Cross Country: Pine Crest Girls Win 5th Straight Region Title

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Pine Crest, the most consistent girls and boys cross country program in South Florida, turned in one of its finest performances of the season at the Region 4-2A Cross Country Championships at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale.

The girls team captured the region title for the fifth consecutive year and now hope to win a state crown after finishing runner-up for the last four years in a row. Standing in its way, four-time defending state champion Jacksonville Bolles.

Pine Crest finished with a school record 26 points ahead of Satellite (86) and Ransom Everglades (157).

Freshman Tsion Yared, despite cramping late in the race, was third in 18:32. Yared won a state title in 2014.

The Panthers had five runners in the Top 9. In addition to Yared, they were freshman Maya Beleznay, fifth, 18:37; eighth grader Mahdere Yared, sixth, 19:29; freshman Emily Faulhaber, eighth, 19:38 and senior Simone Vreeland, ninth, 19:39.

Gulliver Prep freshman Natalie Varela, coached by former University of Miami coach Mike Ward, won the individual title in 18:23, three seconds ahead of Melbourne senior Amanda Beach.

Pine Crest boys' team finished runner-up with 91 points ahead of team champion Satellite with 86 points. The Panthers, at least second in the last five years, advanced to state for the eighth time in the last nine years.

Senior Michael Kennedy was Pine Crest's top finisher, placing tenth in 16:44.

"It's incredible to think what these teams have accomplished so far this year," Pine Crest coach Paul Baur said.

Caleb Pottorff of Lincoln Park won the boys' race in 15:50. Calvary Christian's Danny Ferro was runner-up in 16:01. Archbishop McCarthy senior William Shine was the only other Broward runner in the Top 10, placing eighth in 16:29.

The top six teams and top 15 individual finishers advance to Saturday's FHSAA State Cross Country Championships at hilly Apalachee Regional Park on Saturday.

In other region meets:

REGION 4-4A BOYS: Defending state champion St. Thomas Aquinas had no problem repeating as region champions with 26 points. Braddock edged Ferguson for second, 101-102. The Raiders were led by individual winner conference and district champion Nicholas Rischar in 16:14. Guillermo Rojas was second in 16:20 and Hunter Dobbs of Coral Reef was third in 16:27.

REGION 4-4A GIRLS: Ferguson placed four runners (Lisa Adjouadi, 19:38, Jazmyn Martinez, 19:51, Bianca Banato, 19:57 and Kaylee Alfaro) in the top nine to win the team title with 44 points among a 15-team field. Our Lady of Lourdes was second (59) and St. Thomas Aquinas was third (91). Palmetto freshman Jordan Shapiro won the individual title in 19:02 for 3.1 miles at Larry & Penny Thompson Park.

REGION 3-4A BOYS: Coral Springs was top Broward finisher placing fourth (130) behind Spanish River (60), Martin County (85), and Palm Beach Central (129). Coral Glades (180) was the only other Broward team in the Top 10 with a sixth-place finish. Forest Hill Isaiah Dela Puente of Forest Hill won the boys' title in 16:20. Junior Khiro Hoilett was Coral Springs top finisher placing sixth place in 17:07.

REGION 3-4A GIRLS: Douglas was the only Broward team in the Top 10 placing third with 109 points behind Vero Beach (80) and Wellington (109). Freshman Rylee Pustilnik won the girls title in 19:05. Senior Emilia Thom was Douglas' top finisher placing 12th in 20:56. Sophomore teammate Alyssa Fletcher was also in the Top 20 placing 16th in 21:05.

REGION 4-3A BOYS: Belen Jesuit had five runners in the Top 10 including individual winner Joshua Collins, to capture its 14th consecutive region team title with 30 points, 54 points ahead of Merritt Island in the 15-team field. Collins, a junior, won in 15:51, the only runner to crack 16 minutes. Other Wolverine finishers were: Sebastian Roa, fifth, 16:52; Christopher Garcia, sixth, 16:58; Henrique Souza, eighth, 17:00; and Lucas de la Hoz, tenth, 17:20.

REGION 4-3A GIRLS: Miami Northwestern continued its' storybook season and charmed path to the state meet with a runner-up finish, just six points behind Merritt Island, 92-98, in the 14-team meet. Mater Academy freshman Valarie Lastra won the girls' race in 18:07. The Lady Bulls' top finisher was junior Ayoola Gbolade, 13th in 21:21. Junior teammate Antravia Snow was 23rd in 21:46, sophomore Nina Burgos, 24th in 21:38 and senior Zaria Jackson, 25th in 21:52. Senior De'Andreah Young was 28th in 22:05.

REGION 4-1A BOYS: Westminster Academy, with three runners in the Top 10, won the team title with 30 points. Marathon was second with 45 and Doctors Charter was third with 129. Highlands Christian junior Ryan Szklany won the boys' race in 16:52 outsprinting Westminster Academy junior Saahr Edouard in 16:53.

REGION 4-1A GIRLS: Westminster Christian won the team title with three runners in the Top 10 to finish two points ahead of Miami Country Day, 87-89. Westminster Academy freshman Jasmine Hincapie won the girls' title in 20:07. Hincapie had won the title last year for Boca Raton Christian before transferring. King's Academy seventh-grader Mia Rodriguez was second in 20:20.

FHSAA STATE CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE

Saturday, Apalachee Regional Park, Tallahassee

Girls 2A, 8 a.m.; Girls 3A, 8:25 a.m.; Boys 2A, 8:50 a.m.; Boys 3A, 9:15 a.m.; Girls 4A, 9:40 a.m.; Girls 1A, 10:05 a.m.; Boys 4A, 10:30 a.m.; Boys 1A, 10:55 a.m.; Awards ceremony, noon.