by Tim Ferrell, East Ridge High School
The phrase “familiarity breeds success” once again came to fruition as East Ridge was the host for the Lake County Cross Country Championship. The East Ridge High School Boys Cross Country team continued their successful season as they won the Championship on Saturday Morning. This marked the second year in a row the boys from East Ridge secured first place. Much like the 2022 race, 2023 saw the Knights paced by the overall individual champion. In 2022, Connor Carroll outpaced the field by finishing in a time of 17:59. However, this year, Freshman Axel Sallault completed the very rigorous course in a course record 17:13, which was eighteen seconds faster than two weeks prior at the SSG Hammond Invitational, run also at East Ridge High School. This race was a true team effort, as evidenced by the fact that East Ridge was also able to place all five scoring runners in the top 15, the only team to do this. The Knights scored fantastically low (remember: low is good in Cross Country) 27 points! Just behind the Knights and finishing as runner-up was Mount Dora High School, who scored 56 points. Third place was Lake Minneola High School which scored 61 points, followed by Tavares High School in fourth place with 72 points.
The Lake County Cross Country Championship saw both the Varsity and Junior Varsity races combined due to just seven teams competing. This provided coaches the opportunity to see how their JV runners would compete going head to head with other JV and Varsity runners. East Ridge saw many extremely impressive performances in this race. As mentioned earlier, Sallault won the individual overall championship for the Knights. Sallault led from start to finish, with his teammate Caleb Walker running alongside him for much of the first mile. After the first mile, Sallault began to widen his lead as the race wore on. Sallault was able to maintain his quick pace, despite the very hilly conditions throughout the course. Sallault’s teammate Caleb Walker was just inched out at the end for 3rd place where Walker was able to run a blazing 18:16, twenty seconds faster than two weeks prior at the SSG Hammond Invitational. Finishing 3rd for the Knights and 5th overall was Sophomore Dylan McCleary who ran an 18:54, well over a minute faster than at the Invitational two weeks earlier! Right on McCleary’s heels was much improved Gustavo Vargas, finishing fourth for the Knights and sixth overall in a time of 18:57. This was a personal best for Gustavo and was over 30 seconds faster than two weeks earlier! Rounding out the scoring for the Knights was Senior Kevin Lederer who completed the course in 12th place in a time of 19:24. This time was seventeen seconds faster than what Lederer ran in the 2022 version of the Lake County Cross Country championship.
The Lake County Cross Country Championship provides coaches with a last chance to see who they will select for their top ten runners to compete at the District Race. So, this race for some runners, was extremely important so that their seasons could continue. The top non-scoring runner for East Ridge and sixth overall was Freshman Tyce Ertel, who has scored for the Knights on a few occasions this season. Tyce was able to complete the course in an impressive time of 20:39 and 19th overall. This was twenty seconds faster than two weeks prior at the SSG Hammond Invitational. Fellow Freshman Ethan Laack finished just four seconds behind Tyce and 20th overall. Much like Tyce, Ethan has also scored at times for the Knights. Ethan finished in a time of 20:43. Sophomore James Laack was eighth for the Knights and completed the course in a time of 21:08. This time made him almost TWO minutes quicker than two weeks prior. Laack has also provided scoring at times for the Knights throughout the season. Ninth for the Knights and 25th overall was Sophomore Scott Bori, finishing in a time of 21:17. This time was over a minute and a half faster than two weeks prior. Tenth for the Knights and 27th overall was Senior Dawson Balliet. Balliet completed the race in a time of 21:27, which was well over FIVE minutes faster than the Invitational two weeks earlier. Just behind Balliet was a slew of Knights finishing within seconds of each other. Evan DeAnnuntis and Christopher Stuemke finished 28th and 29th respectively, with times of 21:28 and 21:29. For DeAnnuntis, this was over two minutes faster and Stuemke almost a minute and a half faster two weeks prior. Freshman Eli Parks completed the East Ridge course in a time of 23:12 and 40th place, followed by Sophomore Gabriel Jayjack running 23:59 and 45th place. That time was over two and a half minutes faster than two weeks prior. Just behind Jayjack was Freshman John Hall finishing in 46th place in a time of 24:10. Fellow Sophomores Chase Ensor and Owen Degges, finished in 52nd and 58th place, respectively, in times of 25:27 and 28:10. For Degges, he was able to finish the race in almost one minute faster than the SSG Hammond Invitational. Rounding out the finish times for the East Ridge Knights was two Freshmen, Alexander Stuemke (61st place) and Lucas Hamoui (62nd place), who finished in times of 28:48 and 33:18. For Hamoui, this was almost three minutes faster than two weeks prior.
The Lake County Cross Country Championship marks the final regular season race for the Knights and the last regular season race for our Seniors. This year, East Ridge only had two Seniors, but what wonderful seniors they were. First, Kevin Lederer began his career at East Ridge as a Sophomore. Kevin immediately was thrust into the Varsity lineup as a Sophomore as he was a dependable runner, consistently providing the Knights with quality depth. Kevin was able to run at Districts and Regionals as a Sophomore. As a Junior, Kevin brought his times down even further where he began to put down times in the 18:00’s and was a consistent scorer for the Knights. Kevin, as a Senior, began to show leadership for a very young East Ridge team and has guided them to many successes in the 2023 season. Our second senior, Dawson Balliet joined the Knights for the 2023 season with very little running experience. Despite not running High School Cross Country prior to this season, Dawson lowered his times as the season wore on, with Dawson putting down a personal best at the Lake County Championships and qualifying him to be able to run at the District race at Hagerty.
The Lake County Cross Country Championship provides coaches to get a last chance to
see who they will select for their top ten runners to compete at the District Race. So, this race for some runners, was extremely important so that their seasons could continue. The top non-scoring runner for East Ridge and sixth overall was Freshman Tyce Ertel, who has scored for the Knights on a few occasions this season. Tyce was able to complete the course in an impressive time of 20:39 and 19th overall. This was twenty seconds faster than two weeks prior at the SSG Hammond Invitational. Fellow Freshman Ethan Laack finished just four seconds behind Tyce and 20th overall. Much like Tyce, Ethan has also scored at times for the Knights. Ethan finished in a time of 20:43. Sophomore James Laack was eighth for the Knights and completed the course in a time of 21:08. This time made him almost TWO minutes quicker than two weeks prior. Laack has also provided scoring at times for the Knights throughout the season. Ninth for the Knights and 25th overall was Sophomore Scott Bori, finishing in a time of 21:17. This time was over a minute and a half faster than two weeks prior. Tenth for the Knights and 27th overall was Senior Dawson Balliet. Balliet completed the race in a time of 21:27, which was well over FIVE minutes faster than the Invitational two weeks earlier. Just behind Balliet was a slew of Knights finishing within seconds of each other. Evan DeAnnuntis and Christopher Stuemke finished 28th and 29th respectively, with times of 21:28 and 21:29. For DeAnnuntis, this was over two minutes faster and Stuemke almost a minute and a half faster two weeks prior. Freshman Eli Parks completed the East Ridge course in 23:12 and 40th place, followed by Sophomore Gabriel Jayjack who ran 23:59 and 45th place. That time was over two and a half minutes faster than two weeks prior. Just behind Jayjack was Freshman John Hall finishing in 46th place in a time of 24:10. Fellow Sophomores Chase Ensor and Owen Degges, finished in 52nd and 58th place, respectively, in times of 25:27 and 28:10. For Degges, he was able to finish the race in almost one minute faster than the SSG Hammond Invitational. Rounding out the finish times for the East Ridge Knights were two Freshmen, Alexander Stuemke (61st place) and Lucas Hamoui (62nd place), who finished in times of 28:48 and 33:18. For Hamoui, this was almost three minutes faster than two weeks prior.
