Marcelo Mantecon of Belen Jesuit and Natalia Gaona-Zelaya of Wiregrass Ranch lead Florida's twelfth graders. The top 10 senior boys and girls, with Mantecon fresh off a win at the Great American XC Festival.
Florida seniors, high school 5K, cross country season through October 8, 2026
Marcelo Mantecon has raced three times this fall and won all three. The latest was the COROS Race of Champions at the Great American XC Festival in North Carolina on October 3, in 14:35.9, the fastest 5K by a Florida runner this year. His Belen Jesuit teammate Armando Cruz was sixth in that race.
Natalia Gaona-Zelaya of Wiregrass Ranch leads the senior girls. She has five races and five wins, the latest in 17:34.6 at the Stampede Sprint on September 26.
Our September senior list is here.
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.
Senior Boys Top 10
1. Marcelo Mantecon, Belen Jesuit (Miami) 3A - 14:35.9 at the Great American XC Festival (15:06.4)
Won the Florida Horse Park Invitational, the Southern Showcase in 14:41.6, and the COROS Race of Champions at the Great American XC Festival in 14:35.9, beating 340 runners from around the country. He is No. 1 statewide.
2. Armando Cruz, Belen Jesuit (Miami) 3A - 15:06.0 at Cecil Field
Won Cecil Field and was second to Mantecon at the Horse Park and the Showcase. He was sixth in the COROS Race of Champions in 14:50.6.
3. Axel Sallault, East Ridge (Clermont) 4A - 15:05.9 at Hawks on the Hill (15:13.3)
Five races, four wins, the latest at the West Orange Invitational on September 26. His 15:05.9 at Hawks on the Hill is the best run on his card, and he beat Quentin Thompson there.
4. Quentin Thompson, Lake Minneola 4A - 15:16.0 at Cecil Field
Thirteenth of 334 in the championship race at PR'ville in Alabama in 15:32.7, the first Floridian across. He was second to Sallault at Hawks on the Hill and third at the Horse Park.
5. Jaxon Kiper, Strawberry Crest (Dover) 4A - 15:54.3 at Jim Ryun (15:16.1)
Won Jim Ryun in August and the Don Bishop Invitational on October 3 in 15:24.2, 12 seconds ahead of Jonas Williams. He is sixth statewide.
6. Sean Cunningham, Providence (Jacksonville) 1A - 15:15.7 at the Southern Showcase (15:41.2)
Eleventh of 250 at the Showcase in 15:15.7 and 59th in the COROS Race of Champions. He won the Coach Hope Invitational. He is tenth statewide and first in 1A.
7. Dominic Ferguson, Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) 1A - 16:17.3 at the Argonaut Invitational (15:43.9)
Two races: second at the Pace Patriot Invitational behind Bryant Olson, and a win at the Argonaut Invitational on September 26 in 16:17.3.
8. Jonas Williams, Newsome (Lithia) 4A - 16:16.5 at the Lake Region Invitational (15:43.1)
Second at the Don Bishop in 15:36.0, behind Kiper. He won the Raider Open in 15:27.0 and the Lake Region Invitational, and was seventh at the Horse Park.
9. Noah Carpenter, Nature Coast (Brooksville) 2A - 16:16.8 at the Whispering Pines Invitational (16:02.7)
Won the Wild Bulldog Invitational on October 3 in 16:36.9, first of 149, and the Nature Coast Shark Invitational before that. He is first in 2A.
10. Will Moss, Montverde Academy 2A - 16:02.3 at the flrunners.com Invitational (15:58.9)
Won the Race of Champions at the flrunners.com Invitational on October 3 in 16:02.3, ahead of Liam Ilea. He was second at the Katie Caples Invitational, ahead of Gabriel Harris and Luke Ross.
Next up: Gabriel Harris (Lake Wales, 3A) won the Lake Wales Invitational. Luke Ross (Ponte Vedra, 3A) won the Craig Speziale Invitational by 40 seconds. Brody Johnson (Rockledge, 3A) won the Harmony Longhorn Invitational, half a second ahead of Luis Rivera (St. Cloud, 4A). Rishi Chopra (Nease, 4A) is next. Isaiah Howdeshell (Largo, 3A) stays off the list until he is racing again after an injury.
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Senior Girls Top 10
1. Natalia Gaona-Zelaya, Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel) 4A - 18:22.4 at the Astronaut Invitational (17:40.9)
Five races, five wins: the Ragin' Storm XC Challenge, the Whispering Pines Invitational, the Florida Horse Park Invitational, the Astronaut Invitational and the Stampede Sprint in 17:34.6, the fastest 5K by a Florida senior this year. She is third statewide.
2. Alba Antunez-Perez, Spanish River (Boca Raton) 4A - 18:05.0 at the Great American XC Festival (18:17.0)
Won the Race of Champions on her home course at the Spanish River Invitational in 18:03.2, then was 32nd of 324 in the COROS Race of Champions at the Great American XC Festival in 18:05.0. She is eighth statewide.
3. Katelin Wilcox, East Lake (Tarpon Springs) 3A - 19:15.9 at the Seffner Christian Invitational (18:32.2)
Third in the elite race at Cecil Field in 18:35.0, then wins at the Seffner Christian Invitational and the Todd Howsare Memorial.
4. Lydia Vincent, Zephyrhills 3A - 18:40.7 at the Lecanto Invitational (18:37.1)
Second at the Wild Bulldog Invitational on October 3, behind Lainee Mercer, and third at the North Port Invite in 18:24.8.
5. Jillian Jakab, Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) 3A - 18:38.0 at the Katie Caples Invitational (19:07.8)
Third at the Katie Caples Invitational in 18:38.0 and third at the Buchholz Bobcats Classic.
6. Cierra Mills, Vanguard (Ocala) 3A - 18:49.9 at the Rockledge Raider Classic (18:57.1)
Third at the Rockledge Raider Classic in 18:49.9, ahead of Eva McMenemy-Hoang and teammate Reese Cartwright.
7. Eva McMenemy-Hoang, Viera 4A - 19:09.9 at the Astronaut Invitational (18:28.4)
Won the Race of Champions at the flrunners.com Invitational on October 3 in 18:53.3 and was second at the Astronaut. Mills beat her at Rockledge, and that loss stands until they meet again.
8. Avalyn Thompson, Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs) 4A - 19:04.8 at the Ocoee Kickstart Classic (19:08.4)
Three races, three wins: the Ocoee Kickstart Classic, the Freedom Invitational and the Spruce Creek Invitational in 18:55.5. She has not raced since September 12.
9. Reese Cartwright, Vanguard (Ocala) 3A - 19:52.6 at the Craig Speziale Invitational (19:05.7)
Third at the Craig Speziale Invitational on October 3 in 19:52.6, a slow day there, and 19th of 411 at the Horse Park.
10. Naeha Akella, St. Stephen's Episcopal (Bradenton) 1A - 18:38.6 at the IMGA XC Summit Challenge (18:47.3)
Fifth at the IMGA XC Summit Challenge in 18:38.6 and second at the SSAA championship.
Next up: Brianna Bergin (Carrollwood Day, 1A) was second at the Weeki Wachee Invitational. Samantha Helfant (Palm Beach Central, 4A) won the Dr. Garcia Bulldog Invite and the King's Academy Invitational. Ashton Dahlem (Gulf Breeze, 3A) won the Pace Patriot Invitational and the Azalea City Classic. Kaia Ables (Chiles, 3A) and Lauren Susnis (Bishop Moore, 3A) are next.
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How we ranked them
- Senior only (Class of 2027), and high school 5Ks only. We checked every runner's grade against the result files.
- 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.
- Isaiah Howdeshell is held out until he is racing again after an injury. That is our call, not a rule.
The other grades: sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, freshmen, sophomores, juniors. 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 senior cross country runner in Florida? expand_more
Through October 8, 2026, Marcelo Mantecon of Belen Jesuit has the fastest 5K by any Florida runner this year, 14:35.9 to win the COROS Race of Champions at the Great American XC Festival. Natalia Gaona-Zelaya of Wiregrass Ranch has the fastest by a senior girl, 17:34.6, and is unbeaten in five races.