There are 128 different District cross country races in Florida. Because there are so many events there’s a lot of variety in the competitive experience from District to District. This year, some races were as early as October 20, 18 days before the State Meet, while others were as late as October 24. Some Districts were very competitive, and teams struggled to advance to Region. Other Districts had only three teams, so that all three qualified for Region. Some races were in the morning, others in the afternoon. Some Districts were held on fast courses, others on courses that were politely described as “challenging.”

#902 Bridget Morse and #968 Emma Tucker still in a contest for first with 200m left in the 2015 3A District 3 girls' 5K

You might be suspicious that because of the lack of uniformity, teams in some Districts may have an an unfair advantage later on at Region and then at State. There isn’t much consensus about which differences are advantageous, though. Some folks proclaim that an early District is good, because the athletes have more time to recover before State. Other people insist that it’s hard enough to maintain a peak for 14 days, and that 18 is nearly impossible. Does a competitive District make you sharp, or does it just make you tired?

The 3A District 3 races were held on October 24 at Apalachee Regional Park, site of the State Final on November 7. No other District previewed the State course. Will the qualifiers from that District enjoy an edge?

Adam Wallenfelsz and #995 Matt Cashin share the lead just over halfway through the 2015 3A District 3 boys' 5K

“It’s no advantage,” said Leon coach Andrew Wills. “If anything it makes it less special.”

Leon junior Matthew Cashin, who won the 3A District 3 boys’ 5K, had a somewhat different view. “The conditions weren’t really good at Pre-State, but they were today,” pointed out Cashin. “It’s good to see the course under a variety of conditions.”

Chiles junior Emma Tucker won the 3A District 3 girls’ 5K, outkicking Columbia sophomore Bridget Morse. Tucker also looked at racing ARPXC as a positive. “I think it’s an advantage,” said Tucker. “You could get tired of running out here, but I like this course so it’s okay.”

“It definitely is an advantage, getting to know the course and the hills,” concurred Columbia’s Morse. “It’s a great course. It’s my favorite.”

400m into the 3A District 3 boys' 5K race.

Shelli Shoup, the Columbia coach, was more about the business at hand.

“The girls are very excited at the opportunity to race on the State Meet course,” said Shoup. But they’re looking forward to running on their home course next week at the Region. We’re taking it one week at a time.”

The Columbia girls qualified for that 3A Region 1 race with their performance in the first event on the 3A District 3 program, the girls’ 5K. 800 meters into that race Bridge Morse was setting the pace for the field, but Emma Tucker was just a few steps back. Soon Tucker was running alongside Morse. Was Tucker keying on Morse? Was Morse keying on Tucker?

3A District 3 girls' cross country champs, Chiles

“We honestly just ran together,” said Tucker. “We’re actually old teammates.”

“I think we both knew that we would be running together,” said Morse. “We were talking the whole way.”

3A District 3 boys' cross country champs, Chiles

The two were still side-by-side with 200 meters to go, although there may have been a pause in the conversation by then. In the final downhill dash to the finish line. Tucker edged ahead of Morse to get the win, 19:49.26 to 19:49.86. Chiles had the next two places after Morse, with senior Alex Wallace taking third in 20:08 and sophomore Ana Wallace fourth in 20:13. Columbia responded with sophomore Cassandra Pierron (5th, 20:31) and senior Nicole Morse (6th, 20:38). Then the Leon girls opened their scoring with frosh Katherine Resavage (7th, 20:49) and senior Grace Lockhart (8th, 21:06). But Chiles answered with a ninth-place finish from sophomore Erin Phelps (21:08) and a tenth-place from frosh Emily Culley (21:08), giving the Timberwolves a mathematically unbeatable 27 points and a spot on the 3A Region 1 starting line in Lake City. Columbia also advanced to the Region, placing second out of eight teams with 45 points. Leon was third with 75 points and Stanton fourth with 98, both teams qualifying for Region.

The boys’ 5K followed. Leon junior Matt Cashin was the early leader, but Leon senior Adam Wallenfelsz was right with him. Halfway through the race, the two Lions were well out in front of the rest of the field. Cashin, however, was ready to start his drive toward home.

“Right at the two mile mark I started picking it up,” recalled Cashin. “I tried to put some distance on him.”

He did. Cashin rolled home in 16:38, the 2015 3A District 3 champion. Wallenfelsz was second in 16:46. Late in the race, though, a pack of three Chiles runners had been gaining on the leaders--senior William Dodson, junior Michael Phillips, and sophomore Matthew Newland. The three didn't catch either Cashin or Wallenfelsz, but they did take third, fourth, and fifth for the Timberwolves, each with the same time of 16:49. Chiles juniors Alex Gruenwald (11th, 17:39) and Zachary Jackson (12th, 17:39) completed the scoring for the Timberwolves, giving their team a total of 35 points and the 3A District 3 title. Leon was second with 42 points. Led by sophomore Clayton Carlson, host school Lincoln was third with 73 points. Stanton was the fourth and final Region qualifier in the eight-team field, scoring 96 points behind the sixth-place 17:03 performance of sophomore Samuel Skiles.

The jury remains out on the advantages at the State Final that a District Meet may (or may not) give to its participants. One certainty remains--none of those advantages will mean anything unless an athlete makes it to State. In 32 Regional races this coming week, Florida’s high school cross-country runners will be trying to do just that.