Florida Middle School Cross Country Team Rankings, Week 9: Boys and Girls Top 10

Florida middle school cross country team rankings, week 9, season through October 19, 2026

No Excuses RC is the new No. 1 girls' team. It won New World on Saturday with 23 points, ahead of Tavares, and has won all five of its team races. No Excuses and Emerald Coast have not met, and on paper No Excuses is four points better. NEXT still leads the boys. The biggest change is No Excuses' boys, who were second last week. They lost to Tavares at New World, 40 to 51.

This is the statewide list: every Florida middle school and club team in one virtual race, top 10 boys and girls. The FLYRA state meet on October 30 and 31 scores four separate team races, public, private, charter and club, and our division top 10s rank each one. Two girls' teams below, Oak Hall and All Saints', are built on high school varsity 5ks this fall. Their middle schoolers can enter FLYRA, and whether the schools bring a team is their call.

How to read it: each team's top seven, with the time each runner actually ran and, in parentheses, what that run projects to at the state meet. For a 5k, it is the 3K we project from it. The points come from a virtual race against every team in the state. When two teams have met with their full lineups since mid-September, the most recent finish decides.

---

Boys Top 10

1. NEXT - 281 points

Joao Cardoso (8th) 10:44.0 for two miles (9:57.5); Andrew LaHayne (8th) 10:42.8 (10:05.3); Evan Cepeda (8th) 10:33.2 (10:39.8); Enzo Maia (7th) 10:45.5 (10:51.0); Jeronimo Gonzalez (6th) 10:50.3 (10:55.8). Then Julian Carvajal 11:52.3 (11:57.8), Reid Chemidlin 12:51.2 (12:56.7).

Won the Horse Park with 56, ahead of Belen and the Harriers, and the Roc race at flrunners with 36, ahead of the same two and Tavares. It has not raced as a team since October 2. Joao Cardoso and Andrew LaHayne also race for Neptune and Harmony middle schools, and the team is listed as it has raced.

2. Belen Jesuit (Miami) - 561 points

Aiden Cruz (7th) 10:19.1 (10:28.9); Jake Rubiera (8th) 10:25.7 (10:32.3); Diego Ferer (7th) 10:38.4 (10:45.0); Rowen Urbina (6th) 10:54.5 (11:04.2); Vittorio Stasi (8th) 13:16.7 for 2.1 miles (11:29.9). Then Jacob Jasinski (8th) 13:21.2 for 2.1 miles (11:33.9), Tommaso Stasi (8th) 13:10.1 for two miles (11:36.2).

Won the Youth Fair championship on Friday with 40, ahead of Conchita Espinosa, with Aiden Cruz and Jake Rubiera first and second. Belen was second at flrunners with 57, one point ahead of the Harriers, and that keeps it directly above them. On times alone Belen is the eighth-best team.

3. Hillsborough Harriers - 338 points

RJ Destremps (8th) 10:08.4 (9:30.9); Wesley Taylor (7th) 11:14.4 (10:36.9); Alex Geisel (7th) 10:39.0 (10:45.6); Ace Hallinan (7th) 11:31.7 (10:54.2); Landon Healy (8th) 11:32.9 (10:55.4). Then Jackson Stubbs (8th) 11:06.0 (11:11.5), Max Day (7th) 11:51.1 (11:13.6).

Won the Bay Area Middle Schools Championship on Saturday with 25 against 15 other teams. RJ Destremps won the race and Wesley Taylor was third. The Harriers also won Running on the Range over Tavares and The Villages in September.

4. Ruckel Middle School - 304 points

Liam Jopling (8th) 10:00.9 (9:52.7); Cael Rusmisel (8th) 10:37.3 (10:29.0); Tyler Wade (6th) 10:45.7 (10:37.5); Benson Porter (8th) 10:58.1 (10:49.9); Jackson Porter (8th) 11:06.6 (10:58.4). Then Gavin Gheen (7th) 12:03.9 for two miles (11:12.7), Colin Blessing (7th) 12:41.8 for two miles (11:30.2).

Won the Okaloosa County championship on Thursday with 23, with Liam Jopling, Cael Rusmisel and Tyler Wade in the first three places. Ruckel also won Kristine Lynn in September with 19. Ruckel beat Tavares 24 to 35 at Nights of Thunder, the only time they have met, and it stays above Tavares on that result.

5. Tavares Middle School - 303 points

Gabriel Garback (7th) 10:26.0 (10:24.5); Jack Ilea (6th) 11:07.9 (10:30.4); Alejandro Hernandez (8th) 11:28.1 for 3,200m (10:38.3); Alexis Hernandez (7th) 10:50.0 (10:48.5); Joel Cordero (8th) 11:29.6 (10:52.1). Then Jeremiah William 11:32.6 (11:38.1), Dustin Albert (8th) 11:35.7 (11:39.3).

Won New World on Saturday with 40, ahead of No Excuses and The Villages, then won the Red Sea Central Florida championship on Sunday and the Lake County championship on Wednesday. That is 20 team races and 15 wins. The five losses came at Jim Ryun, the Horse Park, Nights of Thunder, Running on the Range and flrunners, to the Harriers, NEXT, Belen, The Villages and Ruckel. Gabriel Garback was second at New World, and Jack Ilea, a sixth grader, was third at the Red Sea championship.

6. No Excuses RC - 256 points

Elliot Lasota (7th) 10:49.1 (10:04.7); Amari Isom (8th) 10:21.0 (10:19.5); Cooper Finch (7th) 11:06.0 (10:21.6); Johnathon Hartley (7th) 10:48.0 (10:46.5); Dutch Howanitz (8th) 11:42.4 (10:58.0). Then Caleb Ramjohn (7th) 11:22.0 (11:17.1), Ben Jacobs (7th) 11:29.0 (11:24.1).

Second at New World with 51, behind Tavares, after winning Eagles on the River on October 13 with Amari Isom, Cooper Finch and Elliot Lasota in the first three places. Isom won New World. On times this is the best team in the state. The New World loss puts it behind Tavares, and Tavares sits behind the teams that beat it at flrunners and Nights of Thunder.

7. Emerald Coast Middle School - 451 points

Christian Psilos (8th) 10:45.0 for two miles (10:12.5); Adari Daley (8th) 11:01.0 for two miles (10:27.4); Tyler Oliver (7th) 11:16.7 for two miles (10:41.9); Mathew Cramer (6th) 11:47.0 for two miles (11:10.1); Knox Huegerich (8th) 11:48.4 for two miles (11:11.4). Then Christian Carpenter (7th) 11:48.9 for two miles (11:11.8), Enzo Ciaravini (8th) 11:49.7 for two miles (11:12.6).

Won the Stingray Panhandle championship on Saturday with Christian Psilos, Adari Daley and Tyler Oliver first, second and third, and its conference meet on October 6. Florida High beat Emerald Coast at St. John Paul II on September 26. Emerald Coast's results since then are much stronger, and when results disagree we go with the most recent. It was also fifth at Kristine Lynn in September without Daley, its No. 2, and we did not hold that against it.

8. The Villages Charter Middle School - 489 points

Colton Jobe (8th) 10:44.5 (10:00.1); Jace Lewis (7th) 10:48.8 (10:04.4); Karter James (8th) 11:30.8 (10:46.4); Eduardo Andrade (8th) 11:44.0 (10:59.6); Grant Reeves (8th) 12:13.4 (11:29.0). Then Leo McPherson (8th) 12:15.9 (11:31.5), Evan Anderson (8th) 11:42.1 (11:45.7).

Third at New World with 96 and second to Tavares at the Red Sea Central Florida championship, where Colton Jobe won the race. Jobe and Jace Lewis were third and fourth at New World. The Villages won Seffner Christian in September with 35 against 25 other teams.

9. Ransom Everglades (Miami) - 591 points

Nicolas Adler (8th) 11:59.4 (10:39.9); Ruslan Lefrak (8th) 12:01.8 (10:42.3); Sebastian Dangond (8th) 10:59.4 (10:59.0); Tiago Da Silva (8th) 11:04.9 (11:04.5); Juan Andres Dasburg (8th) 12:19.3 (11:14.3). Then Ethan Williams (7th) 11:46.6 (11:43.7), Arthur Menusso (7th) 13:40.9 (12:21.4).

Six team races, six wins, the latest the South Florida middle school conference meet on October 13. Ruslan Lefrak, Nicolas Adler, Sebastian Dangond and Tiago Da Silva went one, two, three, four there. The whole five is eighth graders.

10. South Florida HEAT (Sunrise) - 612 points

Jacob Ryle (8th) 19:09.8 for 5K (10:11.4); Zeb Dorn (8th) 19:56.8 for 5K (10:37.6); Zach Dorn (6th) 20:15.2 for 5K (11:02.9); Lincoln Coy (8th) 11:05.0 (11:14.8); Solomon Rebolledo (8th) 19:43.3 for 5K (11:15.7). Then Zeke Monterosso (7th) 12:33.2 (12:43.0), Matthew Ryle (8th) 13:33.2 (13:19.7).

Won the Gold Coast conference meet on October 15 with 37. Its top runners are high school 5k kids: Jacob Ryle ran 17:49.0 at New World on Saturday, and Zeb and Zach Dorn race the varsity too. Ninth last week.

Just missed: Conchita Espinosa Academy, second to Belen at the Youth Fair. Florida High (Tallahassee), which beat Emerald Coast on September 26 and won the Tallahassee championship on October 6. On times it is about 20th.

---

Girls Top 10

1. No Excuses RC - 87 points

Colette Heffernan (7th) 10:44.2 (9:59.8); Amelia Flood (8th) 11:23.0 (10:38.6); Madelen Finch (7th) 11:21.0 (11:03.4); Piper Austin (7th) 11:34.0 (11:32.5); Amaya Mader (7th) 11:48.0 (11:43.1). Then Kenley Courson (7th) 11:48.0 (11:49.7), Megan Richardson (8th) 12:29.4 (12:11.8).

Won New World on Saturday with 23, ahead of Tavares and Cornerstone, and Eagles on the River on October 13 with 19. Five team races, five wins. Colette Heffernan, Amelia Flood and Madelen Finch are three of the top 20 girls in the state. Piper Austin ran 11:34.0 at New World, the best of her fall, and that is a big reason No Excuses moved up.

2. Emerald Coast Middle School - 91 points

Zoie Hart (8th) 11:27.2 for two miles (10:51.7); Corbyn Fellers (7th) 11:32.1 for two miles (10:56.2); Callie Skinner (8th) 11:34.9 for two miles (10:58.8); Mia Emhoff (7th) 12:03.1 for two miles (11:25.0); Maddie Madden (6th) 12:24.2 for two miles (11:44.6). Then Kendal Cerny (7th) 12:25.9 for two miles (11:46.2), Laila Lundblom (7th) 12:35.5 for two miles (11:55.1).

Won the Stingray Panhandle championship on Saturday. Zoie Hart, Corbyn Fellers, Callie Skinner and Kendal Cerny took the first four places. It has won every team race it has entered, and it went one, two, three at its conference meet on October 6. No Excuses is four points better on paper, and the two have not met.

3. Tavares Middle School - 177 points

Alice Ilea (8th) 11:05.9 (10:28.4); Lilliana Gutfreind (8th) 11:27.3 (11:30.9); Kayla Santos (8th) 12:11.4 (11:33.9); Amelia Hernandez (6th) 11:51.0 (11:54.6); Hope Nesmith (8th) 11:52.5 (11:56.1). Then Meadow Sadlemire (8th) 12:43.8 (12:13.1), Emma Williams (6th) 12:19.1 (12:22.7).

Second at New World with 41, behind No Excuses, then won the Red Sea Central Florida championship on Sunday with a perfect 15. That is 21 team races and 19 wins. The other loss was to the Boca Warriors at Indian River in August. Alice Ilea leads, and Lilliana Gutfreind was second to her on Sunday in 11:27.3.

4. Boca Warriors Track Club - 212 points

Camila Boucher (8th) 11:11.3 (11:03.0); Arielle Gorlovetzky (6th) 12:06.4 (11:28.9); Katerina Skutnik (6th) 11:40.1 (11:45.6); Tejasvita Minnamareddy (6th) 11:48.2 (11:53.7); Olivia Aaronson (8th) 12:01.3 (12:06.8). Then Faith Gladstone (8th) 12:05.9 (12:11.4), Hayden Frey (7th) 12:22.4 (12:27.9).

Won Indian River over Tavares in August, the middle school race at Spanish River, and the Friday race at flrunners with 29 against 19 other teams. Camila Boucher leads three sixth graders. It has not raced No Excuses or Emerald Coast, and its only meeting with Tavares was in August.

5. Oak Hall (Gainesville) - 358 points

Natalie Kay (7th) 20:07.1 for 5K (11:16.7); Reese Allen (8th) 20:23.5 for 5K (11:25.9); Madeline Kay (7th) 21:20.0 for 5K (11:28.7); Macie Bell (8th) 21:05.2 for 5K (11:49.2); Arden Kirk (8th) 22:15.0 for 5K (13:02.5). Then Stella King (6th) 27:03.6 for 5K (14:41.2), June Collins (7th) 25:21.0 for 5K (14:46.7).

No middle school race this fall. The whole five comes from the Oak Hall high school varsity, led by seventh graders Natalie and Madeline Kay and eighth grader Reese Allen. Natalie Kay ran 19:30.0 at New World on Saturday. Buchholz on September 12 is still the team's best day.

6. All Saints' Academy (Winter Haven) - 455 points

Charlotte Roy (8th) 18:28.5 for 5K (10:27.7); Kylie Cook (8th) 19:04.2 for 5K (10:57.8); Savannah Simonds (7th) 20:39.0 for 5K (12:08.8); Julia Marra Andrade (7th) 21:31.0 for 5K (12:20.1); Maggie Koch (7th) 22:53.8 for 5K (13:06.5). Then Mila Wills (7th) 23:46.7 for 5K (13:36.1), Leyla Odil (6th) 26:56.6 for 5K (15:22.5).

Charlotte Roy ran 18:00.0 at New World on Saturday, tenth in the girls' Elite race. She and Kylie Cook are two of the best middle school girls in the state on their 5ks. The rest of the five is further back. All Saints' sent two girls to the New World middle school race, not enough to score.

7. Imagine Town Center (Palm Coast) - 637 points

Mia Kopcikova (8th) 11:23.7 (11:22.7); Aspen Lester (6th) 11:55.0 (11:56.7); Mia Moore (8th) 12:15.9 (12:17.6); Madelyn Yorgey (8th) 12:44.3 (12:43.4); Marina Goncalves (8th) 13:08.2 (13:14.8). Then Madelyn Fallon (8th) 13:27.6 (13:29.3), Natalia Langer (8th) 13:48.2 (13:47.3).

Won Speziale on October 3 with 37, when Mia Kopcikova won the race, and beat Bolles there. Imagine Town Center has not raced since. It moves up a place because of the Bolles, Cornerstone and Imagine Town Center results explained below.

8. Bolles (Jacksonville) - 670 points

Quinn Dinola (6th) 11:55.0 (11:50.1); Isla Owens (7th) 21:17.0 for 5K (12:30.0); Charlotte Lieberman (7th) 12:52.1 (12:35.9); Cece Greaker (7th) 12:44.0 (12:39.1); Miya Irani (8th) 13:02.8 (12:46.6). Then Autumn Mabry (8th) 13:22.2 (13:21.3), Elaina Baldev (7th) 13:36.0 (13:31.1).

Second at Eagles on the River on October 13 with 82, ahead of Cornerstone's 90. Bolles also beat Cornerstone at Katie Caples in September. Imagine Town Center beat Bolles at Speziale and Cornerstone beat Imagine Town Center at Bale N Trail, so the three have beaten each other in a circle. The newest meeting decides, and the oldest one, Bale N Trail, drops. Quinn Dinola, a sixth grader, leads.

9. Cornerstone Classical Academy (Jacksonville) - 460 points

Katelyn Milla (8th) 21:41.3 for 5K (11:48.4); Haven Smith (7th) 11:48.0 (11:49.7); Jayne McCarthy (7th) 12:13.0 (11:56.8); Adelyn Leavitt (8th) 23:02.8 for 5K (12:34.1); Eliza Arthur (8th) 12:44.0 (12:42.5). Then Lucy Sanftner (8th) 13:15.2 (12:58.9), Kenadee Hagensick (8th) 13:16.3 (13:00.1).

Third at New World, behind No Excuses and Tavares, and third at Eagles on the River, behind No Excuses and Bolles. On times it is the seventh-best team. The loss to Bolles puts it directly behind Bolles. Katelyn Milla and Adelyn Leavitt also race the high school 5k.

10. Hillsborough Harriers - 652 points

Bailey Eggleston (8th) 11:53.8 (11:16.3); Lucy Dory (7th) 12:05.1 (12:06.9); Maysen McDonald (6th) 12:06.4 (12:15.4); Helene Waters (7th) 12:33.8 (12:42.8); Madison Keiter (7th) 13:12.9 (13:18.4). Then Sienna Arguello (7th) 14:05.3 (13:27.8), Rosie Barnhill (6th) 13:37.5 (13:44.1).

Won the Bay Area Middle Schools Championship on Saturday with 32 against 15 other teams. Bailey Eggleston was third and Lucy Dory fourth. Second to Tavares at Jim Ryun, Running on the Range and flrunners.

Just missed: Ransom Everglades, which won the South Florida middle school conference meet on October 13 for its sixth win in six team races. Then Ruckel, which won the Okaloosa County championship.

---

How we ranked them

• Florida middle schoolers only, grades 6 through 8, every middle school race in the results database through October 19. Two-mile, 2.1-mile, 3,200-meter and 2,900-meter races are converted to 3K. The 1.5-mile races at the Gold Coast conference meet and the third ACC meet count for finishing order only. Fifth graders, including ungraded kids who also run elementary races, are on the elementary lists only.
• Middle schoolers who race high school 5ks are in. Each 5k is leveled for its course, then turned into a 3K figure using the middle schoolers who have raced both distances this fall. A kid with both keeps the better one.
• A runner scores once, for the team they have raced for most this fall. Red Sea Running Club is Tavares Middle School.
• Only 2026 races count. A runner who has not raced this fall is not ranked.
• Team order: one virtual race of every team's top seven, five score and six and seven push. A team that beat a higher-ranked team in their most recent meeting moves directly above it until they meet again. Meetings from September 12 and earlier no longer bind, and JV races do not count as meetings. A loss by a team missing two or more of its top five is not held against it. This week we also set aside Emerald Coast's Kristine Lynn result, run without its No. 2 runner. When three teams have beaten each other in a circle, the oldest of the three meetings drops. When a meeting and a team's results since then disagree, the most recent results decide.

Individuals: week 9 middle school top 10s. By division: team top 10s by FLYRA division. Every result is in the Florida XC results database.