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Newcomer Brandt Paces Gators Girls

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By LARRY BUGG

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 18, 2008

Pasco County cross country runners and coaches expect strong performances from the Land O' Lakes boys team.

Senior Felix Soto often can hold back for two miles and still win most of the 3.1-mile races, and the Gators' boys team is normally strong.

Now, watch out for the girls.

Both the boys and girls from Land O' Lakes High took second place at the Crystal River Invitational on Oct. 4.

Sophomore newcomer Alyssa Brandt leads the girls, and she finished in 19 minutes, 44 seconds for third place in the race.

The course was demanding, and Brandt was happy with the results.

"It was my best time," Brandt said. "It was hard to run because of the sugar sand."

Brandt ran the 1,600 meters, 800 meters and 4x800 in track during the spring, and Land O' Lakes coach Kris Keppel figured he had found a cross country runner.

So far, Keppel appears to be right.

"I like it," Brandt said of cross country. "I'm starting to like it more than track."

Brandt is a native of Bristol, Conn., and she has been living in Florida for four years.

Brandt has a 3.5 grade-point average, and she thinks she wants to become a teacher. She isn't sure what college she wants to attend, but the 15-year-old has time to make that decision.

Brandt has some tough competition in Pasco County. Wiregrass Ranch sophomore Ariel Grey is the top girl in the county. Pasco's Leeann Eble was the top runner until she injured her ankle before the Sunshine Athletic Conference race last year.
Eble could be right there with Grey before the season ends.

So could Brandt.

"She's an athlete," Keppel said. "She has long legs. She leads by example. She's a hard worker.

"She could be one of the top runners in Pasco County."

At the Crystal River Invitational, Nicolle Forcier was fifth with a time of 20:37. Renae Porsch was sixth in 20:43. The Gators also have Morgan Keppel, a strong veteran.

Brandt could be just the right ingredient to make the Gators girls a force in area cross country and give people reason to think the boys aren't the only Gators to pay attention to.

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