Tohopekaliga and Celebration take team titles
Harmony junior Lailana Decker continued to build on her impressive athletic career while Poinciana’s Levi Lee was a surprise boys’ winner as they captured Orange Belt Conference (OBC) cross country titles on Wednesday afternoon at Austin Tindall Park.
Lee, who placed fifth a year ago, trailed Tohopekaliga’s Nikolas Boone about 500 yards from the finish line but said he “ran through the pain” to win the 5K event by three seconds in a time of 17:02.53.
“I felt if I ran as good as I could I would have a chance of a top two or three finish,” Lee said. “But I was up near the front for most of the race and just turned it loose down the stretch.”
Boone (17:05) led a strong Tohopekaliga contingent as the Tigers captured their third consecutive boys’ team title. Teammates Jared Lopez (3rd-17:27) and Marc Rodriguez (5th-17:33) all stepped up to earn All-OBC honors and those strong performances were supported by a ninth place and 10th place finishes by Cameron Ford (17:53) and Anthoney Allen (18:00). The Tigers (29 points) easily out-distanced second St. Cloud (72) and Celebration (79).
The Tigers team performance, one year after Tohopekaliga graduated its top three runners, was a strong testament to the program Coach Mathew Fenn is building at the school.
“I really proud of the effort of these kids,” Fenn said. “We had a lot of really big shoes to fill this year with the departing seniors from last year. The guys have worked hard all year and have gotten better every week but I still believe we are a work in progress and the best is still to come.”
The overall strength of the Tigers boys program was further endorsed by the performance of its junior varsity team, which won the junior varsity OBC Championship with a perfect 15 score.
St. Cloud placed two runners on the OBC All-Conference team in Silas Corchado (4th-17:31) and freshman Brody Ansbaugh (7th, 17:49). Rounding out the All-OBC team was Gateway’s Xavier Rivera-Melendez (6th-17:39) and Harmony’s Anakin Barbour (8th-17:49).
On the girls’ side, Decker continued her county dominance. After finishing second as a freshman, Decker defended her OBC championship with a winning time of 20:11.32, which was more than 32 seconds faster than Celebration’s Claire Reburn (20:54).
“It was a great day to run, not too hot or humid,” Decker said of her win. “I got out front early just tried to keep up with the pace cart. I probably would have liked to run a little faster, but all things considered I was pleased with the race.”
But despite Decker’s run and solid efforts from her Harmony teammates and from St. Cloud, it couldn’t keep Celebration from winning its first OBC girls team title.
In addition to the solid effort from Reburn, Evelyn Juden (6th-22:13), and Carly Robbins (8th-22:26) earned All-OBC honors and Marissa MacNeill (9th) and Serena Santiago (12th) posted high finishes for the Storm (37); to edge St. Cloud (46).
Decker’s teammate Cadence Edwards joined her on the All-OBC team; while St. Cloud placed two runners on the team in Kyla Perez (3rd-22:21.22) and Allison Sandoval (4th-22:21.97); and Tohopekaliga had one All-OBC runner in Naomi Polete-Ortiz (22.33).
Celebration’s team win ended a five-year stretch by Harmony as girls’ cross country champ. Prior to that, St. Cloud won the girls team title from 2010-17.
“The past couple of years we have been in the hunt,” Storm Coach David Rains said. “We sort of felt that if we got solid performances from one through five we would have a chance to win this year and that’s pretty much what happened. The top three or four teams have been bunched together in this county for the last couple of years, I am just proud and happy that our girls were able to come out on top this year.”
Harmony’s Naomi Baker won the OBC girls’ junior varsity race.
District competition is up next. Celebration, Tohopekaliga, Harmony, Poinciana, and St. Cloud all compete in the 17-team District 4A-5 meet on Saturday, Nov. 4. The girls championship will start at 7:30 a.m.; with the boys race starting at 8:20 a.m. The top eight teams qualify for regionals.
OBC Results
5K at Austin Tindall Park
Girls (Team Scores): Celebration 37, St. Cloud 46, Harmony 57, Tohopekaliga 119, Gateway 119, Osceola 190
Girls All Conference: Lailana Decker (H) 20:11.32; Claire Reburn ( C) 20:54.32; Kyla Perez (SC) 21:28.32; Allison Sandoval (SC) 21:28.97; Cadence Edwards (H) 21:40.65; Evelyn Juden (C) 22:18.18; Naomi Polete-Ortiz (T) 22: 33.48; Carly Robbins (C) 22:36.99
Boys (Team Scores): Tohopekaliga 29, St. Cloud 72, Celebration 79, Harmony 110, Gateway 112, Poinciana 116
Boys All Conference: Levi Lee (P) 17:02.53; Nikolas Boone (T) 17:05.10; Jared Lopez (T) 17:22.11; Silas Corchado (SC) 17:31.45; Marc Rodriguez (T) 17:33.46; Xavier Rivera-Melendez (G) 17:39.88; Brody Ansbaugh (SC) 17:49.48; Anakin Barbour (H) 17:49.69.
