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Wesley Chapel's Furst Makes Quick Transition

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By LARRY BUGG Tribune correspondent

Published: November 7, 2007

SHADY HILLS - Some students have to transfer from one school to another, leaving behind friends and familiar surroundings.

Jessica Furst had some real challenges.

The Wesley Chapel High sophomore cross country standout had to leave low humidity and mountains in Mountain Home, Idaho, to move to the high-humidity, 90-degree heat and lack of elevation of Florida when she transferred from Idaho to Wesley Chapel. That was a move of almost 2,000 miles, and she was leaving behind the snow and the western United States for the subtropical climate of Florida.

Apparently, she has adapted.

Furst finished first for the Wildcats and was eighth overall at the Class 3A-District 3 meet Nov. 1 at Crews Lake Park. She ran the 3.1-mile course in 20:42 and led her team to a fifth-place finish. She and the Wildcats will run in the Class 3A-Region 2 meet Saturday at Brooksville Central High.

Her personal record this year is 20:37, a time she posted at a meet in Lakeland.

While her teammates are used to pounding the pavement in the heat, Furst has had to learn to live without cool mountain air.

Furst was born in Fort Walton Beach. Her parents, Vincent and Michelle Moreno, both serve in the United States Air Force, and that means some moving around.

"I just love running," Furst said. "I started running in the sixth grade. When I get stressed, I go running.

"It's a little easier to run on flat land. I finished ninth at the state in Idaho last year. I also ran at nationals in Spokane, Washington. It was snowing."

Furst doesn't have to worry about the snow anymore.

She can run through her studies as well, and she carries a 3.8 cumulative grade-point average.

"I like being in Florida and Wesley Chapel," she said. "I am going to be able to graduate from here."

One person who is grateful to have Furst on the team is Wesley Chapel girls cross country coach Rebecca Sadusky.

"Furst is a great kid," Sadusky said. "She had to get used to the weather. Her first couple of races were slower than what we know she can do. She had to get used to running in Florida. She has great spirit. She is an absolute joy to have on the team. She's a good student. Great family. She has been a great addition to our team."

Wesley Chapel already had two strong runners in Kirsten Fee and Shelby Deloach, so Furst was not expected to become the team's No. 1 runner.

"We thought Kirsten and Shelby would definitely dominate," Sadusky said. "We heard about Jessica coming over from Idaho. We didn't want to put too much pressure on her. She just showed up, and it's been great having her."

November has come, and the 90-degree days are over, but Furst is here to stay. And the Wildcats are glad she left the mountains to sweat out cross country in Florida.

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