The 2016 Nike Cross Regional Southeast in Cary, NC, is the last stop en route to Nike Cross Nationals held in Portland, Oregon.

The Regional also falls on the same day as Foot Locker South as the two main entities have yet to figure out an equitable qualifying process for "those few" that may want to see the best runners go head-to-head on the course.

Florida will send a contingent of the State's best teams and individuals to compete in the Championships.

 

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Girls Championship Team Preview

If your from Pine Crest, it's been a very solid season and the Panthers are the Sunshine State's best hope of qualifying to Nationals.  Coach Baur's Girls absolutely crushed the course at Apalachee Regional Park winning the 2A State Championship with an 18:41 average, their first ever State XC championship after numerous runner-up finishes.  The fastest of all teams on the day.  They also sport the fastest National average in the Hoka One One Postal Challenge, averaging 11:30 per runner.

 

 

 

 

Led by senior Simone Vreeland, we can be pretty assured that the Panther's will be very loose and ready to run fast if State and indeed their season, was any indication. The Panthers will be competing as Club Team,"Panther Nation".

 

 

Coach LaFollette's 3A State Championship Girls team from Niceville are also scheduled to compete.  Competing as the Niceville XC Club, the Eagles were 12 points better than Chiles at State and averaged 18:56.  Lacking a true front-runner, the Eagles on any given different day can have a different number 1.  They will need to rely on their pack running and measly 27 second split from 1 to 5 at State to have an impact.

 

Coach Strong's Ft Myers Girls team is headed to #NXRSE as the Wave Club XC team.  The Green Wave, led by senior Kristlin Gear finished 3rd in 3A. DyeStat Florida blogger Kristlin "Krissy" Gear finished 4th overall as they averaged 19:42 a runner at the "XC playground" in Tallahassee 3 weeks ago. 

 

 

 

Considering we have the State's top 3 teams in 3A, this is a re-run of sorts and will be interesting to see if the same results hold true on a different course, different location, 3 weeks on.

 

Coach Ryan's Lady Bulldogs, 2nd at State in 2016, bring formidable front power to the Championship race with 2A State Champion Caitlin Collier a serious threat to punch her ticket to Nike Cross Nationals.  Competing as the Bulldog XC Club, Bolles averaged 18:55 at State, 21 points back of Pine Crest in 2A.

Caitlin's 17:44 at State was deceivingly quick and her trajectory this season is most definitely heading in the right direction.  After a 3rd place finish at Katie Caples had us wondering if she could turn it around towards the latter half of the season after an extended outdoor season on the track, she has been stellar.

The Bulldogs will need her low stick and a stellar day to crack the podium.  They did quite well in 2015 where they finished 3rd overall but admittedly, this Bulldog team isn't as deep as last year's State Championship squad.  Caitlin was 8th overall last year in 18:41.  We think she earns her first trip to Nike Cross Nationals this year.

If your looking for story-lines, which of the 4 Florida teams will bring home Sunshine State honors as highest finisher?  We give Pine Crest the edge but it's been 3 weeks since State and a lot can happen in 3 weeks.

 

We'll get a chance to see how our 4 team entrants compete on the hilly, fast course at WakeMed where the forecast temperature for the 11:50 am race is in the mid 50's with zero chance of precipitation.

Girls Individual Championship Preview

Also making the trip for NXR for the Girls Championship race are Floridian's Kayla Easterly, Samantha Folio, Jennifer Lima, Claire Moritz and Chelsey Oliver.

Holy Trinity's Samantha Folio was 2nd at 1A State in 18:34. 

Easterly, an FSU signee, was 3rd in 3A at State going 18:14.  Ponte Vedra's Moritz, a junior for the Sharks, was 11th in 18:41, East Lake's Lima was 12th in 18:45. Riverdale's Oliver was 30th in a PR, 19:12.

In 2015, Trent Mandato, the Furman signee, was 12th overall at Regionals in 15:34.

We're hoping Trent is 100% and ready to once again lead the Class of the Sunshine State on their quest to an NXN birth in 2016.  An absolutely stellar performance at State team-wise saw the Boys from Trinity Prep average 15:56 a runner.  Their 1-5 split was 45 seconds showing they will need some help from the back end of the Avery Creek Running Club to keep things in check.