Panhandle Championships

by Kristin Sweeney, October 23, 2010

Early Saturday morning, most of the Tallahassee competitors meandered to Marianna for the Panhandle Cross Country Championships. First, the varsity boys raced. Patrick Swain dominated the race by twelve seconds with his personal record of 15:37, earning the first spot on the All Panhandle Team. He, along with the eleventh place finish of Austin Stevens (16:24) and Travis Covert’s (16:39) nineteenth, helped Maclay receive fourth. Finishing fourth individually in a best time of 15:57, Taylor Buzzard of Chiles led his team to fifth overall. His teammate, Sam Sutton, also qualified for the All Panhandle Team in seventh place with a time of 16:13.

With Jacob Slupecki (16:11) in sixth, Trevor Touchton (16:22) in tenth, and Alex Close (16:42) in twentieth, Lincoln brought home the third place trophy. Other area teams that competed include FSU High School in ninth place, Godby in fifteenth, North Florida Christian in nineteenth, and Rickards in twenty-second.

After the conclusion of the boys’ competition, the girls toed the line. Establishing a new course record, Lily Williams of Chiles led the ladies with her 17:46. Her teammates Carly Thomas (18:01) and Jodie McGuff (19:05) also qualified for the All Panhandle Team. The final two scoring members of the winning Chiles squad were Kelly Bahn who came in fifteenth with a 19:45, and Stephanie Reynolds who finished in nineteenth with a 19:59. In second, Maclay’s Stefanie Kurgatt ran the course in 17:59, and her teammate Kristin Sweeney (18:54) finished fifth. The Marauders placed sixth overall, and Leon followed them in seventh.

FSU High School earned tenth, Lincoln placed twelfth, and John Paul II finished twenty-first. As is seen in the results, the Panhandle Cross Country Championships offered a quick course with gorgeous weather and lots of personal records. Only two weeks away from the post-season fun, the runners of Tallahassee continue to improve.

Kristin’s Korner

Youth Running in the Big Bend

by | Aug 27, 2019 |

August 2019 Jackson Yarbrough and Alyson Churchill were the winning duo at Dueling Summits (Herb) Apalachee Regional Park's 2019 cross-country schedule--the second decade begins (Herb) Leon County Schools' 2019 middle school cross country schedule (Herb)...

SMIRFS Summer Youth Running Program

by | Jul 18, 2019 |

Each summer beginning June the City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs and by Gulf Winds Track Club team up for this youth running program. The program's goal is to provide opportunities for students in elementary, middle and early...

School Grants

by | Jul 18, 2019 |

The Gulf Winds School Grant program is designed to help teachers and parent volunteers develop a youth running program at every local school and improve and expand existing programs. The emphasis of this program is on running or fast walking to help students develop a...

Youth Striders

by | Jul 18, 2019 |

The Gulf Winds Youth Striders Program exists to promote running for youth runners and their families through friendly competition, training groups, and money to support training groups.Schools compete to have the greatest number of participants in local...

The Stoltz Report Jana Stolting

by | May 21, 2019 |

Jana Stolting is a talented Maclay distance runner who brings us her reports of the best of the local high school running scene   The Torch Passes Stoltzing - Story of a Winner Last Step for State Districts Blazing on the West Coast Gatorland FSU...