submitted by Grant Mollett, M.Ed, East Ridge High School
Sebastian (October 13) For the first time this season the weather conditions made it feel like a fall morning. The East Ridge High School girls varsity cross country team traveled to the coast to compete in the 25thAnnual Sharks Invitational at Sebastian River High School in Sebastian. The mid-70s temperature and overcast skies made for “Goldilocks conditions” for a large field of female runners who would showcase their personal improvement just two weeks out from their district meets. For the Knights, things seemed to be “just right,” as they blazed through the sharp turns, narrow paths, and the ominous sand pit that made up the two-loop course on Sebastian River’s campus.
Girls from 22 different schools throughout Florida competed in the Sharks Invitational on Saturday morning. For senior Alexis Hill, today’s meet was the opportunity she had been working toward this season to set a career personal best, and she would not squander that opportunity. Alexis, once again, led her team and crossed the finish line in eleventh place out of a large field of 175 female runners. She recorded a finish time of 20:15 – a career personal best by 45 seconds. Alexis’s time was thirty-one seconds off of East Ridge’s school record – 19:44, set by Kelsey Arellano in 2009. Kelsey Arellano and Anita Green are the only two girls in East Ridge’s history with faster times than Alexis. Junior Reagan Parks was the second team scorer for the Knights. Reagan placed 16thoverall, and she finished in a time of 21:11 – a season personal best by three seconds.
The third Knight to finish was senior Cassidy Carroll. Cassidy finished in 25thplace with a finish time of 21:40 – a new career personal best by nearly one minute. Sophomore Mackenzie Hill was the fourth scorer for the varsity team this morning. She followed her teammate and placed 26thand came across the line in a time of 21:42 – a new season personal best by nearly a minute. The fifth runner for the Knights was sophomore Olivia Peine. She placed 60thand posted a new career personal best time of 22:57. Senior Eliya Anderson was the sixth runner in for East Ridge, and she finished in a time of 23:51 – a career personal best time by more than thirty seconds. Eliya placed 75thoverall. Sophomore Emy Wells was the seventh runner for East Ridge this morning. Emy placed 90thand finished in a time of 24:27.
This morning’s race showcased four new career personal best times and two new season personal best times for East Ridge’s girls. As a team, East Ridge placed fourth out of 22 teams. Rockledge High School took first overall in the team scores by placing its five scoring runners in the top thirteen. The overall winner for the girls’ varsity race was Margaret Ward from Rockledge High School. She finished the race in a time of 18:54.
The girls cross country team will travel to Ocala to participate in the Trinity Catholic High School Celtic Invitational at Trinity Catholic High School on Saturday, October 20th.
For full results from the 25thAnnual Sharks Invitational visit https://www.arrowliveresults.com/SHARKINVITEGIRLSVARSITY.
