OCALA - Melody Tyre and Hunter Gray took top team honors for Keystone Heights High's cross country teams as they competed at the prestigious - and fast - Florida Horse Park Invitational held Saturday, Sept. 5.

Tyre was running without wingman Ryleigh Thomas, who was out with an illness, finished in 21 minutes, 42.3 seconds for 116th place in the field of 400 elite runners. Winner Natalia Gaona-Zelaya of Wiregrass Ranch won in 18:03.8. The top 10 runners featured five finishers from last year's state championships.

With just four runners, Keystone Heights didn't score in teams, but the school got solid runs from Alyssa Sanford (23:26.4), Olivia Griffin (27:24.9) and Cali Chamberlain (27:59.2).

Three time Class 3A champion Marcelo Mantecon won the boys race in 15:22.1. Gray finished in 17:55.1 in 183rd, just ahead of teammate Noah Yara in 18:03.9 and Ryder Thomas in 18:33.0. Thomas, a punter for the Indians football team, played late Friday night in the Indians' 56-7 loss to Hilliard. According to cross country coach and Mom Jessica Thomas, he got tackled in the game.

"He was on kickoff coverage and got tackled," Thomas said. "Go figure that one."

The rest of the Indians boys included Trenton Noble in 19:37.0, John Cusack in 19:46.5, Ryeland Wahl in 20:31.2 and Jason Parales in 21:26.0.

The top Clay County finisher was Fleming Island's Luke Janke in 16:30.9 for the boys and Oakleaf High's Jelani Chester in 17:39.9.

Top area girls finishers also included Fleming Island's Madison Moore and Eve Schlotthauer. Both were clocked at 21:22.2 for 91st and 92nd place.