In-depth preview of FHSAA 4A Region 1, Saturday, November 14 at West End Park in Gainesville: Nease, the Niceville-Creekside tie, Andrew Sides vs. Bryant Olson, Eva Delaney, and who gets the last state spots.
FHSAA Class 4A Region 1 cross country, Saturday, November 14, West End Park, Gainesville. Hosted by Oak Hall.
Andrew Sides and Bryant Olson ran 1.6 seconds apart at 4A District 1 last Saturday. Sides won for Buchholz in 15:11.5, the fastest boys time at any of the 32 FHSAA district meets, and Olson was second for Niceville in 15:13.1. Nease's Matthew Ishee was third. All three come to West End Park on Saturday, and so does Nease, the best boys team in the region and No. 2 on our statewide list.
The girls race starts with a tie. Niceville and Creekside both scored 85 at 4A District 1, and Niceville took the title on the tiebreak. Nease was two points back at 87. Those three are our top three here, in that order, and Creekside has the runner everyone else is chasing in sophomore Eva Delaney.
Sixteen teams are in each race, and only eight go to state. That makes Saturday the last stop of the season for half the field, and the fight for eighth is as good as the fight for first.
- Girls: 7:30 a.m.
- Boys: 8:30 a.m.
- Districts 1 and 2 meet here
- Top eight teams and the top four runners not on those teams go to the FHSAA state meet, Friday, November 20, at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee
The field is official. FHSAA posted its regional qualifier list on November 9, and we checked every 4A Region 1 entry against it: every team and every individual qualifier below is on FHSAA's list.
About the times: every time listed is the best that runner actually ran this fall, and where. Courses run fast or slow, so the order comes from putting every race on the same scale, then our rankings and head-to-head results. When a slower time sits above a faster one, the note under that table says why. The order matches our Class 4A region rankings.
Girls: Niceville and Creekside, round two
4A Region 1 girls, 7:30 a.m.
Niceville is No. 1 on our last 4A list and No. 3 statewide, and it got there with a pack, not a star. Freshman Sophie Clapp led the team in eighth at districts, and the first four were all inside the top 17. Creekside has the best runner in the region in Delaney, plus freshman Emma Godfrey fourth behind her. The district title came down to what happened after Creekside's top two.
Nease was right there at 87. Lucia Misasi, Katherine Healey and Olivia Dhas give Nease three girls who have run under 19:10 this fall, and a better day from its fourth and fifth runners puts Nease in the title race.
From 4A District 2, Lake Mary won with 55 and Hagerty was five points behind. Their times look slower on paper because the District 2 course ran slow: Kathryn Ryan of Winter Park won it in 19:56.9 after running 19:07.0 at New World. We have Lake Mary fourth and Hagerty fifth, ahead of Bartram Trail, Beachside and Flagler Palm Coast.
Girls team rankings
| Rank | Team | District | Top five (fastest time this fall) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niceville 4A | 1st in District 1 (85) | Sophie Clapp 19:05.9, Lola Jackson 18:56.9, Riley Marise 19:17.0, Carolina Ramos 19:10.4, Avery Selvage 20:53.0 |
| 2 | Creekside (St. Johns) 4A | 2nd in District 1 (85) | Eva Delaney 17:59.8, Emma Godfrey 18:45.0, Ivey Edgell 19:16.0, Hadleigh Roberts 19:30.0, Grace Dashiell 20:31.2 |
| 3 | Nease (Ponte Vedra) 4A | 3rd in District 1 (87) | Lucia Misasi 18:51.0, Katherine Healey 19:03.0, Olivia Dhas 19:06.0, Ava Campbell 20:19.2, Emma Rodenkirch 20:24.2 |
| 4 | Lake Mary 4A | 1st in District 2 (55) | Camryn Barrett 20:06.6, Andie Lowe 20:02.7, Maliyah Slater 20:12.4, Lauren Bennett 20:41.1, Catherine Gihon 20:41.5 |
| 5 | Hagerty (Oviedo) 4A | 2nd in District 2 (60) | Madison Thompson 20:18.9, Elizabeth Henry 20:52.9, Natalia Monsanto 20:59.4, Ashley Keefer 21:22.2, Briella Daly 20:31.2 |
| 6 | Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 4A | 4th in District 1 (135) | Avery Hartley 18:13.0, Brianna Madora 19:43.0, Emma Hartman 20:51.5, Brynn Jenkins 19:57.0, Gia DiDonato 20:40.4 |
| 7 | Beachside (St. Johns) 4A | 5th in District 1 (136) | Amelia Sipkovsky 18:40.0, Lilly Potts 18:52.0, Hanna Antonelli 20:23.0, Christina Haven 20:36.4, Lydia Wurtz 21:14.0 |
| 8 | Flagler Palm Coast 4A | 6th in District 1 (143) | Anna Grigoruk 18:54.7, Avery Wisniewski 19:24.5, Everly Mucciolo 19:44.6, Audrey Bowman 20:39.1, Hailey Brennan 22:04.0 |
| 9 | Timber Creek (Orlando) 4A | 3rd in District 2 (90) | Liliana Napolitano 19:58.5, Alessandra Cecilio 19:56.8, Kourtney Zofkie 20:32.6, Kaitlyn Aliotti 20:34.4, Mara Barrera Figueroa 22:19.5 |
| 10 | Buchholz (Gainesville) 4A | 7th in District 1 (172) | Alanna Doyle 20:18.8, Mckinley Fetrow 20:07.3, Dylan Dublin 20:15.3, Maddie Russell 20:56.2, Karsyn Goslinga 20:44.0 |
| 11 | Winter Park 4A | 4th in District 2 (91) | Kathryn Ryan 19:07.0, Bella Sacks 19:25.9, Sofia Siddiqi 20:02.4, Esme Guitton 21:13.5, Teagan Eastwood 22:25.0 |
| 12 | Navarre 4A | 8th in District 1 (218) | Jaelee Placke 20:16.6, Adalynn Curtis 20:29.2, Julia Bailey 21:48.8, Lila Balsavich 21:54.4, Isabella Bettelyoun 21:22.2 |
| 13 | Oviedo 4A | 5th in District 2 (112) | Rafaela DeMarco 20:47.0, Ava Wetzel 21:23.4, Gianna Lunardi 21:14.1, Carla Chavez-Ramirez 22:34.8, Audrey Wood 23:10.2 |
| 14 | Lake Brantley 4A | 6th in District 2 (177) | Stella Martin 20:21.7, Kendall Schaa 21:52.9, Megan McCarthy 21:24.4, Dasia Gibbs 22:37.5, Ava Balzer 25:36.3 |
| 15 | Spruce Creek (Port Orange) 4A | 7th in District 2 (185) | Katelyn Gorney 20:07.0, Sophia Medina 22:39.7, Katherine Ringvelski 21:51.0, Jada Hawkins 21:30.0, Gracie Clark 22:22.0 |
| 16 | DeLand 4A | 8th in District 2 (213) | Helen Morley Tyler 21:41.1, Justice Lott 22:43.3, Taylor Koenig 23:04.5, Keliani Couto 23:40.4, Jayme Dillon 23:51.7 |
The orange line marks the last of the eight team spots to state.
Eva Delaney (So.) of Creekside won 4A District 1 in 17:59.8, the only girl in the region under 18 minutes this fall. She was seventh at 4A state last year in 18:21.1, and she goes in as the pick.
Avery Hartley (So.) of Bartram Trail was the runner-up at 4A state a year ago in 18:00.3 and opened this season with 18:13.0 at Cecil Field in August. She was third at districts in 18:45.6, behind Delaney and Allison Austin (So.) of Atlantic Coast, so she starts third on our list. Austin ran 18:12.9 at the Gateway Conference Championships, was 17th at state last fall, and goes on as an individual.
Behind them it gets crowded. Emma Godfrey (Fr.), Peyton Cerasi (Jr.) of Matanzas, Anna Grigoruk (Sr.) of Flagler Palm Coast and Amelia Sipkovsky (So.) of Beachside were fourth through seventh at districts, separated by 16.9 seconds. Cerasi was 11th at 3A state last fall.
Girls individual rankings
| Rank | Runner | School | Best this fall | Where | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eva Delaney (So.) | Creekside (St. Johns) | 17:59.8 | 4A District 1 | 1st, 17:59.8 |
| 2 | Allison Austin (So.) * | Atlantic Coast (Jacksonville) | 18:12.9 | Gateway Conference Championships | 2nd, 18:31.4 |
| 3 | Avery Hartley (So.) | Bartram Trail (St. Johns) | 18:13.0 | Cecil Field Summer Classic | 3rd, 18:45.6 |
| 4 | Emma Godfrey (Fr.) | Creekside (St. Johns) | 18:45.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 4th, 18:47.7 |
| 5 | Peyton Cerasi (Jr.) * | Matanzas (Palm Coast) | 18:32.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 5th, 18:51.2 |
| 6 | Anna Grigoruk (Sr.) | Flagler Palm Coast | 18:54.7 | 4A District 1 | 6th, 18:54.7 |
| 7 | Amelia Sipkovsky (So.) | Beachside (St. Johns) | 18:40.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 7th, 19:04.6 |
| 8 | Sophie Clapp (Fr.) | Niceville | 19:05.9 | Okaloosa County Championship | 8th, 19:08.1 |
| 9 | Lucia Misasi (Jr.) | Nease (Ponte Vedra) | 18:51.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 9th, 19:09.1 |
| 10 | Lilly Potts (Sr.) | Beachside (St. Johns) | 18:52.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 10th, 19:11.9 |
* Projected to state as an individual (not on one of the top eight teams).
Why some slower times rank higher:
- Emma Godfrey (18:45.0): beat Peyton Cerasi and Amelia Sipkovsky at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7.
- Anna Grigoruk (18:54.7): beat Amelia Sipkovsky, Lucia Misasi and Lilly Potts at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7.
- Sophie Clapp (19:05.9): beat Lucia Misasi and Lilly Potts at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7.
On the bubble
The eighth team spot looks like Flagler Palm Coast against Timber Creek. Flagler Palm Coast has a strong front three, with Grigoruk, Avery Wisniewski and Everly Mucciolo all in the top 19 at districts, but its fourth and fifth runners were well back. Timber Creek was third in District 2 at 90 and scores more evenly behind Liliana Napolitano and Alessandra Cecilio. Buchholz, 10th on our list, is close enough to make it a three-team fight.
For the four individual spots, Austin and Cerasi look safe. Chloe Kisling (Fr.) of Tocoi Creek, 14th at districts in 19:28.9, and Julie Wilmoth (Fr.) of Oakleaf, 18th in 19:43.1, project into the last two. If Flagler Palm Coast misses the top eight, Grigoruk and Wisniewski move into those spots instead.
Projected to state: Niceville, Creekside, Nease, Lake Mary, Hagerty, Bartram Trail, Beachside, Flagler Palm Coast; individuals Allison Austin (Atlantic Coast), Peyton Cerasi (Matanzas), Chloe Kisling (Tocoi Creek), Julie Wilmoth (Oakleaf).
From 4A District 1 (November 7): Niceville 4A (1st, 85), Creekside (St. Johns) 4A (2nd, 85), Nease (Ponte Vedra) 4A (3rd, 87), Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 4A (4th, 135), Beachside (St. Johns) 4A (5th, 136), Flagler Palm Coast 4A (6th, 143), Buchholz (Gainesville) 4A (7th, 172), Navarre 4A (8th, 218). Individuals: Allison Austin (Atlantic Coast, 2nd), Peyton Cerasi (Matanzas, 5th), Chloe Kisling (Tocoi Creek, 14th), Julie Wilmoth (Oakleaf, 18th).
From 4A District 2 (November 6): Lake Mary 4A (1st, 55), Hagerty (Oviedo) 4A (2nd, 60), Timber Creek (Orlando) 4A (3rd, 90), Winter Park 4A (4th, 91), Oviedo 4A (5th, 112), Lake Brantley 4A (6th, 177), Spruce Creek (Port Orange) 4A (7th, 185), DeLand 4A (8th, 213). Individuals: Jillian Davis (Apopka, 13th), Rylie Asa (Lake Howell, 24th), Rylee Vilela (West Port, 28th), Ailee Petersen (University (Orlando), 37th).
Run the 4A Region 1 girls teams in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.
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Boys: Sides, Olson, Ishee and the Nease pack
4A Region 1 boys, 8:30 a.m.
Nease is the clear pick. It scored 54 at 4A District 1, 72 points clear of Buchholz, with Ishee third and the rest of the scoring five all in by 17th: Joseph Morley, Charles Carlson, Rishi Chopra and Gideon Churchill.
Behind Nease, places two through five are tight. Buchholz (126), Flagler Palm Coast (132), Creekside (138) and Niceville (140) were 14 points apart at districts. Niceville is No. 4 on our statewide list and Flagler Palm Coast No. 7, but last week's finish order stands until they meet again, and Saturday is that chance.
Hagerty won 4A District 2 by 61 points and runs well enough to challenge for second. It starts sixth only because it sits behind Niceville on our statewide list, and Niceville finished behind three District 1 teams last week. Reid Henson, second at districts, leads a Hagerty pack that put four runners in the top 17.
Boys team rankings
| Rank | Team | District | Top five (fastest time this fall) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nease (Ponte Vedra) 4A | 1st in District 1 (54) | Matthew Ishee 15:13.0, Joseph Morley 15:40.0, Charles Carlson 15:35.0, Rishi Chopra 15:29.0, Austin Courson 15:36.0 |
| 2 | Buchholz (Gainesville) 4A | 2nd in District 1 (126) | Andrew Sides 15:11.5, Finn Richards 15:58.3, Jacob Motamarry 16:49.0, Nathan Clark 16:43.0, Reece Davis 16:48.0 |
| 3 | Flagler Palm Coast 4A | 3rd in District 1 (132) | Douglas Seth 15:20.7, Enzo McGovern 16:09.2, Mateo Almeida 16:27.7, Owen Stackpole 16:44.0, Brayden Murray 16:50.0 |
| 4 | Creekside (St. Johns) 4A | 4th in District 1 (138) | Eli Scharf 15:31.0, Samuel Cassiani 16:09.0, Bryce Cunningham 16:03.0, Chase Petrick 16:28.0, Harrison Lafser 17:12.2 |
| 5 | Niceville 4A | 5th in District 1 (140) | Bryant Olson 15:11.0, Brody Mathis 15:52.0, Reid Sadowski 16:04.0, Brayden Riemer 16:53.1, Sebastian Riemer 16:18.0 |
| 6 | Hagerty (Oviedo) 4A | 1st in District 2 (44) | Reid Henson 16:01.6, Wesley Lizon 16:26.1, Camden Thompson 16:18.1, Nate Winslow 16:36.0, Elijah Lizon 17:33.2 |
| 7 | Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 4A | 6th in District 1 (186) | Bryce Motycka 15:50.8, Jesse Hall 16:11.0, Adan Caraballo 17:31.0, Stephan Dickson 16:23.0, Trey Hollis 17:03.4 |
| 8 | Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) 4A | 7th in District 1 (196) | Carter Colitzas 16:18.4, Clayton Downer 16:07.0, Maddox Wick 17:06.3, Jack Tourtelot 17:28.6, Tyler Peeples 16:59.0 |
| 9 | Crestview 4A | 8th in District 1 (196) | Tucker Sheldon 15:46.0, Caleb Turner 16:13.3, Alexander Sunyak 16:56.1, Jakob Raymond 17:47.8, Zaivier Dillard 17:03.7 |
| 10 | Oviedo 4A | 2nd in District 2 (105) | Levi Mollica 16:10.9, Nathanial Watson 16:49.9, Mihai Tamasan 18:06.0, Connor Calhoun 17:46.5, Robert Gallagher 18:12.3 |
| 11 | Seminole (Sanford) 4A | 3rd in District 2 (115) | Tyler Clarke-Lowery 17:05.2, Jadan Prudot 17:28.1, Giovany Rodriguez 17:36.3, Akshay Bangalore 17:14.3, Brady Clark 17:57.2 |
| 12 | Spruce Creek (Port Orange) 4A | 4th in District 2 (148) | Jacob Bautista 17:21.0, Carter Bell 17:41.5, Luke Carlson 17:23.0, Brennan Fields 18:24.0, Noah Martinez Carver 17:49.0 |
| 13 | West Port (Ocala) 4A | 5th in District 2 (168) | Gavin Smith 17:06.0, Jordan Rios 17:02.0, Hunter Goodwin 17:41.3, Seth Crumbliss 17:54.0, Ryan Powell 19:02.0 |
| 14 | Lake Brantley 4A | 6th in District 2 (174) | Daniel Georgiev 16:01.0, Josiah Hitesman 16:25.5, Elijah Garrett 18:17.9, Sean Kelly 18:46.3, Jackson Schnell 19:14.3 |
| 15 | Apopka 4A | 7th in District 2 (198) | Blake Lawton 17:09.6, Anthony Naberhaus 17:33.8, Marco Pereira 17:39.2, Isaiah Smith 17:55.3, Joseph Gutierrez 18:04.7 |
| 16 | Lake Mary 4A | 8th in District 2 (200) | Ethan Spielman 16:39.0, Luke Hunn 18:01.4, Cade Vazquez 18:28.1, Jackson McKay 18:48.4, Sawyer Brock-McEntire 19:10.2 |
The orange line marks the last of the eight team spots to state.
Andrew Sides (Jr.) of Buchholz was 35th at 4A state last fall. Now he is the man to beat. His 15:11.5 at districts held off Bryant Olson (So.) of Niceville, who has the faster season best, 15:11.0 at New World, and sits No. 8 on our statewide list. Olson was 15th at 3A state last year. The district result puts Sides first until they meet again.
Matthew Ishee (Jr.) of Nease ran 15:13.0 at New World and was third at districts in 15:23.9. Eli Scharf (Sr.) of Creekside and Douglas Seth (So.) of Flagler Palm Coast, 13th at 4A state last year, round out the top five.
District 2 ran a step slower. Levi Mollica (Sr.) of Oviedo won it in 16:44.6. He was 11th at 4A state last fall, the best returning state finish in this field, and his 16:10.9 at the Seminole Athletic Conference meet says he can run with the District 1 group.
Boys individual rankings
| Rank | Runner | School | Best this fall | Where | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Sides (Jr.) | Buchholz (Gainesville) | 15:11.5 | 4A District 1 | 1st, 15:11.5 |
| 2 | Bryant Olson (So.) | Niceville | 15:11.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 2nd, 15:13.1 |
| 3 | Matthew Ishee (Jr.) | Nease (Ponte Vedra) | 15:13.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 3rd, 15:23.9 |
| 4 | Eli Scharf (Sr.) | Creekside (St. Johns) | 15:31.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 4th, 15:46.1 |
| 5 | Douglas Seth (So.) | Flagler Palm Coast | 15:20.7 | The Southern Showcase (Hs) | 5th, 15:54.7 |
| 6 | Bryce Motycka (Sr.) | Bartram Trail (St. Johns) | 15:50.8 | Bale N Trail CC Original | 6th, 15:57.1 |
| 7 | Joseph Morley (Jr.) | Nease (Ponte Vedra) | 15:40.0 | New World Fall Spectacular | 7th, 15:58.0 |
| 8 | Finn Richards (Sr.) | Buchholz (Gainesville) | 15:58.3 | 4A District 1 | 8th, 15:58.3 |
| 9 | Tucker Sheldon (Jr.) * | Crestview | 15:46.0 | On Twilight at PR'ville | 9th, 16:01.7 |
| 10 | Evan Kirby (So.) * | Fletcher (Neptune Beach) | 16:04.5 | 4A District 1 | 10th, 16:04.5 |
* Projected to state as an individual (not on one of the top eight teams).
Why some slower times rank higher:
- Andrew Sides (15:11.5): beat Bryant Olson at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7, 15:11.5 to 15:13.1.
- Eli Scharf (15:31.0): beat Douglas Seth at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7, 15:46.1 to 15:54.7.
- Bryce Motycka (15:50.8): beat Joseph Morley and Tucker Sheldon at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7.
- Finn Richards (15:58.3): beat Tucker Sheldon at the 4A District 1 meet on November 7, 15:58.3 to 16:01.7.
On the bubble
Tocoi Creek and Crestview tied at 196 for seventh and eighth at 4A District 1, and they are the last two teams in line here, with Oviedo close behind. Crestview has the better front with Tucker Sheldon (Jr.), ninth at districts, and Caleb Turner (So.), 14th. If Crestview misses the top eight, both are projected to state as individuals. Tocoi Creek's top two, Carter Colitzas and Clayton Downer, lead a pack that has to stay close together.
The other two individual spots project to Evan Kirby (So.) of Fletcher, 10th at districts in 16:04.5, and Peter Curet (Fr.) of Atlantic Coast, 13th in 16:11.1.
Projected to state: Nease, Buchholz, Flagler Palm Coast, Creekside, Niceville, Hagerty, Bartram Trail, Tocoi Creek; individuals Tucker Sheldon (Crestview), Evan Kirby (Fletcher), Peter Curet (Atlantic Coast), Caleb Turner (Crestview).
From 4A District 1 (November 7): Nease (Ponte Vedra) 4A (1st, 54), Buchholz (Gainesville) 4A (2nd, 126), Flagler Palm Coast 4A (3rd, 132), Creekside (St. Johns) 4A (4th, 138), Niceville 4A (5th, 140), Bartram Trail (St. Johns) 4A (6th, 186), Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) 4A (7th, 196), Crestview 4A (8th, 196). Individuals: Evan Kirby (Fletcher, 10th), Peter Curet (Atlantic Coast, 13th), Gavin McKanna (Fletcher, 23rd), Telly Fuglestad (Fletcher, 24th).
From 4A District 2 (November 6): Hagerty (Oviedo) 4A (1st, 44), Oviedo 4A (2nd, 105), Seminole (Sanford) 4A (3rd, 115), Spruce Creek (Port Orange) 4A (4th, 148), West Port (Ocala) 4A (5th, 168), Lake Brantley 4A (6th, 174), Apopka 4A (7th, 198), Lake Mary 4A (8th, 200). Individuals: Jackson Palk (Winter Park, 7th), Connor Rivera (University (Orange City), 8th), Ethan Peterman (Timber Creek, 11th), Sebastian Alzate (Winter Park, 21st).
Run the 4A Region 1 boys teams in the simulator and swap in your own lineup.
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How we did it
- Qualifiers are from the district results in our database and match FHSAA's official regional qualifier list (posted November 9).
- Each region is run as one race with the runners who finished their district for a qualifying team, plus the individual qualifiers. Every runner keeps their best race this fall, put on one scale using the runners who raced on both courses.
- Head-to-head results since September decide pairs, the most recent meeting standing, so last week's district finish holds inside each district.
- Teams count a head-to-head only when both had at least four of their top five there. Roy Griak is left out. Only 2026 races count.
- Team rosters can change at the region meet. A team entry is a fact; a runner's start is not until the gun goes.
Every district result is in the Florida XC results database. All four regions are in our Class 4A region rankings.