Raider harriers run for state berths Friday

The Navarre High School boys' cross country team qualified for Saturday's Class 3A, Region 1 meet Friday in Tallahassee even without its top performer.

 Senior Robbie Mann was diagnosed with mononucleosis before the J.D. Mac Invitational run Oct. 30 in Jay, ending his final cross country season. Senior Cody Haden and sophomore Trent Beck led the Raiders at the District 1-3A meet Saturday at Sims Middle School in Pace, finishing the 5-kilometer course 21st overall in 16 minutes, 43.09 seconds and 26th in 16:49.49, respectively.

 Navarre's boys finished seventh in a field of 17 with 218 points. Pensacola Washington finished first, with 40 points, followed by Tallahassee Leon with 62 points, Niceville 93, Tallahassee Lincoln 103, Fort Walton Beach 105 and Tallahassee Chiles 156. Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee finished eighth with 294 points. The top eight teams advanced to regionals.

John Hazleton, a Leon senior, beat 115 other runners to the finish line in 15:43.64.

The Lady Raiders missed advancing to the regional meet by seven points. Navarre finished ninth with 225 points; Pace was eighth with 218. Tallahassee Chiles won the district meet with 39 points.

Navarre sophomore Elle Crouse finished 26th of 112 runners with a time of 20:39.82. Lily Williams, a Chiles junior, won the girls' race in 18:43.83.

"Although the girls team did not move on, I could not be more proud of the girls' efforts on Saturday and for the entire season," said girls' coach Mickey O'Quinn. "We came into the season with a very inexperienced group and really continued to make huge strides every week. Because our district is so large and so competitive, the fact that we were so close to advancing is a real testament to the girls' work ethic. With only one senior on this year's varsity team, I am already looking forward to next season."

 The Region 1-3A boys' competition is scheduled to begin at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at Sunnyhill Farms, 6289 Centerville Road northeast of Tallahassee. The entrance to the course is 1/4 mile past the Brafordville Road/Roberts Road/Centerville Road intersection on the right. Organizers ask visitors to enter the course and Sunnyhill Farms from the Centerville Road entrance and leave the course from the Roberts Road exit. Admission is $6. No pets will be allowed.

The top six teams and top 15 individuals will advance to the Class 3A state championship meet Saturday, Nov. 20, at Little Everglades Ranch near Dade City.

 Class 3A, District 1

Saturday, Nov. 6

Sims Middle School, Pace

 BOYS

Teams -- 1. Washington 40, 2. Tallahassee Leon 62, 3. Niceville 93, 4. Tallahassee Lincoln 103, 5. Fort Walton Beach 105, 6. Tallahassee Chiles 156, 7. Navarre 218, 8. Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee 294, 9. Pace 295, 10. Lynn Haven Mosley 300, 11. Pensacola Pine Forest 313, 12. Gulf Breeze 319, 13. Crestview 339, 14. Milton 370, 15. Pensacola Escambia 390, 16. Cantonment Tate 475, 17. Pensacola 508.

Individuals (116 runners)

Regional qualifiers -- 1. John Hazleton, Sr., Leon, 15:43.64; 2. Riley Doherty, Sr., Leon, 15:52.54; 3. Peter Fricke, Sr., Pensacola Washington, 15:55.30; 4. Thomas Howell, Fr., Niceville, 15:56.50; 5. Jacob Kotick, Jr., Washington, 15:58.85; 6. Jacob Slupecki, Jr., Lincoln, 16:00.58; 7. Christian Buzzard, Jr., Chiles, 16:13.36; 8. Ian Bordelon, Sr., Washington, 16:15.31; 9. Jacob Dearmon, Sr., Fort Walton Beach, 16:20.66; 10. Thomas Arnold, Sr., Washington, 16:25.54; 11. Jason Riggs, Sr., Niceville, 16:27.86; 12. Trevor Touchton, So. Lincoln, 16:30.72; 13. William Henderson, So., Leon, 16:31.19; 14. Harrison Edwards, So., Washington, 16:34.66; 15. David Van Steenbergen, So., Choctawhatchee, 16:35.77

Navarre runners -- 21. Cody Haden, Sr., Navarre, 16:43.09; 26. Trent Beck, So., Navarre, 16:49.49; 54. Seth Nydam, Sr., Navarre, 18:06.61; 58. Jared Gonzalez, Fr., Navarre, 18:15.63; 59. John Millward, Jr., Navarre, 18:16.08; 69. Kevin Mackenzie, Sr., Navarre 18:45.63; 85. Bryan Barrett, Sr., 19:29.16.

GIRLS

Teams -- 1. Tallahassee Chiles 39, 2. Fort Walton Beach 58, 3. Niceville 85, 4. Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee 130, 5. Pensacola Pine Forest 149, 6. Tallahassee Leon 184, 7. Gulf Breeze 208, 8. Pace 217, 9. Navarre 225, 10. Pensacola Washington 232, 11. Milton 313, 12. Tallahassee Lincoln 354, 13. Lynn Haven Mosley 369, 14. Pensacola 374, 15. Pensacola Escambia 418, 16. Cantonment Tate 509

Individuals (112 runners)

Regional qualifiers -- 1. Lily Williams, Jr., Chiles, 18:26.07; 2. Darroneshia Lott, Sr., Pine Forest, 18:39.22; 3. Carly Thomas, Jr., Chiles, 18:43.83; 4. Ivy Chastain, So., Fort Walton Beach, 19:10.27; 5. Sara Steele, Fr., Choctawhatchee, 19:16.74; 6. Crystal Wachob, Sr., Pine Forest, 19:19.45; 7. Sarah Devaux, Sr., Fort Walton Beach, 19:19.89; 8. Jodie McGuff, Sr., Chiles, 19:24.60; 9. Laura Nelson, Sr., Niceville, 19:25.13; 10. Marsel Mosley, So., Niceville, 19:32.01; 11. Briana Degennaro, Sr., Fort Walton Beach, 19:41.75; 12. Brooke Eubanks, sr., Leon, 19:43.09; 13. Kelley Bahn, Sr., Chiles, 19:44.51; 14. Stephanie Reynolds, Sr., Chiles, 19:47.45; 15. Casey Evans, So., Choctawhatchee, 19:55:09.

Navarre runners -- 26. Elle Crouse, So., Navarre, 20:39.82; 43. Gianna Gambera, Jr., Navarre, 21:40.35; 44. Charlee Beckett, Jr., Navarre, 21:40.91; 56. Kathryn Dennis, Sr., Navarre, 22:07.28; 60. Sierra Boston, So., Navarre, 22:16.74; 66. Andraya Mendez, So., Navarre, 22:37.65; 70. Katherine Singletary, Jr., Navarre, 22:43.25.