Sallault Once Again Leads Knights To Runner-Up Finish At SSG Hammond Invitational
(Photo by South Lake Photography)
by Tim Ferrell, East Ridge High SchoolThe East Ridge Boys Cross Country Team was back in action on Saturday, September 21st, participating in the SSG Hammond Invitational. The SSG Hammond Invitational is hosted by none other than our very own Knights so the race was a home meet. Instead of waking up very early, getting on a bus and running at a foreign location, the Knights were able to sleep in a little bit and show off their unique course to the rest of Central Florida. The campus of East Ridge may present one of the most difficult challenges as it has something that most areas in Florida do not: Hills. The course at East Ridge is not a course that is easy to run a personal best time nor season best time. Due to the elevation, it can be extremely tough for a distance runner. Saturday was no different.Photo by South Lake PhotographyThe Knights were able to protect their home race rather respectably. East Ridge ran a solid race, garnering a second-place finish, just behind District mates and a very formidable foe, Horizon High School. Horizon placed four runners in the top top and all five in the top 13. Finishing behind the Knights was also a familiar foe, Windermere High School. In fourth place was Ocala’s own West Port High School, which packs a very solid 1-2 punch, rounded out with Tavares finishing fifth.East Ridge was once again led by Sophomore Axel Sallault. Sallault, who was running his home course and knew the terrain very well cruised to the lead from the very beginning of the race and never relinquished the lead, keeping about a 20-second lead consistently throughout the race. Axel would finish in first with a time of 16:44. This is one of the fastest times ever run at East Ridge’s course, breaking the course record, his own record set last season in 2023. Also finishing in the top ten for the Knights was Junior Caleb Walker. Walker finished in seventh place in a time of 17:44. Finishing just off of his personal best time was Junior Gustavo Vargas, finishing eleventh in a time of 18:11, the fastest he has ever run on his home course by well over a minute. Completing the course in the top 20 was Freshman Aubin Sallault, his highest finish in his High School career. Sallault completed the course in 18:48. Rounding out the scoring for the Knights was Sophomore Tyce Ertel finishing in 22nd place and a 19:04. Fellow Juniors Dylan McCleary and James Laack were next for the Knights, with McCleary finishing in 35th place (19:58) and Laack in 42nd place (20:17).PHoto by south Lake PhotographyThe East Ridge Junior Varsity Team also finished as runner-ups, finishing just behind Windermere High School. The Knights were led by Freshman Watson Dunham who was coming off an injury and ran an amazing 20:28 and won the JV race. Watson, much like varsity winner Axel Sallault, took the lead from the beginning and never relinquished it. Finishing a few spots behind Dunham was fellow Freshman Gavan Flaugher who finished in fourth place and in a time of 20:45. Finishing third for the Knights was Sophomore Eli Parks finishing 22nd with a time of 22:18. Parks was followed by Junior Scott Bori with time of 22:25. Rounding out the scoring for the JV Knights was another Freshman, Maddox Nickolaou, who continues to improve with every week running a 22:32. Rounding out the finishers for the JV Knights was Andrew Conway (29th place, 22:42), Evan DeAnnuntis (31st place, 22:46), Isaac Bori (34th place, 22:54), Christopher Stuemke (35th place, 23:00), Daniel Baggett (37th place, 23:08), Aiden Floudiotis (50th place, 24:43), John Hall (59th place, 25:37), and Jayden Ramjohn (60th place, 25:50)Memorial Walk for the late Abraham Hammond, the walk was led by members of Hammond’s family; Photo by Jeff Warren of South Lake Photography.
The Knights will not be in action for two weeks when they participate once again in the FLRUNNERS.COM Invitational at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida. The start times are still yet to be determined as the hosts of the meet have still not decided which race the East Ridge teams will be in.
