Stoltz Goes to State - Where Tallahassee Shines

by Jana Stolting, November 23, 2008

This cross country season sure went out with a bang. The state meet was filled with drama, excitement, and upsets, a combination that always makes for great running. The Big Bend was well represented on both the individual and team podiums, proving what we have known for years: Tallahassee is the distance running capital of Florida.

The 3A girls’ race was won decisively by the seemingly unbeatable women of Chiles (pictured above). They were led by a third place finish from Lily Williams, who ran a time of 17:51. All of their top five runners came in under nineteen minutes and finished in the top ten, a remarkable feat at any race, much less the state meet. The Leon girls placed sixth in this very competitive race, led by an eleventh place finish from Claire Stodghill, who ran a time of 19:01.

The Leon boys brought more glory to the Big Bend with their victory in the 3A boys’ race. Matt Mizereck placed first with a time of 15:16. Close behind was teammate, Will Stanford, in second with a time of 15:20. This is the second year in a row the Leon boys have taken home the state title, and with their youthful team and dedicated coaching staff, it does not appear the trend will be changing anytime soon. In the same race, the Chiles boys took thirteenth, led by Brandon Lingerfelt (43rd with a time of 16:54).

In a highly competitive boys’ 2A race, Godby finished eighteenth. The cougars were led by Dieumy Duclos, who finished thirtieth with a time of 16:35. Teammate Kendall Matthews finished in fortieth place with a time of 16:45. With their top two runners in only tenth and ninth grade respectively, and only one senior in their top seven, Godby will prove to be very competitive next year.

In the girls’ 1A race, Maclay placed fourth, two spots ahead of their ranking and only one point behind the third place team. They were led by a fifth place finish from Jana Stolting, followed by an eleventh place and 19:10 finish from Shelby Salimone. The marauders will only be losing one runner out of their top seven to graduation, and will be gaining both the Fenley sisters (who moved to New Jersey for this year) and middle school phenom, Stefanie Kurgatt next year. It appears Coach Droze will have a very exciting cross country season in 2009.

The boys’ 1A race was perhaps the most exciting of the day. A tight pack was established early on, and coming into the final straightaway, only two remained: North Florida Christian’s Whitney Strickland and Maclay’s Patrick Swain. As they kicked their way up the final hill into the finish, Whitney faltered and Patrick surged by, holding on for the win a time of 15:51. Strickland struggled across the finish line and collapsed (finishing sixth overall in a time of 16:15). He was transported to the hospital and hooked up to an IV but, thankfully, released later that day. Swain’s first place finish allowed the marauders to take third overall, backed up by a tight pack led by Patrick Griffin (21st in a time of 17:04).

This season has certainly been one for the record books. It was equal measures shock and awe, along with a good dose of optimism for the future of distance running in the Big Bend. The state meet may be over, but in reality, the biggest meets lie ahead. This coming Saturday, some local athletes will make the trip up to North Carolina to compete in either the Footlocker South Regional Meet or the Nike Team Meet. With state performances like the ones we just witnessed, there is no telling what could happen at these post-season showdowns.

The Stoltz Report

Bobcats and Quail

This past weekend, area athletes traveled to two different venues to show off their distance running prowess. Chiles made the trip to Gainesville to take part in the Bucholz Bobcat Classic, while Maclay, Florida High, and Lincoln went just up the road to...

Lincoln Invite

This past Saturday, Lincoln hosted the Lincoln Invitational cross country meet at Tom Brown Park. Regrettably, I was in New York at the time (I promise this is the last time I’ll be away for a while), so I had to, once again, receive most of my information...

Cross Country Season Kicks Off

It’s hard to believe, but the 2009 cross country season is upon us. The Godby Invite on Monday was a great kick-off to what promises to be an exciting next couple of months. Unfortunately, I was in Portland, so I did not get to witness the race firsthand,...

Three A Competition Wraps up State

On Friday, local 3A teams closed out this track season with their State Meet. Leon, Lincoln, and Chiles showed up in Winter Park ready to run (and throw, and jump, and vault), and the results are littered with top performers from the Big Bend. On the...

Another Weekend at and on the Way to State

This past weekend, local 1A and 2A athletes competed in their State track meets. 3A tracksters participated in their Region meet, the last contest before their big dance. Winter Park played host to both the 1A State meet on Friday and the 2A State meet on...

More Post Season Competition

This past week marked the beginning of District competition for area 3A teams and the start of Regional battles for local 1A and 2A athletes. The competition grows tougher as State looms on the horizon, but the Big Bend’s finest proved they are up to the...

The Road to State Begins

The Road to State Begins Jana Stolting, This past week marked the beginning of the post season for area 1A and 2A athletes. Runners, jumpers, and throwers competed for those coveted four spots, hoping to earn a berth to Regionals and beyond.On Tuesday,...

The Road to State Begins

This past week marked the beginning of the post season for area 1A and 2A athletes. Runners, jumpers, and throwers competed for those coveted four spots, hoping to earn a berth to Regionals and beyond. On Tuesday, Godby hosted the 2A District 2...

Mo Better Track

Mo' Better Track Jana Stolting,  Local athletes represented Tallahassee at three separate venues this past weekend. Each competition provided yet another showcase of the outstanding talent of the Big Bend.On Friday, Maclay hosted the Last Chance Meet,...

Mo’ Better Track

Local athletes represented Tallahassee at three separate venues this past weekend. Each competition provided yet another showcase of the outstanding talent of the Big Bend. On Friday, Maclay hosted the Last Chance Meet, which, as the name implies, gave...