Two of the fastest seniors in Florida have their college homes. Natalia Gaona-Zelaya of Wiregrass Ranch (4A) has committed to Auburn University, and Isaiah Howdeshell of Largo (3A) has committed to the University of North Florida.
Both won region titles on Wednesday, the last step before the FHSAA state championships on November 20.
Natalia Gaona-Zelaya, Wiregrass Ranch, Auburn
Natalia Gaona-Zelaya (Wiregrass Ranch 4A, senior) has committed to Auburn, academically and athletically. Her announcement thanks Auburn coaches Kara, Foster, Jenna and Harden.
It has been a dream season. She has not lost a race this fall. Nine starts, nine wins, starting with the Ragin' Storm XC Challenge in August and running through the 4A Region 3 meet on Wednesday. Her best of the year, and the fastest 5K in our results for her, is 17:02 at the New World Fall Spectacular on October 17, two seconds ahead of Annabella Tomasic of Bishop Moore (3A).
The postseason has been just as clean. She won 4A District 5 in 17:31.1, more than a minute clear of the field, then won 4A Region 3 in 17:09.4, nine seconds ahead of Madison Muller of Riverview Sarasota (4A). Muller beat her for the 4A state title last fall, when Gaona-Zelaya was third in 18:06.9. She has beaten Muller twice this season.
She goes to the state meet as the favorite in 4A and sits No. 1 on our week 10 statewide girls list. On the track, she was fifth in the 1600 (4:52.85) and seventh in the 3200 (10:44.28) at the 4A state meet in May.
| Date | Meet | Place | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22 | Ragin' Storm XC Challenge | 1 | 18:40.3 |
| Aug 29 | Whispering Pines Invitational | 1 | 18:08.85 |
| Sep 5 | Florida Horse Park Invitational | 1 | 18:03.8 |
| Sep 12 | Astronaut Invitational | 1 | 18:22.4 |
| Sep 26 | Stampede Sprint Invitational | 1 | 17:34.6 |
| Oct 17 | New World Fall Spectacular | 1 | 17:02 |
| Oct 24 | SAC East Championships | 1 | 17:20.8 |
| Nov 4 | 4A District 5 | 1 | 17:31.1 |
| Nov 11 | 4A Region 3 | 1 | 17:09.4 |
Isaiah Howdeshell, Largo, North Florida
Isaiah Howdeshell (Largo 3A, senior) has committed to UNF.
He opened the season third in the Cecil Field elite race in 15:20.0, behind Armando Cruz of Belen Jesuit (3A) and Quentin Thompson of Lake Minneola (4A), then won the Parker Valby and Seffner Christian invitationals in September. After a DNF at the Todd Howsare Memorial on September 26, he came back fourth at New World in 15:01, his fastest 5K in our results. The only boys ahead of him were Belen Jesuit's Marcelo Mantecon, Cruz and Jack Michalak.
He has not lost since. He won the PCAC Championship in 15:08.1, 3A District 5 in 15:21.2, and 3A Region 3 on Wednesday in 15:38.4, four and a half seconds ahead of Dylan Macias-Buenrostro of Mariner (3A).
A year ago he was 14th at the 4A state meet in 16:01.2. Largo moved to 3A this fall, which puts him in the same state race as the Belen Jesuit front. He is No. 4 on our week 10 statewide boys list.
He already knows his new home track. At the 4A state meet in May, held at Hodges Stadium on the UNF campus, he was second in the 3200 in 9:02.04, five hundredths of a second behind Andrew Youssef of Vero Beach (4A). He also ran the anchor leg on Largo's 4x800 relay.
| Date | Meet | Place | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21 | Cecil Field Summer Classic, Elite | 3 | 15:20.0 |
| Sep 5 | Parker Valby Invitational | 1 | 16:05.8 |
| Sep 12 | Seffner Christian Invitational | 1 | 16:07.2 |
| Sep 26 | Todd Howsare Memorial | DNF | |
| Oct 17 | New World Fall Spectacular, Elite | 4 | 15:01 |
| Oct 23 | PCAC Championship | 1 | 15:08.1 |
| Nov 4 | 3A District 5 | 1 | 15:21.2 |
| Nov 11 | 3A Region 3 | 1 | 15:38.4 |
Next up: state
The FHSAA state championships are November 20. Gaona-Zelaya goes into the 4A girls race as the favorite. She is unbeaten, she was third a year ago, and Muller, the defending champion, is a runner she has now beaten twice. If Howdeshell runs the 3A boys race, the three boys who beat him at New World all wear the same Belen Jesuit jersey.
Auburn gets a runner who has won every race she has started this fall. North Florida gets a senior who has already run 9:02.04 on its own track. Every result behind this story is on their profiles at Run Florida Run Data.
