1A Boys Rankings  

By: Mark Caulfield, Circle Christian School, [email protected]  
   

Team Rankings:

Commentary: After 4 straight State Championships from the Holy Trinity Tigers, there looks to be a “changing of the guard” this year in Class 1A for the boys. The Maclay School seems to be the team poised to pick up the mantel and run with it. The Marauders return all 7 from last year’s 5th place State Finals team and have even added a key member from their 2013 State Runner-up team who returns to Cross Country for his Senior year. They look strong, young, experienced and deep and Coach Droze always has them ready to compete. Their chief challenge looks to come from one of three teams; Father Lopez, Bishop Snyder, and Shorecrest Prep. Coach Sue O’Malley of Father Lopes has a strong and experienced team that could make a solid run at the podium. Bishop Snyder drops back down to Class 1A this season and brings with them a strong group that has started the season well with a 4th place finish at the Ridgeview Bob Hans Invitational. Shorecrest Prep who has finished 3rd (2013) and 4th (2014) at the State Championship returns most of the same team from both those squads. As a strong Senior team, they could be motivated to finish strong and finally make it to the podium. After that, only time will tell who else is going to step up. Lots of contenders. It should be fun to watch and see which teams rise up to make a run at the Top Ten. Good Luck to all. Should be exciting. 

Rank. (Previous Rank) Team, Region = Comments

1. (NR), Maclay School, Region 1 = 2014 State Finish: 5th;   Cougar XC (2nd / 17:54 avg. / 2:05 split)

2. (NR), Father Lopez, Region 3 = 2014 State Finish: 10th;  Jim Ryun Inv. (3rd / 18:20 avg. / 1:01 split)

3. (NR), Bishop Snyder, Region 1 =  2014 State Finish: 17th (2A);  Bob Hans Inv. (4th / 18:21 avg. / 2:47 split)

4. (NR), Shorecrest Prep, Region 2 = 2014 State Finish: 4th;  Jim Ryun Inv. (7th / 19:02 avg. / 2:47 split)

5. (NR), Pensacola Christian, Region 1 = 2014 State Finish: 13th; Pace Inv. (5th / 19:23 avg. / 3:18 split)

6. (NR), St. Johns Country Day School, Region 1 = 2014 State Finish: 15th; Returns 5 / No 2015 Results

7. (NR), Westminster Academy, Region 4 = 2014 State Finish: 7th;  TKA Inv. (2nd / 19:22 avg. / 2:56 split)

8. (NR), Cardinal Mooney, Region 2 = Lemon Bay Inv. (8th / 19:47 avg. / 2:11 split)

9. (NR), Harvest Community School, Region 1 = Bob Hans Inv. (8th / 20:03 avg. / 1:01 split)

10. (NR), St. Francis Catholic HS, Region 2 = Bob Hans Inv. (9th / 20:14 avg. / 2:30 split)

Early Watch List:

First Baptist Academy (Region 2); Benjamin School (Region 3); St. Stephens Episcopal School (Region 2); Coral Springs Christian (Region 4); South Florida Heat (Region 4); First Academy – Orlando (Region 3)


Individual Rankings:

Commentary: The Boys Class 1A it is WIDE OPEN for individuals. With 15 of the top 20 finishers from the 2014 State Cross Country Championships having either graduated or transferred to larger schools leaves rich opportunities for new talent to emerge.  Only one athlete returns that finished in the top 10 last season, Senior Noah Perkins. Perkins looks talented and hungry enough to take up the throne left from 6 time State Champion Franco Martins. His 4th place (16:09) finish from last year along with an impressive 9:23 runner up finish in the State 3200 Meter Finals makes him the guy to catch as we start the 2015 season. Coming off a solid summer, Perkins opened up with an impressive 48 second win in 16:26 on the moderate tract at Holloway Park at the Jim Ryun Invitational. The top challenger for Perkins could come from young and talented Sophomore Ryan Szklany who finished 22nd in last year’s Cross Country Finals (16:55) and then exploded on to the scene in the State Track & Field 3200m Finals when he made a 25 second PR to grab 3rd place in 9:46. Other strong contenders include Seniors Luke Pederson of Shorecrest Prep and Tucker Hindle of Boca Raton Christian. Pederson will be looking to make his 6th trip to the State Finals and has put together a great summer of training and looks hungry for a run to the top opening the season with a runner up spot to Perkins at the Jim Ryun Invitational (17:14). Hindle had a strong showing at the State Cross Country Finals last season narrowly missing a top 10 podium spot with his 11th place finish in a personal best 16:28. He followed that up with a 9:53 7th place finish in the State Track and Field 3200m Run. After the top 5 the field opens up big and wide for many to make a run to the podium this year. Good luck to all the Class 1A Teams. Should be an exciting year.

Rank. (Previous Rank) Name, Grade – Team = Time / Comments

1. (NR), Noah Perkins, 12th; Seffner Christian = 2014 State Finish: 4th; 16:26 (1st) at Jim Ryun Inv.

2. (NR), Ryan Szklany, 10th, Highlands Christian = 2014 State Finish: 22nd; 16:54 (2nd) at TKA Inv. 

3. (NR), Luke Peterson, 12th, Shorecrest Prep = 2014 State Finish: 17:14 (12th) at Jim Ryun Inv.

4. (NR), Tucker Hindle, 12th, Boca Raton Christian = 2014 State Finish: 11th; 16:58 (4th) at Park Vista.

5. (NR), Jonas Elliott, 11th, Evangelical Christian = 2014 State Finish: 16th; 17:19 (4th) at Riverdale Inv.

6. (NR), Guilherme Pereira, 12th, Divine Savior = 2014 State Finish: 14th ; No 2015 Results; 16:41 PR (2014)

7. (NR), Jack Pironti, 10th, Carrollwood Day = 2014 State Finish: 21st; No 2015 Results; 16:31 PR (2014)

8. (NR), Jake Mazziotta, 11th, Maclay School = 2014 State Finish: 29th;  17:16 (4th) at Cougar XC

9. (NR), Justin Nunamaker, 11th, Northside Christian = 2014 State Finish: 23rd; 17:36 (7th) at Jim Ryun Inv.

10. (NR), Clayburn Milford, 9th, Maclay School = 17:25 (6th) at Cougar XC; 2014 Middle School CC Champ.

11. (NR), Hunter McCann, 12th, Admiral Farragut = 2014 State Finish: 27th; No 2015 Results; 16:22 PR (2014)

11. (NR), Gabriel Curtis, 9th, Mount Dora Christian = 2014 State Finish: 40th; 17:18 (9th) at Deland Inv.

12. (NR), Jackson Neri, 12th, Bishop Snyder = 2014 State Finish: 48th; 17:01 (4th) at Bob Hans Inv.

13. (NR), Josh Skielnik, 10th, Jupiter Christian = 2014 State Finish: 47th; 17:10 at Benjamin Inv.

14. (NR), Timothy Stewart, 11th, Pensacola Christian = 2014 State Finish: 38th; 17:25 (3rd) at Pace Inv.

15. (NR), Kyle Lantz, 12th, Sarasota Christian = 17:28 (7th) at Lemon Bay; Ohio Transfer with 16:31 PR.

16. (NR), James McClure, 10th, Maclay School = 2014 State Finish: 42nd; 17:38 (9th) at Cougar XC

17. (NR), George Gwynn, 12th, Maclay School = 2014 State Finish: 25th; 17:51 (10th) at Cougar XS

18. (NR), Nick Theriault, 12th, Father Lopez = 17:53 (14th) at Jim Ryun Inv.

19. (NR), Noah Van Der Burgt, 11th, Father Lopez = 2014 State Finish: 54th; 17:55 (15th) at Jim Ryun Inv.

20. (NR), Drew De Armas, 11th, First Academy (Orlando) = 2014 State Finish: 26th; 17:57 (4th) at Warrior Run