On Saturday, Sept. 30th, the Varsity Cross Country team participated in an FSU Cross Country meet with the aim of qualifying for the State meet scheduled for Nov. 7. The team competed in the Boys Elite race at 8:00 a.m. on that Saturday. The months leading up to this event, they dedicated themselves to rigorous training and preparation, commencing their efforts in June. This particular race held the promise of catapulting the team into the statewide spotlight.
This race served as a pivotal prelude to the State meet, offering a preliminary indication of how teams might rank halfway through the season. Going into this event, the Plant team was ranked 27th. However, it’s essential to note that the races the Plant team had engaged in during the first half of the season were notably challenging, resulting in slightly slower times compared to those who opted for easier competitions. Despite their initial ranking, the Plant team defied expectations and concluded the race in the 19th position, marking an impressive leap of eight places. This remarkable achievement was primarily driven by exceptional performances from the top runners.
The competition took place in Tallahassee, Florida, notorious for its fast-paced start. Nevertheless, the Plant team demonstrated remarkable prowess, with the top four runners all finishing in under 17 minutes. Leading the charge was Senior George Dirks with a time of 16:24, closely followed by Junior Ben Goldberg at 16:26. Senior Michael DiFranco achieved a personal record of 16:35, with Senior Andrew Lind crossing the finish line at 16:50. Additionally, Freshman Ryan Pavliga set a personal best time of 18:27. It’s worth noting that these remarkable times were attained only halfway through the season, leaving room for further improvement and an ambitious pursuit of a podium finish at the State meet.
The next significant milestone for the Plant team is their upcoming meet on October 14th at New World Bowles High School in Jacksonville, FL. This event represents their final opportunity to fine-tune their performance before the counties and districts later in the month, followed by the State Championship in early November. Last year, the Plant team narrowly missed the podium, finishing in fourth place. Their former standouts, such as Tulane Freshman Albert Tawil-Brown, High Point Freshman Tyler Rodgers, FIU freshman Joey Coyle, and Sophomore Trey Fisher, have leaving the team , creating a new challenge. In response to their absence , the Plant team is determined to not only secure a podium finish but to astonish the entire state with their resolute and strong finish to the season.
