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Cross country district meets preview

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2009

Hillsborough County's cross country athletes take the first step toward the all-important state championships with this week's district competition. In districts of 14 or less full teams, the top six teams and first 15 individuals qualify for the regional meet. In districts of 15 or more teams, the top eight teams and first 15 runners advance to the regional. With many schools competing in new districts due to recent reclassifications, it should be interesting to see who can move on to the regional.

Here's a brief breakdown of the district meets:

WEDNESDAY

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 4

WHERE/WHEN: Lake Park, Tampa/4 p.m.

TEAMS (18): Armwood, Bartow, Blake, Durant, East Bay, Lakeland Jenkins, Haines City, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lakeland Kathleen, King, Lakeland Lake Gibson, Eagle Lake Lake Region, Lakeland, Leto, Davenport Ridge Community, Sickles, Winter Haven.

OUTLOOK: In the boys meet, Sickles, led by senior Julian Gines, the meet's individual favorite, is the team to beat. Considering how much the Gryphons lost to graduation, winning the district would be a big accomplishment. Lake Region and George Jenkins also factor into the mix. On the girls side, Sickles freshman Sarah Hartman comes in with the top time, but Lake Region enters the meet as the top-seeded team.

THURSDAY

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 5

WHERE/WHEN: Taylor Park, Largo/10:15 a.m.

TEAMS (20): Academy at the Lakes, Admiral Farragut, Winter Haven All Saints', Bayshore Christian, Calvary Christian, Cambridge Christian, Canterbury, Carrollwood Day School, Clearwater Central Catholic, Indian Rocks Christian, Keswick Christian, Lakeland Christian, Northside Christian, Santa Fe Catholic, Seffner Christian, Shorecrest Prep, Tampa Bay Christian, Tampa Prep, Lake Wales Vanguard, Avon Park Walker Memorial.

OUTLOOK: Lakeland Christian's girls, ranked No. 5 in the 1A state poll, have the team to beat in their race while Northside Christian sophomore Katelyn Greenleaf is expected to take top individual honors. In the boys meet, look for Shorecrest and Lakeland Christian to battle for the team title while Santa Fe Catholic senior Neil Coffman is the individual favorite.

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 4

WHERE/WHEN: North Port High/4:30 p.m.

TEAMS (21): Alonso, Chamberlain, Clearwater, Countryside, East Lake, Freedom, Gaither, Bradenton Manatee, Northeast, North Port, Palm Harbor University, Pinellas Park, Plant, Port Charlotte, Riverview, Sarasota, Riverview, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Seminole, Tampa Bay Tech, Wharton.

OUTLOOK: Fresh off their wins at the county championships, Plant's boys and girls are favored to sweep again. But in the boys meet, the Panthers could get pushed by Countryside and Chamberlain, which boasts individual favorite Mark Parrish. The race for the girls individual crown could be a wide-open affair between any number of runners, including Sarasota County champ Sarah Miller of Riverview, Wharton's Abby Ritter and any number of Plant girls.

FRIDAY

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 5

WHERE/WHEN: Al Lopez Park, Tampa/4 p.m.

TEAMS (18): Auburndale, Avon Park, Berkeley Prep, Frostproof, Steinbrenner, Academy of the Holy Names, Jesuit, Lake Wales, Lennard, Lakeland McKeel, Middleton, Mulberry, Robinson, St. Petersburg Catholic, Spoto, Strawberry Crest, Tampa Catholic, Lakeland Tenoroc.

OUTLOOK: Led by Cristina Snyder, who is also an individual favorite, Academy of the Holy Names looks to extend its district dominance with another win here, but Berkeley Prep could have something to say about that. The boys team title should be a three-way battle between Berkeley, Jesuit and Robinson. Those schools also should produce individual contenders Tyler Greathouse, Blake Lopez and Bryan Garcia, respectively.

SATURDAY

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 3

WHERE/WHEN: Lake Minneola Trail Park, Clermont/

9 a.m.

TEAMS (21): Apopka, Bloomingdale, Orlando Boone, Brandon, Orlando Colonial, Orlando Cypress Creek, Orlando Dr. Phillips, Clermont East Ridge, Orlando East River, Orlando Evans, Orlando Freedom, Newsome, Ocoee, Orlando Olympia, Plant City, Groveland South Lake, Orlando Timber Creek, Orlando University, Apopka Wekiva, Winter Garden West Orange, Winter Park.

OUTLOOK: This is one of the state's toughest districts and Newsome could be the only area school, boys or girls, to advance to the regional. No. 1-ranked Winter Park should roll to an easy team title in the girls race. The Wildcats also boast individual favorite Shelby Hayes. The boys meet features No. 1 Dr. Phillips, No. 4 Winter Park and No. 10 Boone, which should produce individual winner John-Logan Hines.

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