Pensacola Catholic’s Frederick Gunther continued his sensational sophomore season at regionals. Gunther was the top individual finisher at the Region 1-2A championship on Nov. 13 at Cecil Field Golf Course in Jacksonville in a new personal best time of 15:27.30 seconds.
The time is not only the fastest time in the Pensacola area this year, but also a new school record, breaking his old school record of 15:47 at the New World Fall Spectacular at the same course on Oct.17. Gunther won the varsity B division at that event, one of six races he’s won this fall. He’s won five straight races, including the District 1-2A championship on Nov. 6.
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Gunther helped the Crusaders qualify for the state championship as a team as well, which will be held Nov. 20 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.
The Pensacola Christian boys were the other big winners this weekend, as the Warriors captured their fifth regional title in the last six years on Nov. 14 at West End Park in Gainesville. PCA totaled 47 points, while Cornerstone Classical Academy finished second with 78. Senior Isaiah Manderson (4th, 16:07.50), senior Jed Fears (7th, 16:33.40), junior Carson Ohman (9th, 16:47.10), senior Tyler Gustin (13th, 17:14.40) and senior Walter Goncalves (19th, 17:29) made up the Warriors top five runners.
PCA was the only local team to win a regional title and won its ninth straight district title on Nov. 3. The Warriors will look to win their first state title on Friday after finishing second to Providence last year, marking the program’s highest finish at state since 1998.
Below is a full regional recap for area runners. The top eight teams in each region as well as the four fastest runners not on the top eight teams automatically qualified for the state championship.
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Region 1-4A (Nov. 14, West End Park, Gainesville)
The Navarre girls were the lone area team to qualify for regionals, placing 14th with 369 points. Senior Jaelee Placke was the Raiders top placing runner, finishing 45th in 20:45.30.
Creekside won the regional title with 71 points, edging out Niceville by one point. Bartram Trail sophomore Avery Hartley won the individual title in 18:05.20.
Region 1-3A (Nov. 13, Cecil Field Golf Course, Jacksonville)
The Gulf Breeze girls were the lone local 3A team to qualify for the state championship, placing sixth with 194 points.
Senior Ashton Dahlem (7th, 18:45.30), freshman Ava Bersabe (34th, 20:32.80), senior Emery Taylor (48th, 21:05.20), freshman Allison Tucker (56th, 21:41.70) and senior Zoey Talbott (57th, 21:49.30) made up the Dolphins top five runners. West Florida sophomore Annabelle Johnson also qualified for the state championship as an individual, placing 17th in a new personal best time of 19:29.
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Bishop Kenny won the regional title with 39 points, while Chiles finished second with 54 points,. Chiles sophomore Emma-Claire Tennenbaum won the individual title in 18:05.10.
While no local boys team qualified for the state championship, area runners took three of the four individual qualifying spots. West Florida junior Donovan Carmichael (4th, 15:47.30), Gulf Breeze junior Owen Tucker (8th, 15:55.20) and Gulf Breeze senior Braeden Hunt (16th, 16:18.90) are all headed to Tallahassee next week.
Leon won the regional title with 71 points, while Bishop Kenny finished second with 108 points. Ponte Vedra senior Luke Ross won the individual title in 15:16.11.
Region 1-2A (Nov. 13, Cecil Field Golf Course, Jacksonville)
Gunther led the Crusaders to a seventh place finish, as they totaled 190 points.
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Gunther, junior Mason Pohovey (26th, 16:59.20), junior Thomas Randall (56th, 18:17.20), junior Finnian Baker (62nd, 18:30.80) and senior Anderson Edler (64th, 18:35.10) made up the Crusaders top five runners.
Pensacola sophomore Max Lynch also qualified for the state championship as an individual, placing 17th in a new best time of 16:40.71. Bolles won the team title with 23 points, while Episcopal finished second with 92 points.
The Pensacola Catholic girls finished four points short of qualifying for the state championship, finishing ninth with 201 points. Senior Abby Cage was the top local finisher, placing 29th in 20:44.30. Bolles won the team title with 28 points, while Episcopal finished second with 43 points. Bolles sophomore Sophie Stam won the individual title in 17:56.
Region 1-1A (Nov. 14, West End Park, Gainesville)
The Pensacola Christian girls will join the boys team at state, as they finished sixth with 173 points. Eighth grader Brooklyn Haddox (31st, 21:41.30), senior Jayln Johnson (34th, 21:56.90), junior Anna Penley (35th, 22:02), junior Mia Smith (38th, 22:24.20) and sophomore Clara Goncalves (23:07.80) made up the Warriors top five runners.
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East Hill Christian seventh grade Katherine Weems also qualified for the state championship as an individual, finishing 28th in 21:33.70, the fastest time of any local competitor at the 1A level.
Oak Hall won the girls regional title with 49 points, while Cornerstone Classical Academy finished second with 56 points. Providence School sophomore Emma Akhundjanov won the individual title in 19:19.10.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Gunther’s record run headlines Pensacola area’s XC state qualifiers
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
