County was third with 69 points; their top runner was senior Mattie Rigsby, fourteenth in 26:31.


High School Girls' Team Standings, 2022 Nighthawk Invitational

1. Flagler Palm Coast, 15
2. Port Saint Joe, 56
3. Colquitt County, 69

Top Ten Girls, 2022 Nighthawk Invitational

1. 21:39.7, Cassidy De Young (Flagler Palm Coast) 10
2. 22:22.2, Genesis Epstein (Flagler Palm Coast) 12
3. 22:23.9, Arianna Slaughter (Flagler Palm Coast) 9
4. 22:58.6, Kayleigh Johnson (Flagler Palm Coast) 12
5. 22:58.8, Annabelle Moore (Flagler Palm Coast) 10
6. 23:07.1, Lexie Shupe (Flagler Palm Coast) 11
7. 23:56.0, Ma'Shuyn Jeffers (Flagler Palm Coast) 12
8. 24:33.2, RJ Gerlach (Port Saint Joe) 8
9. 24:48.8, Molly Partin (Port Saint Joe) 8
10. 25:08.9, Taylor Novak (Flagler Palm Coast) 10

Links

• Complete high school results, 2022 Thomas University Nighthawk Invitational Cross-Country Meet
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRkqxsVvIxfAopWrNVpS2JJ9FvK0XQ15LEuZcwP-lkr0eUCVUV_bG3V9qcuYCNZ0r1FOkwF9VXZ3uXC/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the high school races at the 2022 Thomas University Nighthawk Invitational
  
  • Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119570542597603
    
  • Girls: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119570615276953
    
  
  
• Tallahassee area cross country meets in 2022
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/07/tallahassee-xc-2022.html
  
  
• Find your next race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! race calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2879

Charlotte Sikes and Caio Zacchi each pick up a third conference win at the Mustang Stampede

The middle school harriers of Leon County Schools were at Montford Middle School on Tuesday, 6 September 2022, for the tenth annual Mustang Stampede Cross-Country Meet. Deerlake swept the team titles, with the girls putting up a winning 28 points and the boys' squad scoring 49. But the individual titles went to other school--Swift Creek sixth-grader Charlotte Sikes won the girls' 3K in 12:29, and Nims eighth-grader Caio Zacchi took first in the boys' 3K with a 10:55.

Charlotte Sikes

The meet opened at 6:00 PM with the start of the girls' 3K. A few seconds later, Charlotte Sikes was leading the field around the grounds of Montford. Haley Heitmeyer, a Montford eighth-grader, led the pursuit for most of the race, but no one was ever close enough to challenge Sikes; the Swift Creek sixth-grader had a lead of more than 80 meters when she crossed the finish line first in 12:29. Deerlake eighth-grader Kaia Ables passed Heitmeyer on the homestretch to take second in 12:47. Heitmeyer was third in 12:49.


Including Ables, all of the Deerlake scorers were in the top ten. Sixth-grader Emma-Claire Tanenbaum was fourth in 13:19, seventh-grader Chloe Molen was fifth in 13:23, seventh-grader Katie Webb was eighth in 14:20, and sixth-grader Yujeong Lee was ninth in 14:21. That gave the Deerlake girls 28 points and first place in the eight-team field. It was the fourth year in a row that the Buck girls had won the Mustang Stampede.

Haley Heitmeyer leading Kaia Ables

Heitmeyer and the Montford girls put up 41 points to place second in the team standings. Sikes and Swift Creek edged the Raa girls for third, 92 to 95.


2022 Mustang Stampede Team Standings, Girls

1. Deerlake, 28
2. Montford, 41
3. Swift Creek, 92
4. Raa, 95
5. Cobb, 130
6. Fairview, 166
7. Nims, 212
8. Griffin, 231
9. Fort Braden, NTS
   Woodville, NTS

Top 10 Girls, 2022 Montford Mustang Stampede 3K

1. 12:28.86, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
2. 12:46.90, Kaia Ables (Deerlake) 8
3. 12:48.95, Haley Heitmeyer (Montford) 8
4. 13:18.75, Emma-Claire Tanenbaum (Deerlake) 6
5. 13:22.25, Chloe Molen (Deerlake) 7
6. 13:31.22, Savannah Stanley (Montford) 8
7. 13:34.33, Andi Vilardo (Montford) 8
8. 14:19.69, Katie Webb (Deerlake) 7
9. 14:20.89, Yujeong Lee (Deerlake) 6
10. 14:21.37, Andrea Jimenez (Montford) 6

By the end of the first kilometer of the boys' 3K, Caio Zacchi, wearing Nims Middle School black, was the clear leader. A trio of eighth-graders were a few seconds back--Jack Koon of Fairview, Jonathan Kiros of Deerlake, and Gavin Poucher of Montford. During the second kilometer Koon pulled away from Kiros and Poucher, but lost a few more steps to Zacchi. Zacchi maintained his lead through the final kilometer, finishing first in 10:55. Koon was second in 11:03. Kiros dropped Poucher on the homestretch to take third, 11:07 to 11:11.

Caio Zacchi

Ten schools had boys' teams in the Mustang Stampede, the most ever in the ten-year history of the annual meet. Montford, the host school, were defending champions; the Mustangs put Gavin Poucher and eighth-grader Trent Parsons (7th, 11:40) in the top ten. But Deerlake also had two runners in the top ten, Kiros and and sixth-grader Jack Hassell (6th, 11:37). Sixth-grader Nicholas Hassell (11th, 12:24) and eighth-graders Hagen Perdue (13th, 12:25) and Camden Williams (16th, 12:45) complete Deerlake's scoring, giving the Bucks 49 points and first place--their school's fifth Mustang Stampede boys' team title in the last six years.


Poucher and Montford tallied 58 points to take second. Koon and Fairview placed third with 89 points.

Jack Koon, Gavin Poucher, Jonathan Kiros

With the Mustang Stampede in the books, the fourth meet on the schedule of Leon County Schools' 202s middle school cross-country season is the Everhart Invitational at Gretchen Everhart School on Wednesday morning, 14 September 2022. The season coninues with the Falcon Invitational at the North Florida Fairgrounds on 22 September 2025, the Mabry Invitational at the FSU Rec Sportsplex on 30 September 2022, and the LCS League Championship Meet at Apalachee Regional Park on 5 October 2025.


2022 Mustang Stampede Team Standings, Boys

1. Deerlake, 49
2. Montford, 58
3. Fairview, 89
4. Raa, 116
5. Swift Creek, 124
6. Cobb, 152
7. Nims, 214
8. Fort Braden, 215
9. Griffin, 232
10. Woodville, 293

Top 10 Boys, 2022 Montford Mustang Stampede 3K

1. 10:54.82, Caio Zacchi (Nims) 8
2. 11:02.28, Jack Koon (Fairview) 8
3. 11:06.99, Jonathan Kiros (Deerlake) 8
4. 11:10.48, Gavin Poucher (Montford) 8
5. 11:35.90, Emari Thomas (Fairview) 7
6. 11:36.45, Jacob Hassell (Deerlake) 6
7. 11:39.63, Trent Parsons (Montford) 8
8. 11:40.44, Antonio Clements (Cobb) 7
9. 11:48.44, Cooper Rideout (Swift Creek) 8
10. 12:13.06, Ethan Nicholson (Fairview) 8

Mustang Cross-Country Stampede Champions 2013 - 2022
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
27 September 2013	Swift Creek, 37 points	13:42, Saige Kemeny (Montford) 7
10 September 2014	Swift Creek, 34	12:46, Lawton Campbell (Deerlake) 8
30 September 2015	Swift Creek, 43	12:25, Emily Molen (Deerlake) 8
28 September 2016	Montford, 43	13:12, Paige Churchill (Swift Creek) 6
28 September 2017	Swift Creek, 20	13:12, Paige Churchill (Swift Creek) 7
20 September 2018	Montford, 40	11:45, Paige Churchill (Swift Creek) 8
19 September 2019	Deerlake, 40	13:03, Kyra Swart (Deerlake) 6
14 October 2020	Deerlake, 18	12:50, Kyra Swart (Deerlake) 7
7 September 2021	Deerlake, 22	11:55, Abbey Griffin (Deerlake ) 8
6 September 2022	Deerlake, 28	12:29, Charlotte Sikes (Swift Creek) 6
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
27 September 2013	Montford, 56 points	11:56, Jacob Dodson (Raa) 8
10 September 2014	Swift Creek, 66	12:14, Tavaris King (Griffin) 8
30 September 2015	Deerlake, 43	11:56, Weston Blake (Swift Creek) 7
28 September 2016	Swift Creek, 39	11:28, Weston Blake (Swift Creek) 7
28 September 2017	Deerlake, 42	11:15, Ben Kirbo (Montford) 8
20 September 2018	Deerlake, 34	9:43, Wyatt Townsend (Deerlake) 8
19 September 2019	Deerlake, 36	10:54, Patrick Koon (Fairview) 8
14 October 2020	Deerlake, 43	11:31, Danny Mauldin (Deerlake) 8
7 September 2021	Montford, 45	11:02, Asa Swope (Swift Creek ) 8
6 September 2022	Deerlake, 49	10:55, Caio Zacchi (Nims) 8
From 2013 to 2017, the race distance at the Mustang Stampede was two miles. In 2018 the distance was changed to three kilometers.

Links

• Complete results of the 2022 Mustang Stampede Cross-Country Meet, courtesy of Brian Corbin
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQte4G7sJnrYAZTN7zcl-ZAuTUp2afi6Gi1iT2VvHCiL1DHJo3NCIWP8gvuQYDU1SJ-16KlqGCHralX/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of Montford Middle School's 2022 Mustang Stampede Cross-Country Meet
  
  • Girls: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119537239093093
  • Boys: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10119537316932103
  
  
• The 2022 LCS middle school cross-country season
  
  • ARPXC Invitational https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/08/swift-creek-2022.html
    
  • Fort Braden Run https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/08/fort-braden-2022.html
    
  • Mustang Stampede https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/09/mustang-2022.html
    
  • Everhart Invitational [ Coming on 14 September 2022 ]
    
  • Falcon Invitational [ Coming on 22 September 2022 ]
    
  • Mabry Invitational [ Coming on 30 September 2022 ]
    
  • LCS Championship [ Coming on 5 October 2022 ]
    
  
  
• Leon County Schools' 2022 middle school cross country schedule
  
  
  
• 2021 story, “Abbey Griffin and Asa Swope race like thoroughbreds at the Mustang Stampede”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/09/mustang-2021.html
  
  
• 2020 story, “Kyra Swart and Danny Mauldin win while Deerlake sweeps the Mustang Stampede”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/10/mustang-2020.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Kyra Swart and Patrick Koon saddle up at the Mustang Stampede Cross-Country Meet”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/09/mustang-2019.html
  
  
• 2018 story, “Paige Churchill and Wyatt Townsend gallop into the winner's circle at the Mustang Stampede”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/09/mustang-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “Paige Churchill and Ben Kirbo were head of the herd at the Mustang Stampede”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/09/mustang-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Paige Churchill and Weston Blake lead the Stampede at Montford”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/mustang-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Molen and Blake lead the stampede at the Mustang Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/mustang-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Swift Creek rides again at the Mustang Stampede”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/09/mustang-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Swift Creek girls and Montford boys keep winning at the Mustang Invitational”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/09/mustang-2013.html
  
  
• Find your next road race or cross-country run in the Tallahassee region
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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