Florida middle school state meet
FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Championship 2026
Oct 30
Open + elementary
Oct 31
Championship 3Ks
Lakeland
Holloway Park
When is the 2026 FLYRA middle school state meet?
The 2026 FLYRA Middle School State Cross Country Championship is Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Holloway Park in Lakeland. Friday has the elementary races and the middle school Open 3K, with no qualifying. Saturday has the eight championship 3K races, boys and girls in four divisions: Public, Private, Charter and Club. Teams and runners qualify through FLYRA-designated 3K meets during the season.
Race Schedule
Every middle school race is 3K. Times are from FLYRA's weekend schedule; check it the night before in case a time moves.
Saturday, October 31: Championship races
| 6:30 AM | Packet pickup opens |
| 8:00 AM | Girls Club Championship |
| 8:20 AM | Girls Public School Championship |
| 8:40 AM | Boys Club Championship |
| 9:00 AM | Boys Public School Championship |
| 9:30 AM | Girls Charter School Championship |
| 9:50 AM | Girls Private School Championship |
| 10:10 AM | Boys Charter School Championship |
| 10:30 AM | Boys Private School Championship |
Friday, October 30: Open and elementary races
| 1:00 PM | Course preview opens (park closes at 7 PM) |
| 3:00 PM | Packet pickup opens |
| 4:00 PM | K-2nd grade 1K, boys and girls together, awarded by gender |
| 4:15 PM | 3rd-5th grade girls 2K |
| 4:35 PM | 3rd-5th grade boys 2K |
| 5:00 PM | Middle school girls Open 3K |
| 5:30 PM | Middle school boys Open 3K |
Friday awards follow the last race of the evening. Part of the 3K course closes at 5 PM for the Open races.
How Qualifying Works
- Teams: finish in the top 30% of scored teams at a FLYRA-designated 3K qualifier. FLYRA does not move down the list when a team that already qualified finishes in that group.
- Individuals: finish in the top 10% of all finishers at a 3K qualifier, the same no-move-down rule applies, and runners on a qualified team are already in.
- High school races do not count. A middle schooler running varsity 5Ks for a high school has to qualify in a middle school 3K.
- Divisions: Public, Private, Charter and Club, each with its own race and awards. Unattached runners enter by the kind of school they attend; homeschoolers race Private. There are no unattached runners in Club.
- One team, one race: a runner who qualified for both a school and a club picks one before registration closes, and no one runs both the Open and a championship race.
- Team size: five to score, 10 at most. The Open 3K and elementary races have no limits and no qualifying.
- Fifth graders can no longer race the middle school 3Ks as of fall 2026.
Source: FLYRA's How to Qualify and FAQ pages. FLYRA keeps the list of who has qualified on its Who's Qualified page.
Who to Watch
Our latest Florida middle school rankings, individual and team, overall and by FLYRA division:
- Florida Middle School Cross Country Team Rankings by Division, Week 9: Top 10 Public, Private, Charter and Club
- Florida Middle School Cross Country Rankings by Division, Week 9: Top 10 Public, Private, Charter and Club
- Florida Middle School Cross Country Rankings, Week 9: Boys and Girls Top 10
- Florida Middle School Cross Country Team Rankings, Week 9: Boys and Girls Top 10
- Florida cross country rankings boards, updated with every results import
Tickets, Parking and Meet-Day Tips
- Spectators: $5 on Saturday, free on Friday. Saturday armbands can be bought ahead at Friday's retail tent. Coaches and athletes in uniform are free; the gate takes cash and cards.
- Entrances: cars use 3050 Lakeland Highlands Rd., Lakeland 33803. Buses use 2402 Holloway Park Dr., Lakeland 33812.
- Team tents: allowed, and can go up on Friday. Bring stakes; FLYRA says it was windy last year.
- On site: concessions, a coffee vendor, a first-aid tent by the athlete water tables, and event shirts. No dogs except service dogs.
- Registration: $25 per individual, $125 per gender team, $250 max per school.
Source: FLYRA's parking and Holloway Park page.
2025 Division Champions
From the October 31, 2025 meet at Holloway Park. Full 2025 FLYRA state results.
| Division | Individual champion | Time | Team champion (score) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys Public | Navid Lozano, Tavares Middle School | 9:41.4 | Tavares Middle School (68) |
| Girls Public | Alice Ilea, Tavares Middle School | 10:42.2 | Tavares Middle School (53) |
| Boys Private | Emilio Tobon, Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale) | 9:57.2 | Belen Jesuit (Miami) (43) |
| Girls Private | Sophia Underwood, Saint Mary Catholic School | 11:01.2 | Ransom Everglades (Miami) (82) |
| Boys Charter | Joaquin Cogo, Doral Academy Charter Middle School | 10:05.2 | Cornerstone Classical Academy (32) |
| Girls Charter | Lauren Martinez-Lejarza, True North Classical Academy Charter | 11:23.5 | Cornerstone Classical Academy (43) |
| Boys Club | Dominic Sadonis, Pasco Panthers | 9:24.4 | No Excuses RC (24) |
| Girls Club | Brianna Motycka, No Excuses RC | 10:24.8 | No Excuses RC (27) |
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 FLYRA middle school state meet?
Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Holloway Park, 3050 Lakeland Highlands Rd., Lakeland. The Saturday championship races start at 8:00 a.m.
How do you qualify for the FLYRA state championship?
At a FLYRA-designated 3K qualifier meet. A team qualifies by finishing in the top 30% of scored teams, and an individual by finishing in the top 10% of all finishers. High school 5K races and times do not count. The Friday Open 3K and the elementary races need no qualifying.
Which division does my runner race in?
The division matches the team the runner qualified with: Public, Private, Charter or Club. Unattached runners enter the division for the kind of school they attend, and homeschoolers enter Private. A runner who qualified with both a school and a club must pick one before registration closes and can only run one race all weekend.
How many runners can a team enter?
Five to score and 10 at most in each championship race. The Open 3K has no limit.
How much does it cost?
Registration is $25 for an individual and $125 per gender team, with a $250 cap per school. Spectators pay $5 on Saturday, and Friday is free. Coaches and athletes in uniform get in free, and the gate takes cash and cards.
Can fifth graders run the middle school races?
No. Starting in fall 2026, fifth graders can no longer run the middle school championship or Open 3K races. They race the 3rd-5th grade 2K on Friday.
High school runners: the FHSAA cross country state championship guide covers districts, regions and state. Every other meet is on the Florida cross country meet schedule.