Javier Parker of Doral Academy and Charlotte Roy of All Saints' lead Florida's eighth graders in the high school 5K. The top 10 boys and girls, with Taylor Geraghty second after a runner-up finish at the Great American XC Festival.
Florida eighth graders, high school 5K, cross country season through October 8, 2026
The best eighth graders in Florida are not just in the high school 5K. Some of them are scoring for varsity teams, and two of them have run with the best girls in the country this month.
This list ranks only eighth graders, and only in the 5K. Middle school 3Ks are not on it; our September list, which mixed both, is here.
Javier Parker of Doral Academy ran 16:56.1 for 11th of 406 at the Pine Crest meet in August, the fastest 5K by an eighth-grade boy this year. Charlotte Roy of All Saints' ran 18:28.5 for third at the St. Cloud Invitational, the fastest by an eighth-grade girl. Taylor Geraghty of Holy Trinity was second of 357 in an invitational race at the Great American XC Festival in North Carolina on October 3, in 18:34.3.
A missed meet never counts against anyone, and we use data plus our own eyes, so we will miss one or two along the way.
About the times: every runner is listed with a time they actually ran. The number in parentheses is what we think that run is worth on the Cecil Field course in Jacksonville, the same scale as our weekly rankings, so a fast course and a slow course can be compared. When two runners on a list have raced each other, the finish decides it, and a loss stands until they meet again.
Eighth-Grade Boys Top 10
1. Javier Parker, Doral Academy (Miami) 4A - 16:56.1 at the Pine Crest meet (17:02.6)
Ran 16:56.1 for 11th of 406 in the varsity race at the Pine Crest meet, ahead of Elliot Macki, then 17:06.3 for 78th of 549 in the varsity race at the Florida Horse Park Invitational. Two 5Ks, both fast. He has not raced Zamari Blumenberg.
2. Zamari Blumenberg, Holy Trinity (Melbourne) 1A - 17:21.2 at the Astronaut Invitational (16:51.1)
Five varsity races, the most of anyone here. He was tenth of 379 in the 1A-2A race at the Spanish River Invitational in 17:10.6 and 94th of 372 in an invitational race at the Great American XC Festival in 17:13.8. His 17:21.2 for 17th at the Astronaut Invitational is worth about 16:51 on ours, the best single run in the grade.
3. Alejandro Sancerni, Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines) 3A - 18:11.5 at the Dr. Garcia Bulldog Invite (17:44.4)
Ran 18:11.5 for 23rd of 232 at the Dr. Garcia Bulldog Invite, ahead of Macki and Jack Irish, on a course that runs slow. That is worth about 17:44. He was fourth at the Superfly Invitational.
4. Liam Piper, Southwest Florida Christian (Fort Myers) 1A - 18:40.5 at the Fort Myers XC Invite (17:36.6)
Five races. His best time is 17:50.0 for 20th of 259 at the North Port Preserve Pursuit, and he was 77th of 153 in the Race of Champions at the flrunners.com Invitational on October 3.
5. Kaden Webb, Carrollwood Day (Tampa) 1A - 18:43.2 at the flrunners.com Invitational (18:39.8)
One race: 18:43.2 for 32nd of 257 in the Jason Byrne race at the FLRunners meet on October 3, ahead of Lucas Hoge and Macki.
6. Yahya Barakat, Bolles (Jacksonville) 2A - 18:11.2 at the adidas XC Challenge (18:31.1)
Ran 18:11.2 for 36th of 287 in the JV race at the adidas XC Challenge in North Carolina, one tenth of a second ahead of teammate Danny Deptula. That is the newest of their three meetings.
7. Danny Deptula, Bolles (Jacksonville) 2A - 18:11.3 at the adidas XC Challenge (18:31.2)
Beat Barakat at Cecil Field and the Horse Park, then lost to him by a tenth in North Carolina. Ran 18:31.0 for 39th of 453 in the Horse Park JV race.
8. Sawyer Dempsey, Geneva Classical Academy - 19:18.5 at the Lake Region Invitational (18:45.1)
One 5K: 19:18.5 for 40th of 175 at the Lake Region Invitational, a slow course; it is worth about 18:45.
9. Liam Chong, Beaches Chapel - 18:24.0 at the Katie Caples Invitational (18:37.6)
Second of 80 in the varsity race at the Katie Caples Invitational in 18:24.0, sixth at the Coach Hope Invitational, and fifth of 269 in the C race at Cecil Field.
10. Connor Lucas, Foundation Academy (Winter Garden) 1A - 17:56.1 at the West Orange Invitational (18:49.8)
One race: 17:56.1 for 27th of 176 at the West Orange Invitational on September 26. That course runs fast; the run is worth about 18:50.
Next up: Diego Escamilla (Crescent City) was third of 43 at the Putnam County Championships on October 8 in 18:50.5, a course we cannot measure yet. Jack Irish (Benjamin) ran 18:31.8 at the Jensen Beach Invitational. Landon Avila (Doral Academy, 4A), Lucas Hoge (Community School of Naples, 1A) and Elliot Macki (Calvary Christian, 2A), who ran 17:59.8 at Spanish River, are next.
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Eighth-Grade Girls Top 10
1. Charlotte Roy, All Saints' (Winter Haven) 1A - 18:28.5 at the St. Cloud Invitational (18:40.5)
Ran 18:28.5 for third of 151 at the St. Cloud Invitational, the fastest 5K by an eighth-grade girl this year, ahead of Esther Dobbin. She won the SSAA championship and was second at the Kowboy XC Invitational. She has beaten teammate Kylie Cook three times.
2. Taylor Geraghty, Holy Trinity (Melbourne) 1A - 18:34.3 at the Great American XC Festival (18:46.3)
Won the 1A-2A race at the Spanish River Invitational outright, first of 301 in 18:50.7, then went to North Carolina and was second of 357 in an invitational race at the Great American XC Festival in 18:34.3. She beat Dobbin at the Astronaut Invitational. She and Roy have not raced each other; our published 1A list has Roy ahead.
3. Esther Dobbin, Cocoa Beach 2A - 19:59.7 at the Astronaut Invitational (19:18.2)
Five varsity races, including a win at the Cocoa Beach Tuesday Night Invite and third of 95 at the Harmony Longhorn Invitational on October 3. Her best time is 19:25.7 at St. Cloud, where Roy beat her; Geraghty beat her at the Astronaut.
4. Kylie Cook, All Saints' (Winter Haven) 1A - 19:04.2 at the JT Memorial (19:34.4)
Won the JT Memorial in 19:04.2, first of 98. Roy beat her in all three of their races and Dobbin beat her at St. Cloud.
5. Valentina Sarcos, Palmer Trinity (Miami) 2A - 20:48.1 at the flrunners.com Invitational (20:34.8)
One 5K: second of 121 in the Jason Byrne race at the flrunners.com Invitational on October 3, in 20:48.1.
6. Makya Rivenburg, Wildwood 1A - 21:06.6 at the Sunset Invitational (20:35.5)
Four races, three of them on her home course, which we cannot measure. She won there in 19:22.8 in August. On a course we can, she was second of 75 at the Sunset Invitational in 21:06.6.
7. Reese Allen, Oak Hall (Gainesville) 1A - 20:23.5 at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic (20:24.4)
Ran 20:23.5 for 14th of 163 at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic and 20:39.1 for 57th of 411 at the Florida Horse Park Invitational. She beat teammate Macie Bell all three times they raced.
8. Sophia Ramirez, Mason Classical Academy (Naples) 1A - 21:32.8 at the MIA Invitational (20:59.5)
One 5K: second at the MIA Invitational on October 3 in 21:32.8.
9. Macie Bell, Oak Hall (Gainesville) 1A - 21:05.2 at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic (21:06.1)
Ran 21:05.2 at Buchholz. She beat Brooklyn Haddox and Evelyn Liever at the Horse Park.
10. Brooklyn Haddox, Pensacola Christian 1A - 21:12.4 at the Eagle Invitational at Pine Forest (20:48.2)
Five varsity races. Her best is 20:30.5 for 17th of 183 at the Daphne Invitational.
Next up: Molly Joly (Marathon, 1A) ran 20:42.9 at Spanish River, behind Geraghty. Callaway Bolt (Foundation Academy, 1A) ran 20:49.6 at the West Orange Invitational. Evelyn Liever (Berkeley Prep, 2A) ran 20:19.5 at the North Port Invite. Ava Miller (Cornerstone Charter Academy, 2A) and Maeve McAloon (Out-of-Door Academy, 1A) are next. Katelyn McIntyre of Nolan won the middle school 5K at the IMGA XC Summit Challenge in 19:43.8; middle school races are not on this list.
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How we ranked them
- Eighth grade only (Class of 2031), and high school 5Ks only. We checked every runner's grade against the result files. Middle school 3K races do not count here; every runner on this list has run at least one high school 5K.
- Every 5K is weighed against how that course ran, the same way as our weekly rankings, with Cecil Field as the yardstick. A runner's whole season counts, the most recent race the most, and a race a runner won never counts against them.
- Where runners are already placed on our published week 7 statewide or class lists, that order holds here too.
- A head-to-head loss stands until the two runners meet again. Races on September 12 and earlier no longer order anyone, though their times still count. When results go in a circle, the newest race decides. Where no race settles it, the season figures do.
- Results through October 8, 2026. Meets outside Florida count only for Florida runners. Only runners who have raced this fall are ranked, and a missed meet is never held against anyone.
- The Putnam County Championships (October 8) are not yet on our scale, so Diego Escamilla is placed on the time he ran.
The other grades: sixth grade, seventh grade, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors. This week's statewide lists are in the rankings section, and every result is in the Florida XC results database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the fastest eighth-grade cross country runner in Florida? expand_more
Through October 8, 2026, Javier Parker of Doral Academy has the fastest high school 5K by an eighth-grade boy, 16:56.1 at the Pine Crest meet. Charlotte Roy of All Saints' has the fastest by an eighth-grade girl, 18:28.5 at the St. Cloud Invitational.