JACKSONVILLE - Fleming Island High cross country runner JP Strombeck and Middleburg's Lauren Rosset posted top area finishes at area cross country season opening races. Jacksonville and Flagler Palm Coast hosted hundreds of runners from the Southeastern U.S. on Aug. 21 and 22.

Strombeck, the top returner for the Golden Eagles, finished 15th at the Cecil Field Summer Classic Friday night at the Cecil Field New World Sports Complex in Jacksonville. The field included elite state champion teams from Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Strombeck finished in 15 minutes, 58 seconds. The winning time was 15:06.

Defending 3A champion Belen Jesuit Prep won the boys team title. The winner was Armando Crux, with Fleming Island finishing 11th.

In the girls elite race, St. Johns Country Day School's Kate Staten was top area finisher in 55th place in 20:30 to lead the Spartans to a 21st team finish in the 41-team field. The Fleming Island girls finished 24th, led by Eve Schlotthauer's 107th-place finish in 21:35.

Rosset, just a sophomore, raced at the Spurs and Spikes at Flagler Palm Coast on Saturday morning. She finished sixth overall with a 21:07.20 split. The winner's time was 19:39.70 by Ponte Vedra's Piper Ross, who is just a freshman.

The top Broncos boys finisher was Michael Breeding in 16th place in 17:56.70. The boys winner came in at 15:59.50.

The Middleburg boys and girls both finished seventh in the 13-team field. Ponte Vedra won the girls title; Flagler Palm Coast won the boys team title.

Next upcoming race is the Florida Horse Park Invitational in Ocala on Sept. 5.