Taking on the Nation's Best: Bolles Qualifies for NXN


Duval (Bolles) is headed back to NXN. The state championship team is the first Florida team to have consecutive national qualifying performances at a regional meet. 

It's safe to say the race conditions for NXRSE and Foot Locker South were less than ideal, for the Floridans that ran either meets, each athlete showed strength and perseverance as they raced with the conditions they were presented with. 

Championship Race

Florida #1, Charles Hicks, took the win in the Championship race with a 15:04 finish on the muddy WakeMed course. The Bolles senior ran 14:59 on the course at Great American and battled with Loudon Valley's Sam Affolder for the majority of the race. 

Ben Foltz followed Hicks with his 12th place 15:32 performance, then Alex Hastings in 36th place 15:54, Chase Rivera 15:56, Kamren Khan 16:10, William Brady 16:24, and Cole Rutkowski 17:00. 

Bolles placed second to the best ranked team in the nation, Loudon Valley (The Jungle). With a total of 117 points, these bulldogs have secured yet another NXN spot. 

Miami X (Belen Jesuit) had a fantastic race as well, running their way to a hard fought fifth place finish. Belen was led by Adam Magoulas with his 13th place, 15:34, performance with 3A state champion, Javier Vento, following in 15:56. 

Many Florida athletes had very strong seasons to wrap up their cross country seasons. Among the top Floridians to finish were Aidan O'Gorman (15:47), Justin Wilson (15:55), Giancarlo Benitez (16:22), Diego Gomez (16:24), and Gabriel Montague (16:33). 

Invitational Race

Christopher Wilhelm, out of Trinity Prep, was the first Floridian to cross the line in the boys Invitational race. Wilhelm finished 28th in the combined invitational results with a time of 16:37. 

Here are the top ten Florida boys from the combined Invitational results: 

FL PLACETIMENAMEYEARRACE
116:37.60
Trinity Prep
2019
216:59.70
Father Lopez Catholic HS
2019
317:04.50
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
2020
417:10.90
Trinity Prep
2021
517:20.20
Port Orange Atlantic HS
2019
617:44.60
Trinity Prep
2022
818:21.40
Rockledge HS
2019
918:28.70
Rockledge HS
2021
1018:29.50
Rockledge HS
2019

Rising Star Race

Michael Sanchez, out of Miami X (Belen Jesuit), won the boys Rising Star race and kicked the meet off with a Florida win. Sanchez 16:40.10 performance was a huge PR for the Belen sophomore who did not race for the team in Regionals or States. His time puts him in the top 20 Florida boys to compete at NXRSE overall. 

Here are the top 10 Florida boys to cross the line in the Rising Star race: 

fl placetimenameyearrace
116:40.10
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
2021
217:23.20
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
2021
317:49.10
Bolles HS
2023
417:54.50
Bolles HS
2021
517:57.70
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
2021
618:08.80
Bolles HS
2022
718:12.40
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
2022
818:13.00
Bolles HS
2024
918:23.20
Bolles HS
2022
1018:24.40
Bolles HS
2023