JACKSONVILLE - Against a lineup of state champion teams at the New World Fall Classic cross country invitational at Cecil Field's New World Golf facility, the duo of John Keester IV and Graham Myers again battled to top finishes to put the Fleming Island High boys cross country team in the conversation about potential state medalists in a few weeks. Fleming Island's boys team finished third in Class 3A last year behind state powers Belen Jesuit and Fort Myers.

"We don't have our number three guy here today, so we are counting on some of the other guys to step up," said Fleming Island coach Dave Allen. "We have a strong six and that's what gets us in the top 10 in the team scores."

In the boys elite race, featuring Patrick Koon of Leon, the two-time defending 3A champion with Fleming Island also in 3A, Myers took the early initiative with Koon blasting from the start and breaking from the starting pack quickly with Nease senior Matt Ryan, the Class 4A state champion.

With Keester a step behind Myers and staying within reach of the top contenders, Koon eventually won with a 14 minute, 46 second state title level finish. It was Buchholz senior Riley Smith who caught up with the pair and finished second to Koon in 15:10 with Ryan third seven seconds later.

"I tried to stay close to the front guys, but had some troubles about midway," said Myers, a top five prospect in Class 3A after last year's third place finish to Koon and Belen Jesuit's Joshua Ruiz who was not at the New World race. "John has been running great and went by me near the two mile mark. He had a great race."

In the final surge, Keester blasted through to the finish for a 15:45 finish in ninth place with Myers falling to 16th in 15:53.

"Just next man up," said Keester. "We still keep our points with me coming in just ahead of Graham so him having a bad race doesn't hurt us. His bad day is still pretty good."

Without their third man, 800 meter specialist Roman Mollicone, Allen was relegating to seeing who would take over the third finisher spot.

With the top 25, then top 30 individuals in, Allen got a 39th place finish from sophomore Andrew Boyer, also a track standout, who clocked in at 16:28 and junior Cole Atzert in at 71st in 16:53. Senior Joshua White was 80th as fifth finisher in 16:57 as the Golden Eagles got five runners under the critical 17 minute mark.

"With Roman in the lineup, we put six guys under 17 and that puts us in the top five teams," said Allen. "We'll be ready for districts and regions with a full lineup."

Allen has had former Fleming Island High boys cross country coach Jason Poole at this side with football taking last year's coach Chris Otero. Poole was able to get Fleming Island's first state teams during his earlier tenure and knows the ropes.

In the final team scores, Nease was winner with 75 points followed by Buchholz (121) and Ponte Vedra (166) with Fleming Island sixth at 187 in the tight scoring in the top 10.

Last year, Nease was 4A champion, Buchholz was seventh in 4A, Ponte Vedra was 10th in 3A with Chiles (11th in 4A) and Creekside, 4A state champions, finishing in the top five ahead of Fleming Island.

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District lineups

Class 4A, Region 1, District 1

Oakleaf; also Buchholz (Girls 4A champs 2022, Boys 7th), Creekside (Boys 4A champs 2022, Girls 4th in 4A), Chiles (Boys 11th 4A 2022), Nease (Boys 9th 4A, Girls 18th 4A 2022)

Districts Sat., Nov. 4 at Santa Fe College, hosted by Buchholz (9 a.m. girls start, boys 9:30 a.m.)

Class 3A, Region 1, District 2

Fleming Island (Boys 3rd in 3A 2022, Girls 8th), Clay, Orange Park, Ridgeview, Middleburg; also Ponte Vedra (Boys 10th in 3A, Girls 3rd 2022)), Matanzas (Boys 31st), St. Augustine (Girls 6th in 3A)

Districts Sat., Nov. 4 at Ponte Vedra High School (8:30 a.m. girls start, boys 9 a.m.)

Class 2A, Region 1, District 2

Keystone Heights; also Episcopal (Boys 24th 2022, Girls 2nd), Bishop Kenny (Boys 3rd 2022, Girls 4th), Bolles (Boys 1A champs, Girls 1A champs 2022), Fernandina Beach (Girls 27th)

Districts

Class 1A, Region 1, District 2

St. Johns Country Day School (Girls 27th 2022); also Bishop Snyder, Maclay (Girls 4th 2022, Boys 16th), Providence (Girls 8th 2022, Boys 7th), St. Joseph Academy

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In the girls elite race at the New World Fall Classic, Fleming Island senior Allie Knotts has returned to her championship form of two years ago when her fifth place team finish at regions was instrumental in a state bid for the Golden Eagles.

With that, Knotts battled the state's best to a 17th place finish in a fast 19:22 split with sophomore teammate Brooke Reynolds just nine seconds behind in 20th as the two team leaders put the girls team in the top 10.

"My season is going well and I want to finish with a strong senior season," said Knotts, who was third finisher in 56th in 20:14.80 behind senior Katelyn Thompson and junior Reece Scott in 48th in last year's 3A race. "Brooke (65th in 3A last year as freshman in 20:21) and I run together a lot in races and it's a good start for the team points."

Up front, the battled between sophomore sensations Alyson Johnson of Creekside; 6th in 4A last year in 19:00) and Caroline Couch of Maclay (19th in 1A last year) was evident right from the start with both blitzing the field to break fast and hard with the pair shoulder to shoulder at the halfway point.

In the second half of the race, Johnson pulled away for a 17:57 win with Couch second at 18:09. Mackenzie Roy of Spruce Creek was third in 18:22 in the gapped field.

Also in the elite girls race, individual performances came from Oakleaf junior Morgan Wade with another strong finish in at 54th in 20:21 with Keystone Heights freshman finished in 87th in 21:03 just ahead of Fleming Island's Reece Scott. As a freshman, Griffin, just 70th in her region 2-2A race last year in 22:52.90, has improved immensely as her season has progressed.

"To have her qualify to run in the elite race is a big deal," said Keystone Heights coach Payton Capper. "We have had our share of elite runners the past few years and she is following her brother Tyler as the next great runner for Keystone Heights."

Also at the New World Fall Classic event, in the Open boys and girls race, area runner with standout performances included Oakleaf sophomore Grant Keppel in fifth at 17:22 with freshman teammate Jack Strombeck 11th in 17:32. With those two top performances, Oakleaf won the boys team title with 119 points over Matanzas at 162. Keystone Heights was eighth with St. Johns Country Day School ninth.

For Keystone Heights, freshman James Thomas was 14th in 17:50 just ahead of Clay's Noah Looney in 16th at 17:56 and St. Johns Country Day School's Richard Nichols in 17th at 18:00.

For the girls Open race, St. Johns junior Rebecca Stratton, with big brother state champion Matthew Stratton, now XC at University of Florida, cheering her on the course, had top area finish in fifth at 21:34. St. Johns also got a strong finish from senior Sarah Robinson with a 30th place finish in 22:55 to secure third team spot for the Lady Spartans behind New Smyrna Beach and Stanton Prep.

Clay High soccer standout Erika Martinez, continued her strong finishes with a 16th place finish in 22:05. Clay was without senior Kaygen Williamson.

Top upcoming meet prior to districts is Ponte Vedra High's Craig Speziale Invite on Sat., Oct. 21 with first race at 7:15 a.m.