By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

It was an upset last year when St. Cloud’s Lady Bulldogs blew away the Orange Belt Conference cross country field to claim the championship over favored rival Harmony.

Should St. Cloud repeat Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at this year’s meet at Poinciana High, it will be no surprise.

The Lady Bulldogs are No. 5 in Class 3A and return most of last year’s runners, plus standout freshman Octavia Gonzalez, who quickly has positioned herself with the best of the county’s runners.

Coach Kevin Harkema said defending conference champion Ashlyn Stadtlander, Katelyn Stadtlander, Gonzalez, Karissa Solorzano, Anaya Reid and Rebecca Davis all could make the all-OBC team (top seven runners) and Kristen Detroyer or Taylor Swanson could be close.

The boys race at 6 p.m. should be more competitive as Liberty has been strong all season. St. Cloud is the defending boys champion.

“Liberty is looking really strong and has their entire team running great,” Harkema said.

But, the Bulldogs won’t surrender without a fight. Harkema said the team, which includes Matt Cole, Bailey Morgan, Antonio Montalvo, Aaron Allcorn and Gabe Sannin, averaged 17:38 at the state meet course at Little Everglades Ranch last weekend.

Liberty Coach Robert Pauley said his team has made great progress.

“This is our best team in school history. The real nice thing is we have real hard workers, these guys are talented runners,” Pauley said.

Amazingly, the team’s lone all-conference runner from last year,  Germine Amaidas, did not run until recently.

“That is how deep we are, and the good news is that our top seven are juniors and freshmen,” he said.

Celebration’s Quincy O’Conner returns to defend his conference championship.

The races begin at 5:30 p.m. (girls) and 6 p.m.