ORANGE PARK – Amidst the ongoing shifting of go or no go for fall sports, the Cecil Field Preseason Cross Country Summer Cross Country Classic will take the first steps (pun intended) to bringing competition back to the forefront of high school sports with event director Richard Fannin expecting a barnburning field of some of the fastest runners in Florida.

“Getting the green light from the FHSAA, it takes some of the pressure off of us to put the meet on,” said Fannin, a coach at Bishop Kenny High and former coach at Bishop Snyder. “Had the FHSAA voted to cancel or push us back, a lot of runners and teams would have been on higher alert. Their vote is going to make this one of the strongest fields in the state on day one.”

Note: Races start at 6:15 p.m. with an open race for middle schoolers running 2.5KM and JV and adult open runners going the 5K distance. At 7 p.m. the girls high school varsity race begins with the boys set for a 7:45 p.m. start.

“Action will be fast and furious at the front with six girls that have run 18:30 or faster and 11 that have run 19:00 or faster,” said Fannin. “Bolles features a trio of girls that have all run 18:17 - 18:24 (Elizabeth Csikai, Maxine Montoya and Ella Mickler). Meadow Millett of the Tampa area has also run 18:15 for the distance, and Isabella Babilonia of Viera HS also comes in with a best of 18:13. Kendyl Cardwell of Montverde Academy has also run 18:30. Fleming Island runs a tight pack of front runners and could get second or third with a good Mandarin team.”

Fannin noted some COVID rules such as masks up to the start line, team tent areas will be roped off, fans will be a little restricted in where they can go, but, most importantly, the band will still play.

“We will have live band throughout the night to add to the festivities,” said Fannin. “We have the runner from Nease High; Rheinhard Harrison, who just ran the fastest high school miles, a 4:01 time with six or seven guys coming able to go under 16 minutes. That’s fast for the first meet of the season.”

Among the sub-16s, is St. Johns Country Day School junior Matthew Stratton, who hit 15:39 last year, and a handful of potential 17 minute runners from Fleming Island; both boys and girls.

“Harrison’s best for the distance is 15:23, followed closely by teammate Bradley Ball, who has run 15:34. Clay County’s own Matthew Stratton (St. Johns Country Day) comes is as the third seed with a best of 15:39,” said Fannin. “All in all, 36 boys come in with seed times of 16:59 or faster, which should make the race for Top 25 medals exciting.”

For Fannin, the go-ahead of the meet is as big a deal for the area mainly because it is the first competitive event in north Florida since March.

“The kids are raring to go,” said Fannin, who guided Snyder to a state meet berth in his tenure there. “There have just been team time trials over the summer where most teams go to camps or compete in road races. This one is going to be very fast.”

Fannin detailed that the running will have a wave start with seeds per wave.

“We had over 400 runners sign up so we carved out waves for the fastest 300 and will set them off in groups of 30, 40 runners,” said Fannin.

There is no fee for parking or admission, but with the first race at 6:15, parking and traffic should begin building at 4:30 - 5:00.

Meet is held at the Cecil Field golf course (now known as New World Sports) - 13715 Lake Newman Street.

New World will also be hosting the Regional Championships for divisions 1A, 2A and 4A Friday, October 30th, the New World Fall Spectacular (Saturday October 10th) and the North Florida JV Championships Saturday October 17th.