Class 3A Boys Cross Country District Preview 2026: All Eight FHSAA Districts

FHSAA Class 3A boys cross country district meets, November 2-7, 2026

Belen Jesuit has the top three on our statewide list, Marcelo Mantecon, Armando Cruz and Jack Michalak, and gets the first look at them in District 8 on Wednesday at Larry and Penny Thompson Park. Isaiah Howdeshell of Largo, fourth in the state, runs District 5 the same morning at Al Lopez Park.

The first 3A district goes off tonight. District 2 at Bishop Kenny puts Luke Ross of Ponte Vedra, seventh on our statewide list, against Bishop Kenny and Fleming Island, the two district teams that beat his at New World.

The state series starts this week. Class 3A has eight districts, two feeding each of the four regions, and the top eight teams in each district plus the top four individuals who are not on one of those teams move on. Regionals are November 11-14 and the state meet is Friday, November 20, at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

Every school FHSAA assigned to each district is listed, with the teams and runners we expect up front. The order comes from putting everyone's best race this fall on the same course, then lining it up with our latest rankings and head-to-head results. Teams enter their district rosters, not us, so a runner on these lists may not be on the line. This is data plus judgment, and we will miss somebody. How we did it is at the bottom.

About the times: each runner's time is one they actually ran this fall. The bold time beside it is our projection for the state meet. New World is our benchmark: every race this fall is put on the New World scale, and then we add what runners lost between New World and State last year, about half a minute (36 seconds for the boys, 27 for the girls). The order matters more than the exact second.

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District 1-3A: Friday, 10:30 a.m.

Friday, November 6, boys at 10:30 a.m., Apalachee Regional Park, hosted by Chiles (Tallahassee). The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 1-3A at Cecil Field (Friday, November 13).

Teams (17): Arnold (Panama City Beach), Bay (Panama City), Chiles (Tallahassee), Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach), Escambia (Pensacola), Fort Walton Beach, Godby (Tallahassee), Gulf Breeze, Leon (Tallahassee), Lincoln (Tallahassee), Milton, Mosley (Lynn Haven), Pine Forest (Pensacola), Rickards (Tallahassee), Wakulla (Crawfordville), Washington (Pensacola), West Florida (Pensacola).

Leon is the pick, 29 points ahead of Chiles on season form. Thirteen of the seventeen schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like Mosley against Milton, 42 points apart.

Jonathan Kiros of Chiles (Sr.) is the one to beat: best of 15:24.0 at New World Fall Spectacular, and he won Suwannee Invitational on October 24 in 15:36.6. Next on paper: Owen Tucker of Gulf Breeze (15:44.3 at Daphne Invitational at Historic Blakeley State Park) and Donovan Carmichael of West Florida (15:50.0 at New World Fall Spectacular).

Projected to regionals: Leon, Chiles, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Lincoln, West Florida, Choctawhatchee, Mosley; individuals Ethan Dwyer (Milton), Erick Garcia (Godby), Keelan Humphrey (Pine Forest), Ezra Kaldahl (Milton).

Run District 1-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 2-3A: Monday, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, November 2, boys at 5:30 p.m., on campus at Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville). The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 1-3A at Cecil Field (Friday, November 13).

Teams (20): Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), Clay (Green Cove Springs), Columbia (Lake City), Ed White (Jacksonville), First Coast (Jacksonville), Fleming Island, Gainesville, Menendez (St. Augustine), Middleburg, Orange Park, Paxon (Jacksonville), Ponte Vedra, Ribault (Jacksonville), Ridgeview (Orange Park), Riverside (Jacksonville), St. Augustine, Stanton (Jacksonville), Terry Parker (Jacksonville), Westside (Jacksonville), Yulee.

Bishop Kenny is our pick, then Fleming Island and Ponte Vedra. That is how they finished at New World on October 17: Kenny 14th, Fleming Island 17th, Ponte Vedra 19th. Kenny also beat Fleming Island at Middleburg on October 24. Put everyone's best race on one course and Ponte Vedra is the deepest team here, 30 points to Kenny's 76, mostly from its win at Speziale on October 3. It has not beaten either of them since. St. Augustine, which edged Kenny by a point at JAC on October 10, is fourth. Eighteen of the twenty schools have five runners with a time this fall, and the last spot looks like Gainesville against Ridgeview.

Luke Ross of Ponte Vedra (Sr.), seventh on our statewide list, is the one to beat. He was eighth at New World in 15:10. JP Strombeck of Fleming Island (Sr.) ran 15:24 there and teammate Luke Janke (Jr.) 15:38. Elijah Parkinson of St. Augustine (Jr.) was 15:57.

Projected to regionals: Bishop Kenny, Fleming Island, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine, Middleburg, Menendez, Stanton, Gainesville; individuals Robert Petrosky (Ridgeview (Orange Park)), Cloud Ponce de Leon (Paxon), Blair Dicarlo (Orange Park), Theodore Davila (Clay).

Run District 2-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 3-3A: Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.

Wednesday, November 4, boys at 8:00 a.m., Sand Hill Scout Reservation, hosted by Weeki Wachee. The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 2-3A at New Smyrna Beach High School (Saturday, November 14).

Teams (20): Belleview, Central (Brooksville), Citrus (Inverness), Cypress Creek (Wesley Chapel), Fivay (Hudson), Gulf (New Port Richey), Hudson, Lake Weir (Ocala), Lecanto, Leesburg, Mount Dora, North Marion (Citra), Pasco (Dade City), River Ridge (New Port Richey), Springstead (Spring Hill), Tavares, Vanguard (Ocala), Weeki Wachee, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills.

Vanguard is the pick, 32 points ahead of Tavares on season form. Seventeen of the twenty schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like Springstead against Wesley Chapel, 3 points apart.

Skylar Manatt of Cypress Creek (Wesley Chapel) (Sr.) is the one to beat: best of 15:55.5 at North Port Invite, and he was 3rd at SAC East Championships on October 24 in 16:08.4. Next on paper: Christopher Taylor of Vanguard (15:56.0 at New World Fall Spectacular) and Andrew McKay of River Ridge (15:57.6 at North Port Invite).

Projected to regionals: Vanguard, Tavares, River Ridge, Belleview, Cypress Creek (Wesley Chapel), Mount Dora, Lecanto, Springstead; individuals Brooklyn Smith (North Marion), Mason Pappas (Weeki Wachee), Tyler Boucher (Weeki Wachee), Sebastian Oliver (Wesley Chapel).

Run District 3-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 4-3A: Saturday, 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, November 7, boys at 9:00 a.m., Wickham Park, Melbourne, hosted by Rockledge. The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 2-3A at New Smyrna Beach High School (Saturday, November 14).

Teams (21): Auburndale, Bishop Moore (Orlando), Edgewater (Orlando), Heritage (Palm Bay), Jones (Orlando), Kathleen (Lakeland), Lake Gibson (Lakeland), Lake Region (Eagle Lake), Lake Wales, Lyman (Longwood), Merritt Island, Mulberry, New Smyrna Beach, Pine Ridge (Deltona), Rockledge, Satellite (Satellite Beach), Seabreeze (Daytona Beach), Sebastian River (Sebastian), Sebring, Wekiva (Apopka), Winter Springs.

Rockledge is the pick, 14 points ahead of Bishop Moore on season form. Eighteen of the twenty-one schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like Lake Wales against Pine Ridge, 22 points apart.

Gabriel Harris of Lake Wales (Sr.) is the one to beat: best of 15:25.0 at New World Fall Spectacular, and he won Polk County Championship on October 24 in 16:04.1. Next on paper: Brody Johnson of Rockledge (15:47.3 at Cape Coast Conference Championship) and Noah Childrey of Rockledge (15:39.0 at New World Fall Spectacular).

Projected to regionals: Rockledge, Bishop Moore, Winter Springs, Sebring, New Smyrna Beach, Seabreeze, Satellite, Lake Wales; individuals Brian Boyle (Pine Ridge), Dwayne Rhymes (Heritage), Gregwin Thompson (Wekiva), Justin Gregoire (Merritt Island).

Run District 4-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 5-3A: Wednesday, 8:00 a.m.

Wednesday, November 4, boys at 8:00 a.m., Al Lopez Park, hosted by Hillsborough (Tampa). The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 3-3A at the Ed Radice Sports Complex (Wednesday, November 11).

Teams (24): Blake (Tampa), Booker (Sarasota), Braden River (Bradenton), Brandon, Clearwater, East Bay (Gibsonton), East Lake (Tarpon Springs), Freedom (Tampa), Gaither (Tampa), Hillsborough (Tampa), Hollins (St. Petersburg), Jesuit (Tampa), Largo, Leto (Tampa), Manatee (Bradenton), Middleton (Tampa), Northeast (St. Petersburg), Osceola (Seminole), Pinellas Park (Largo), Robinson (Tampa), Seminole (Seminole), Southeast (Bradenton), Spoto (Riverview), St. Petersburg.

Osceola (Seminole) is the pick, 34 points ahead of St. Petersburg on season form. Twenty of the twenty-four schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like Gaither against Middleton.

Isaiah Howdeshell of Largo (Sr.) is the one to beat: best of 15:01.0 at New World Fall Spectacular, and he won PCAC Championship on October 23 in 15:08.1. Next on paper: Theodore Houk of East Lake (15:47.0 at New World Fall Spectacular) and Jacob Sackenheim of Robinson (15:37.1 at North Port Invite).

Projected to regionals: Osceola (Seminole), St. Petersburg, Largo, East Lake, Robinson, Jesuit, Hillsborough, Gaither; individuals Aiden Moore (Northeast (St. Petersburg)), Anderson Sears (Middleton), Braylon Berry-Holloman (Pinellas Park), Michael Garcia (Middleton).

Run District 5-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 6-3A: Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday, November 4, boys at 9:00 a.m., on campus at Palmetto Ridge (Naples). The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 3-3A at the Ed Radice Sports Complex (Wednesday, November 11).

Teams (19): Aubrey Rogers (Naples), Barron Collier (Naples), Bonita Springs, Charlotte (Punta Gorda), Dunbar (Fort Myers), Estero, Fort Myers, Golden Gate (Naples), Gulf Coast (Naples), Immokalee, LaBelle, Lely (Naples), Lemon Bay (Englewood), Mariner (Cape Coral), Naples, North Fort Myers, Palmetto Ridge (Naples), Port Charlotte, South Fort Myers.

Fort Myers is the clear favorite, 48 points ahead of Naples on season form. Seventeen of the nineteen schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like Golden Gate against Immokalee.

Dylan Macias-Buenrostro of Mariner (Jr.) is the one to beat. His best is his latest: he won LCAC Championships on October 24 in 15:32.5. Next on paper: Ben Moss of Fort Myers (15:58.0 at LCAC Championships) and Elijah Brown of Fort Myers (15:58.1 at LCAC Championships).

Projected to regionals: Fort Myers, Naples, North Fort Myers, Lemon Bay, Gulf Coast, Aubrey Rogers, Dunbar, Golden Gate; individuals Dylan Macias-Buenrostro (Mariner), Jackson Winkler (Charlotte), Vlad Doty (Estero), Andrew Yzaguirre (Immokalee).

Run District 6-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 7-3A: Tuesday, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, November 3, boys at 4:45 p.m., on campus at Jensen Beach. The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 4-3A at South County Regional Park (Thursday, November 12).

Teams (17): American Heritage (Plantation), Atlantic (Delray Beach), Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach), Coconut Creek, Dillard (Fort Lauderdale), Dreyfoos (West Palm Beach), Forest Hill (West Palm Beach), Fort Pierce Westwood, Jensen Beach, Legacy (Port St. Lucie), Northeast (Oakland Park), Okeechobee, Olympic Heights (Boca Raton), Plantation, Pompano Beach, South Fork (Stuart), Suncoast (Riviera Beach).

Jensen Beach is the pick, 35 points ahead of American Heritage (Plantation) on season form. Sixteen of the seventeen schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like Dillard against Northeast (Oakland Park).

Miguel Gutierrez Guzman of Suncoast (So.) is the one to beat: best of 16:28.5 at Spanish River Invitational, 44th Annual, and he was 6th at Palm Beach County Championship on October 28 in 16:48.1. Next on paper: Willie Mckenney of American Heritage (Plantation) (16:06.3 at Spanish River Invitational, 44th Annual) and Grant Belville of Jensen Beach (16:34.0 at New World Fall Spectacular). Willie Mckenney has not finished a 5K since October 3. Raiden Thompson has not finished a 5K since October 3.

Projected to regionals: Jensen Beach, American Heritage (Plantation), South Fork, Dreyfoos, Okeechobee, Suncoast, Pompano Beach, Dillard; individuals Andre Ambroise (Northeast (Oakland Park)), Fernando Galindo (Northeast (Oakland Park)), Timothy Wint Jr. (Blanche Ely), Chance Garson (Olympic Heights).

Run District 7-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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District 8-3A: Wednesday, 9:40 a.m.

Wednesday, November 4, boys at 9:40 a.m., Larry and Penny Thompson Park, hosted by Belen Jesuit (Miami). The top eight teams and the top four individuals not on those teams move on to Region 4-3A at South County Regional Park (Thursday, November 12).

Teams (18): American (Hialeah), Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches), Belen Jesuit (Miami), Dr. Krop (Miami), Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens), Mater Lakes (Hialeah), McArthur (Hollywood), Miami Central, Miami Coral Park, Miami Norland, Miami Northwestern, Miramar, Mourning (Miami), North Miami, Pembroke Pines Charter, Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines), TERRA Institute (Miami), Varela (Miami).

Belen Jesuit is the clear favorite, 47 points ahead of Mater Lakes on season form. Fifteen of the eighteen schools have five runners with a time this fall. The last team spot looks like American against Mourning, 20 points apart.

Marcelo Mantecon of Belen Jesuit (Sr.) is the one to beat. His best is his latest: he won New World Fall Spectacular on October 17 in 14:24. Next on paper: Armando Cruz of Belen Jesuit (14:50.0 at New World Fall Spectacular) and Jack Michalak of Belen Jesuit (14:55.0 at New World Fall Spectacular).

Projected to regionals: Belen Jesuit, Mater Lakes, Archbishop McCarthy, Pembroke Pines Charter, Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines), Mater Academy (Hialeah Gardens), TERRA Institute, American; individuals Jose Briceno (Mourning), Marckenzy Joseph (Miami Northwestern), Anse-Daniel Caton (Dr. Krop), Kevyn Allen (Miami Northwestern).

Run District 8-3A in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.

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How we did it

• District assignments are FHSAA's own, from its 2026-27 classification page, pulled November 2. District sites and start times are from the FHSAA district sites page, last updated October 20.
• Every result in our Florida database this fall goes in. Each runner keeps the best race they have run, put on the New World scale using the runners who raced both courses, plus last year's New World-to-State gap (boys 36.4 seconds, girls 27.2, from 2025 New World and State results on TFRRS).
• Each district is run as one race with every assigned school, scored the normal way: top five score, the sixth and seventh can push other teams back.
• Runners and teams on our latest statewide and class lists keep that order. Head-to-head results since September decide the rest, with the most recent meeting standing. For teams, a meeting counts only when both teams had at least four of their top five there.
• Roy Griak is left out. Only 2026 races count.

Every result is in the Florida XC results database, and you can build any race yourself in the simulator.