Niceville Track & Field

Northwest Florida Daily News
5/11/09 Page C3

Seven Niceville track athletes earn all-state honors

From Staff Reports

Sherman Eller couldn’t have envi-sioned a much better day for the Nice-ville track team at the Class 4A state meet at Winter Park.
Seven of the Eagles’ nine athletes finished in the all-important top eight on Saturday to take home all-state honors, a performance Eller referred to as a rousing success. The boys tied for 17th place with 10 points and the girls tied for 20th with three.

    “I’m just proud to not only have kids make it to state but perform at state,” Eller said. “Those are two big things because to get here takes a lot out of you, but to come here and perform, that says a lot about the quality for us.”
    As expected, Christian Ritacco led the way, finishing a team-best second in the boys 3200-meter run with a 9:40.80 after winning a regional title a week ago.
    “He gave it all he had,” Eller said. “He was with him for the first mile but

(winner Brian Atkinson) was just too strong.”
Meanwhile, the boys 4x400 team made some more school history, break-ing a school record for the second straight meet. The team of Donovan Woodberry, Jeremy Burke, Cody Skarupa and Michael Cooley tallied a seventh-place finish with the record-breaking time of 3:20.80. It bested their time of 3:21.12 from regionals.
The Niceville girls’ team finished tied for 20th overall with three pointsthanks

to top-eight finishes from both Emily Sager (triple jump) and Kaitlin Davis (discus). Sager posted the highest finish for a Niceville girl, taking seventh in the triple jump with a 36-6.00. Davis, meanwhile, placed eighth in the discus throw with a toss of 117-09.
Rachael Klinger finished 11th in the high jump with a 5-02.00 and came in 12th in the prelims of the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.06.

Northwest Florida Daily News
4/29/09 Page C5

PREP TRACK

Ritacco leads strong Niceville run at region track meet

From Staff Reports

If Niceville’s Christian Ritacco was pacing himself for a run at a state title earlier in the year, it’s certainly paying off now.
Ritacco finished first in the 3200-meter run Wednesday in the Region 1-4A track meet at Tallahassee Chiles to pace a banner day for the Niceville track team, which qualified nine athletes for the state meet in Winter Park on May 9. Niceville had qualified

two in each of the past two years.
    Ritacco’s time of 9:35.02 was the third-fastest time in 4A competition this year and puts him in position to take home a top-five finish at state.
    “This guy continues to get better and better,” Niceville coach Sherman Eller said of Ritacco. “For him to go out and win region in this state was amazing. It shows the hard work and dedication this man had.”
    A few school records came tumbling down as well. The boys 4x400 team of

Donovan Woodberry, Jeremy Burke, Cody Skarupa and Michael Cooley broke a 13-year-old school record with a time of 3:21.12, which was good for third place. And Charlie Tidwell’s discus throw of 163’ broke his own record he set at the Viking Relays earlier this year.
Rachael Klinger was Niceville’s lone two-event qualifier, placing third in the 100 hurdles and fourth in the high jump.
“(Klinger) didn’t think she had a

chance to finish in the 100 hurdles but she finished third,” Eller said. “That’s why they run it.”
Kaitlin Davis assured Niceville would have two discus entrants in Winter Park, tallying a third place, while Emily Sager earned a fourth-place finish in the triple jump.
Overall, the girls’ team scored a 27 – up from last year’s 22 – while the boys tallied a 28, which improved on a 21 from last year.

Northwest Florida Daily News
4/29/09 Page C5

Region 1-4A

Niceville takes to the track

By ADAM PRUIETT
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4421 | adamp@nwfdailynews.com

At the beginning of the track and field season, Niceville coach Sherman Eller evaluated the across the board talent of the Eagles and figured that six was a good goal to set for how many athletes the team could advance to state.
“We’re still at that point,” Eller said on the eve of today’s Region 1- 4A

track meet. “Now, it’s up to them.”     Niceville certainly has a strong shot at reaching its goal, and perhaps at exceeding expectations, as it will send 21 athletes to Winter Park today.
    While Eller would be ecstatic with a top-10 team finish by the boys and girls teams, the regional is more about advancing as many athletes as pos-sible to state.
    “It’s a matter of how many bodies wecan move on to the next step,” Eller

said.
    Niceville will have plenty of opportunities to take that next step.
    On the girls side, Rachael Klinger, Emily Sager and Monique Gaubron will all be competing in a teamleading three events for the Eagles, while Laura Nelson and Abby McCool locked up bids in two events.
    On the boys side for Niceville, Bobby Kressin will be seen most often as he’s competing in a trio of events.

Eagles who will be competing in two events apiece are Christian Ritacco, Stephen Haynes, Michael Cooley and Cody Skarupa.
     The Eagles have several other athletes competing in one event. Ritacco may have the Eagles’ best shot at a regional title after posting the region’s best time in the 3200 at districts.
    “He’s the one I think looks like he can win a title if he’s on,” Eller said.

Northwest Florida Daily News
4/24/09 Page C5

21 Niceville track and fielders qualify for regional

Staff Reports

     As the track and field season moves closer toward its crescendo with the state meets in early May, Niceville may be finding its stride as 21 of the 37 athletes that competed in Wednes-day’s District 1-4A meet earned a spot in next week’s regional meet.
     “It was a very good day,” Eller said of the Eagles’ twin third-place team finishes at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
     “With any meet of this magnitude you’re going to have some really good

highs and some really low lows and we had it all yesterday.”
Fortunately for Niceville, there were far more highs than lows.
Christian Ritacco turned in a per-sonal-best time of 9:37.40 in the 3200 meter run, a performance Eller glowingly referred to as “a thing of beauty”, to claim the district crown as did Rachael Klinger (100 hurdles), Emily Sager (triple jump) and the girls 4x800 relay team of Lauren Eschbach, Laura Nelson, Aby McCool and Morgan Keel, who turned in a season-best time of 10:04.12.

In all, 11 Niceville girls earned the top four of their respective events necessary to advance to next Wednes-day’s regional meet in Winter Park.
Klinger (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump), Sager (triple jump, long jump, 100 hurdles), Monique Gaubron (100 meter run, 200 meter run, 4x100 relay), Nelson (3200 meter run, 4x800 meter relay), McCool (800 meter run, 4x800 relay), Kaitlin Davis (discus), Molly Everitt (4x100 relay), Chasity Craft (4x100 relay), Julianne Gaubron (4x100 relay), Eschbach (4x800 relay) and Keel (4x800 relay) qualified on the

girls’ side as Niceville finished just one point shy of a runner-up finish.
On the boys’ side, Bobby Kressin (high jump, 300 hurdles, 4x400 relay), Ritacco (3200 meter run, 4x800 relay), Stephen Haynes (100 meter run, 200 meter run), Michael Cooley (4x800 relay, 4x400 relay), Cody Skarupa (4x800 relay, 4x400 relay), Cameron Thomas (4x800 relay), Charlie Tidwell (discus), Jeremy Burke (4x400 relay), Javon Tinker (triple jump) and Kody Williams (long jump) also each qualified.

Northwest Florida Daily News 4/17/09 Page C3
PREP ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Track and Field • Kody Williams, Niceville: Junior jumped 21' 6 to win the long jump and anchored the Eagles' record-setting 4x100 relay team at the Andrews Invita-tional. Williams was also on the second place 4x400 relay team. • Devonte Lawson, Choctawhatchee: Finished second in the high jump and fifth in the triple jump at Andrews Invitational. • Emily Sager, Niceville: Sophomore won the triple jump with a season-best 34' 9 1/2 and was sixth in the 110 hurdles and seventh in the long jump at Andrews Invitational. • LeKeefe Robinson, Choctawhatchee: Earned a third-place finish in the 100	as well as a fifth-place finish in the 4x100 meter relay at Andrews invita-tional. • Stephen Haynes, Niceville: Senior won the 200 and was on meet record-setting 4x100 relay team at Andrews Invitational. Haynes also won on Eagles' second-place 4x400 relay team. • Hakeem Tarpley, Choctawhatchee: Turned in a time of 4:35.37 to finish second in the 1600-meter run at the Andrews Invitational. • Michael Cooley, Niceville: Finished second in the 400 and was on second place 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams at Andrews Invitational. • Kaitlin Davis, Niceville: Senior placed second in the discus with a	throw of 113-4 at Andrews Invitational. • Jasmine Jones, Choctawhatchee: Won the shot put event at the Andrews Invitational with a throw of 38 feet, 10 inches. • Christian Ritacco, Niceville: Placed second in the 3200 and third in the 1600 with a season-best time of 4:36 in the Andrews Invitational. • Chasity Craft, Niceville: Senior finished fourth in the 100 and led off second-place 4x100 relay team for Eagles at Andrews Invitational. • Kaysie Hanle, Choctawhathcee: Placed fifth in the long jump and third in the triple jump at the Andrews Invitational. • Rachael Klinger, Niceville: Earned a	third-place finish in the high jump at Andrews Invitational with a season- best 5-2 and placed third in the 100 hurdles. • Porsha'y Bussell, Choctawhatchee: Earned a fifth place finish in the discus (97 feet, 4 inches) and also placed sixth in the shot put at the Andrews Invita-tional. • Morgan Keel, Niceville: Placed third in the 1600 with a season-best time of 5:39 and also took home fourth in the 3200 at the Andrews Invitational. • Valerie Dixon, Choctawhatchee: Placed third in the 800 with a time of 2:26.91 and also ran a leg of the Indians' fifth place 4x400 relay team at the Andrews Invitational.

Northwest Florida Daily News
4/16/09 Page C2

Track & field
County Championships
At Fort Walton Beach High
Tuesday

Boys

Team scores: 1. Fort Walton Beach 108, 2. Niceville 82 1/2, 3. Crestview 40, 4. Choctawhatchee 21

Top 3 individuals

High jump: 1. Devonte Lawson (Choct) 5'10, 2. Johnnie Rudolph (FWB) 5'8, 3. Bobby Kressin (Nice) 5'8 400: 1. Matt Bevil (FWB) 49.74, 2. Michael Cooley (Nice) 50.84, 3. Kevin Bryant (FWB) 51.11 110 hurdles: 1. Deiontrez Mount (FWB) 14.52, 2. Dominique Smith (FWB) 15.46, 3. Shaiquan Hall (Crest) 16.59 300 hurdles: 1. Deiontrez Mount (FWB) 41.17, 2. Dominique Smith (FWB) 41.24, 3. Shaiquan Hall (Crest) 44.38 Pole vault: 1. Josh Storbeck (FWB) 11'0, 2. Andrew Knight (FWB) 10'6, 3. John Foeller (Choctaw) 9'0 1600: 1. Hakeem Tarpley (Choct) 4:35.43, 2. Christian Ritacco (Nice) 4:35.93, 3.

Cameron Thomas (Nice) 4:42.15 100: 1. Stephen Haynes (Nice) 10.72, 2.
Aaron Nelson (Crest) 10.81, 3. Kody Williams (Nice) 10.83 Long jump: 1. Zeus King (Nice) 20'10, 2. Stephen Haynes (Nice) 20'5, 3. Tony Hart (Crest) 20'4 ¼ Shot put: 1. Charlie Tidwell (Nice) 46'7 1/2, 2. Jarred Williams (FWB) 42'7, 3. Levi
Hendrix (Crest) 41'9 Discus: 1. Charlie Tidwell (Nice) 153'8 1/2, 2. Darius Robbins (Crest) 144'1 1/2, 3. Brett Baughman (Nice) 111'5 4x800 relay: 1. Niceville 8:15, 2. FWB 8:22, 3. Crestview 8:51 4x100 relay: 1. FWB 43.36, 2. Niceville 44.43, 3. Niceville JV 48.14 200: 1. Stephen Haynes (Nice) 22.14, 2. Stephon Haye (FWB) 22.51, 3. Kody Williams (Nice) 22.99 3200: 1. Hakeem Tarpley (Choct) 10:05,
2. Christian Ritacco (Nice) 10:06, 3. Sam Ammons (FWB) 10:15 800: 1. Luc Lawrence (FWB) 2:00.59, 2. Cody Skarupa (Nice) 2:05.02, 3. Cameron
Thomas (Nice) 2:06.56.

Girls

Team scores: 1. Niceville 93, 2. Choctaw 76, 3. Fort Walton Beach 48, 4. Crestview 40

Top 3 individuals

300 hurdles: 1. Rachael Klinger (Nice) 50.20, 2. Jessie Niemiec (FWB) 51.06, 3. Emily Sager (Nice) 53.43 4x100 relay: 1. Crestview 52.53, 2. Choctaw 54.17, 3. FWB 59.38 4x800 relay: 1. Niceville 10:11, 2. FWB 10:14, 3. Choctaw 10:58 Pole vault: 1. Grace Fuller (FWB), 2. Lisa Spikes (Choct), 3. Cheryl Corvo (Choct) Shot put: 1. Jasmine Jones (Choct) 38'8, 2. Whitney McClain (Choct) 31'7, 3. Juliane Gaubron (Nice) 30'5 Triple jump: 1. Kaysie Hanle (Choct) 34'5, 2. Emily Sager (Nice) 34'0, 3. Tasha Darden (Choct) 32'9 Discus: 1. Kaitlin Davis (Nice) 105'6, 2. Arquitia Jernigan (Crest) 103'0, 3. Porsha'y

Bussell (Choct) 98'8 ½ 100: 1. Monique Gaubron (Nice) 12.61,
2. Lexi Landers (Choct) 13.21, 3. Candace Green (Crest) 13.34 1600: 1. Lauren Day (Crest) 5:38.77, 2. Morgan Keel (Nice) 5:39.96, 3. Sarah DeVaux (FWB) 5:43 Long jump: 1. Emily Sager (Nice) 15'7, 2. Kaysie Hanle (Choct) 15'4 3/4, 3. Bailee Hanle (Choct) 14'10 ½ 100 hurdles: 1. Rachael Klinger (Nice) 16.56, 2. Emily Sager (Nice) 16.68, 3. Kadijiah Mount (FWB) 16.75 400: 1. Asten Lopez (Crest) 63.97, 2. Sammy Zimmerman (Nice) 67.28, 3. Ashleigh Vinson (Choct) 67.96 High jump: 1. Rachael Klinger (Nice) 5'0, 2. Bailee Hanle (Choct) 4'11, 3. Kaysie Hanle (Choct) 4'6 200: 1. Monique Gaubron (Nice) 26.68, 2. Asten Lopez (Crest) 27.31, 3. Julianne Gaubron (Nice) 27.90 800: 1. Valerie Dixon (Choct) 2:28.24, 2. Sarah DeVaux (FWB) 2:29.81, 3. Abby McCool (Nice) 2:23.58.

Northwest Florida Daily News
4/15/09 Page C1

TRACK AND FIELD COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Vaulting to a title

FWB boys, Niceville
girls take top honors

By WILL PARCHMAN
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4484 | willp@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH
- After two months of unbeaten domination, Fort Walton Beach proved that the Niceville 4x100 relay team isn't invincible after all.
     The Fort Walton Beach boys track team took home top honors and ultimate bragging rights with a 108 overall score at the fourteam County Championships on Tuesday while the Niceville girls squad will hold that same honor for at least another year after posting a meet-best 93.
     Choctawhatchee pulled in at No. 2 on the girls' side with 76 points while Fort Walton Beach finished third with 48 and Crestview was fourth with 40. On the boys' side, Niceville finished second with 82 1/2 points, Crestview finished third with 40 1/2 and Choctaw was fourth with 21.
     Perhaps no group epitomized the Fort Walton Beach boys team's day like the 4x100 relay team, which is comprised of four sophomores who ran together in an event competitively for the first time ever on Tuesday.
Judging by their performance after besting the Eagles' vaunted outfit, the four-man crew could have a long and distinguished future.
     "It was pretty hard fought," said Deiontrez Mount, who not only won as a member of the 4x100 team but also won the 110 and 300-meter hurdles. "We had to push through it as a team and put a good group effort."

Fort Walton Beach's Joshua Simmons competes on Tuesday in the shot put.

     For Niceville coach Sherman Eller, the only lingering disappointment from the day was that performance, which he said was doomed by a bad handoff early on.
     "I'm really pleased with the performances, I really am," said Eller, who expressed surprise at the large margin of victory for the Vikings on the boys' side. "The only thing I'm disappointed with was the 4x100 relay. You just wish we would have done something. It wouldn't have made the difference, but you still want to see us win."
     The Niceville girls' squad was equally as impressive and was led by Rachel Klinger, who won the 100 and the 300-meter hurdles as well as the high jump. Monique Gaubron (100, 200) and Kaitlin Davis (discus) were also top finishers for the firstplace Eagles. Niceville also swept the 4x800 relay, an event that the Vikings have traditionally owned on the boys' side. For the Niceville boys, Zeus King took the long jump and Charlie Tidwell won both discus and shot put while Stephen Haynes took his customary position atop the boys' sprinting champions, owning the title for the 100 and 200 meters.
     Individual winners for the Vikings were Grace Fuller and Josh Storbeck on pole vault, Matt Bevil (400) and Luc Lawrence (800). In addition to its 4x100 win, the Vikings also won the 4x400 relay on the boys' side.
     "Great competition by both teams," Vikings coach Lissette Moller said of her squads. "One of the things that really helped us out was the field of kids who were injured and we stepped them out of the last meet so that they were ready for the state series."

Photos by NICK TOMECEK |DailyNews
Fort Walton Beach's Josh Storbeck competes on Tuesday in the pole vault during the County Championships. To view a photo gallery of the track meet go to www.nwfvarsity.com.

Choctaw was led by long-distance specialist Hakeem Tarpley, who won the 1600 and 3200 as Choctaw's lone two-event winner. Jasmine Jones (shot put), Kaysie Hanle (triple jump), Devonte Lawson (high jump) and Valerie Dixon (800) were also winners

for Choctaw.
For Crestview, Lauren Day swept the long-distance runs, taking home top marks in the 1600 and the 3200, while Asten Lopez was No. 1 in the girls' 400. The Bulldog girls also won the 4x100 relay

NICK TOMECEK |DailyNews
Niceville's Kaitlin Davis throws in the discus event in the County Championships on Tuesday at Fort Walton Beach. To view a photo gallery from the track meet go to www.nwfvarsity.com.


	NICK TOMECEK \|DailyNews Choctawhatchee's LaKeefe Robinson, from left, Crestview's Aaron Nelson, Niceville's Kody Williams and Niceville's Roy Finch run in the 100 meter event on Tuesday

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/29/09 Page C4

Prep Roundup 3/29

FWB, Niceville shine at relays

From staff reports

     Despite the soggy and windy conditions at Mike Long Track on the Florida State University campus, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville left quite a mark on the rest of the field at the FSU Relays, leaving Eagles’ coach Sherman Eller to dub the two-day event “A good two days.”
     Fort Walton Beach’s Matt Bevil headlined Day Two on Saturday, turninginthestate’ third-fastest time in the 800 meter run, finishing in 1:53.66 to win the event and turn some heads in the process.
     “Matt wants to go to Florida State, so this was a good time to have a good day,” Viking coach Lissette Moller said afterward.
     Bevil was also part of the Vikings’ third place 4x400 relay team as well as its fourth place 4x800 relay team.      Deiontrez Mount won the 110 meter hurdles (14.40) and placed fifth in the 300 meter hurdles (42.47).
    Luc Lawrence also shined in the two-day event for the Vikings,

placing sixth in the 800 meter run with a personal-record time of 3:28.38.
     Niceville, meanwhile, received personal-record times from several of its own athletes, including a pair of first-place finishes by Donovan Woodberry, Kody Williams, Roy Finch and Stephen Haynes in both the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays. Niceville’s win in the 4x100 relay kept the team unbeaten in the event through four races.
     Christian Ritacco turned in a personal-best time of 4:39.60 in the 1600 meter run, good for 11th, as well as a personal-best mark of 9:53.85 in the 3200 meter run to finish 17th in that event.
     Laura Nelson also turned in a personal-best time in the 1600 of 5:39.11 while Kaitlin Davis finished fourth in the girls’ discus. Emily Sager (34-7.75) earned a third-place finish in the triple jump.

FSU Relays

Day Two

Boys top local finishers: 4x100 relay: 1. Niceville (Donovan Woodberry, Kody Williams, Roy Finch, Stephen Haynes) 43:04.800 meter run: 1. Matt Bevil (F) 1:53.66. 6. Luc Lawrence (F) 1:57.42. 1600 meter run: Christian Ritacco (N) 4:39.60.4x400 relay: 3. FWB (Kevin Bryant, Luc Lawrence, Daniel Hughes, Matt Bevil) 3:28.38, 4. Niceville 3:28.7

Girls top local finishers: Triple jump:3. Emily Sager (N) 34-7.75.1600 meter run:Laura Nelson (N) 5:39.11. Disc: 4. Kaitlin Davis (N).High jump: 4. Rachael Klinger (N) 5-0. 3200 meter run: 11. Erin Gallagher (F) 12:18.

Day One

Boys top local finishers: Long jump: 2. Kody Williams (N) 21-8.75, 4. Stephen Haynes (N) 21-0.Shot put: 10. Charlie Tidwell (N) 38-1.5. 400 meter dash: 4. Michael Cooley (N) 51.60. 110 meter hurdles: 1. Deiontrez Mount (F) 14.40.

300 meter hurdles: 5. Deiontrez Mount (F) 42.47. 4x200 meter relay: 1. Niceville ‘A' (Donovan Woodberry, Kody Williams, Roy Finch, Stephen Haynes) 1:30.95.4x800 meter relay: 4. FWB ‘A' (Simon Lawrence, Sam Ammons, Jake Dearmon, Matt Bevil) 8:11.73, 5. Niceville ‘A' (Cullen Fralix, Jason Case, Cody Skarupa, Cameron Thomas) 8:17.68. 3200 meter run: 14. Ben Chastain (F) 9:51.88, 17. Christian Ritacco (N) 9:53.85.

Girls top local finishers: 100 meter hurdles: 6. Rachael Klinger (N) 15.73, 9. Emily Sager (N) 16.75.300 meter hurdles: 10. Rachael Klinger (N) 49.24. 4x200 meter relay: Niceville ‘A' (Biannica Barksdale, Chasity Craft, Monique Gaubron, Molly Everitt) 1:54.64. 4x800 meter relay: 3. Niceville ‘A' (Laura Nelson, Abby McCool, Lauren Eschbach, Morgan Keel) 10:10.70. 3200 meter run: 5. Laura Nelson (N) 11:41.05, 11. Erin Gallagher (F) 12:18.60, 15. Abby McCool (N) 12:43.40.

Northwest Florida Daily News 3/27/09 Page C3
PREP ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Track and Field • Jessica Harrison, South Walton: Freshman took second in the high jump at the Viking Relays with a school- ecord jump of 5 feet, 2 inches. • Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: Junior helped power three Viking relay teams to wins, including two new school records at the Viking Relays. Ran his leg of the 4x1600 in 4:34, ran the 400 leg of the mile medley in a time of 1:58 before turning in a time of 49.70 in the anchor leg of the 4x400. • Rachael Klinger, Niceville: Finished first in the 100 hurdles (16.02) and the 300 hurdles (48.83) and third in the high jump (5 feet) with personal best marks while also running second leg of third-place 4x400 relay team for Eagles at the Viking Relays. • Hakeem Tarpley, Choctawhatchee: Finished first in the 3200-meter run with a time of 9:57.32 in the Viking Relays. • Lauren Morton, South Walton: Junior set a new school record in win-ning the long jump (17 feet) and placed	second in the triple jump at the Viking Relays. • Luc Lawrence, Fort Walton Beach: Junior played key role in three Viking relay team wins, including setting pair of new school records in the process at Viking Relays. Ran a 4.40 in his leg of the 4x1600 relay, ran the 400 leg of the mile medley in 51.88 and ran the second leg of the 4x400 in school-record 3:27. • Chris Sanders, South Walton: Sophomore took fourth in the 110 and 300 hurdles events at the Viking Relays, including a school-record time of 43.26 in the 300hurdles. • Bailee Hanle, Choctawhatchee: Earned a first place finish in the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 2 inches and finished third in the long jump at the Viking Relays. • Emily Sager, Niceville: Earned first-place finish in the triple jump (33 feet, 5 inches) and a second place finish in the long jump (16 feet, 1 inch). Also placed third in the 300 hurdles (51.11). • Jasmine Jones, Choctawhatchee:	Won the shot put event at last week’s Viking Relays. • Kevin Bryant, Fort Walton Beach: Ran on three relays at Viking Relays, all three of which won. Ran on the mile medley team that set a school record of 3:35 and also ran the anchor leg of the 4x200 relay while running the lead leg of the 4x400 (50.82), which also set a school record. • Kody Williams, Niceville: Junior earned two first place finishes at the Viking Relays, taking home top honors in both the long jump (21feet,4inches) and as part of the 4x100 relay team. • Kadijiah Mount, Fort Walton Beach: Freshman placed third in the 100 hurdles and was part of the 4x200 relay team that set a new school record. Also finished fourth in the 300 hurdles at the Viking Relays. • Cullen Fralix, Jason Case, Cameron Thomas, Niceville: Trio helped the Eagles take home first place in both the 4x800 relay and distance medley relay at the Viking Relays.	• Grace Fuller, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore placed second in the pole vault at the Viking Relays and tied the school record with a jump of 8 feet, 6 inches. • Kaitlin Davis, Niceville: Won the discus competition at the Viking Relays with a throw of 104-7 to remain unbeaten in the first three meets. Currently ranked No. 1 in the state 4A rankings following a throw of 127-1 at Ram Relays. • Kathryn Russell, Fort Walton Beach: Freshman ran the first leg of the first-place 4x1600 relay team which set a school record of 23:28. Also ran the anchor leg of the second spring medley relay and was the anchor forthefourth-place4x800relayteam. • Laura Nelson, Niceville: Placed first in the 3200 meter run (12:17) and was a part of the winning 4x800 relay as well as helping Eagles to second-place finish in the 4x1600 meter relay.

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/22/09 Page C5

Prep Roundup 3/21

From staff reports

     Fort Walton Beach rode a strong showing in the relay competitions on the boys' side to come away with a team win at the Viking Relays, edging Niceville 167-134, while the Eagles distanced themselves from the field to earn the victory on girls' side.
     Emily Sager highlighted the day for the Eagles in individual competitions, winning the triple jump (33-05) and finishing second in the long jump (16-01) while the Vikings received first-place individual finishes from Josh Storbeck (pole vault), Rashad Smith (shot put) and Deiontrez Mount (110 hurdles).
     Choctawhatchee's Hakeem Tarpley won the boys' two-mile run (8:57) while Niceville's Lauren Nelson (12:17) won the event on the girls' side while teammate Kaitlin Davis took home top honors in the discus with a throw of 104 feet, 7 inches. Choctaw's Joy Jones (36 feet, 3 ½ inches) won the shot put.
     Navarre received first-place finishes from Chelsea Chandler (pole vault) and Ezra Robinson (high jump).

Girls

Team scores: 1. Niceville 148. 2. Choctaw 137. 5. 3. FWB 112.5. 4. Navarre 108. 5. SW 62. 6 Fairhope (Ala.) 21
Individual scores (Top 3 finishers): Pole vault: 1. Chelsea Chandler (Nav) 9-6. 2. Grace Fuller (FWB) 8-6. 3. Lisa Spikes (C) 7-6. 4x1600 relay: 1. FWB 23:28. 2. 23:45. 3. Choctaw 26.31. Discus: Kaitlin Davis (Nice) 104-7. 2. Morgan McLaughlin (FWB) 98-3. 3. Porsha Bussell (C) 89-9. Shot put: 1. Joy Jones (C) 36-3.5. 2. Julianne Gaubron (Nice)30-10. 3. I. Dumers (C) 29-6. High jump: Bailey Hanley 5-2. 2. Jessica Harrison (SW) 5-2. 3. Rachael Klinger (Nice) 5-0. Long jump: 1. Lauren Morton (SW) 17. 2. Emily Sager (Nice) 16-1. 3. Bailey Wandle (C) 15-10.5. Triple jump: Emily Sager (Nice) 33-5. 2. Lauren Morton (SW) 33-3. 3. Kaysie Hawle (C) 32-11.5. 100 hurdles: 1. Rachael Klinger (Nice) 16.02. 2. Mary Allen (C) 16.75. 3. Kadijia Mount (FWB) 17.29. 4x100 relay: 1. Niceville 51.72. 2. Navarre 52.47. 3. Choctaw 52.99. Distance medley: 1. FWB 14:01. 2. Navarre 14:22. 3. SW 14:36. 300

hurdles: 1. Rachael Klinger (Nice) 48.83. 2. Sabrina Seignmartin (Nav) 50.14. 3. Emily Sager (Nice) 51.11. Mile medley: 1. Choctaw 4:34.05. 2. Niceville 4:45.30. 3. 5:02.75. 4x200 relay: 1. Navarre 1:51.05. 2. FWB 1:51.25. 3. Niceville 1:51.32. 4x800 relay: 1. Niceville 10:44.06. 2. Choctaw 11:19.32. 3. Navarre 11:21.63. 2 Mile: 1. Lauren Nelson (Nice) 12:17. 2. Hailey Evans (Fairhope) 12:36. 3. Erin Gallagher (FWB) 12:43. 4x400 relay: 1. Navarre 4:19.73. 2. FWB 4:22.16. 3. Niceville 4:22.40.

Boys

Team scores: 1. FWB 167. 2. Niceville 134. 3. Navarre 109. 4. Choctaw 78. 5. SW 37. 6. Fairhope (Ala.) 21.
Individual scores (Top 3 finishers): Pole vault: 1. Josh Storbeck (FWB) 12-0. 2. D.J. Striedel (SW) 11-6. 3. Dennis Smith (SW) 11-0. 4x1600 relay: 1. FWB 18:43. 2. Niceville 19:15. 3. Choctaw 19:42. High jump: 1. Ezra Robinson (Nav) 6-0. 2. Bobby Cressin (Nice) 6-0. 3. Devonte Lee (C) 6-0. Shot put: 1. Rashad Smith (FWB) 43.5. 2. Travis Phillips (C) 41-8.25. 3. Michael

Phillips (FWB) 41-6.5. Discus: 1. Charlie Tidwell (Nice) 149-4. 2. Rashad Smith (FWB) 131-7.5. 3. Sterling Lovelady (Nav) 128-1.5. Long jump:1. Kody Williams (Nice) 21-4. 2. Chaun Lynn (FWB) 20-6. 3. Deiontrez Mount (FWB)19-9. Triple jump: Javon Tinker (Nice)41-3. 2. Ezra Robinson (Nav) 41-2. 3. Pydrae Carroll (Fairhope) 40-10.5. 110 hurdles: 1. Deiontrez Mount (FWB) 15.28. 2. Dominique Smith (FWB) 15.53. 3. Davonte Lee (C) 15.54. 4x100 relay: 1. Niceville 43.52. 2. Navarre 44.17. 3. Choctaw 44.74. Distance medley: 1. Niceville 11:17. 2. FWB 11:19. 3. Navarre 11:40. 300 hurdles: 1. Deiontrez Mount (FWB) 41.44. 2. Eric Bell (Nav) 41.45. 3. Seth Nydam (Nav) 41.89. Mile medley: 1. FWB 3:35.12. 2. Niceville 3:45.41. 3. Navarre 3:48.90. 4x200 relay: 1. FWB 1:32.03. 2. Niceville 1:32.45. 3. Choctaw 1:40.76. 4x800 relay: 1. Niceville 8:39.12. 2. FWB 8:45.10. 3. Navarre 8:49.48. Two mile: 1. Hakeem Tarpley (C) 8:57. 2. Christian Ritacco (Nice) 8:59. 3. Ben Chastain (FWB) 10:00. 4x400 relay: 1. FWB 3:27.43. 2. Navarre 3:28.82. 3. Choctaw 3:37.62.

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/12/09 Page C3

PREP ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Athlete of the Week

• Stephen Haynes, Niceville: Finished first in the long jump (20 feet, 4 inches) and 200 meter dash (22.78) and ran the second leg of the Eagles' 4x100 meter relay team that also finished first at the Max Bruner Relays.

Track and Field
• Chaun Lynn, Fort Walton
Beach: Sophomore placed second in the Long Jump (20 feet, 3 inches) and second in the Triple Jump with a

personal record of 41feet, 4 inches
• Rachael Klinger, Niceville: Won both the 100 Hurdles (16.45) and 300 Hurdles (49.49) events while also taking home second place in the High Jump (4 feet, 10 inches) at the Max Bruner Relays.
• Christian Ritacco, Niceville: Senior placed first in the 3200 meter run (10:15.72) and second in the 1600 meter run (4:42.46) at the Max Bruner
Relays.
• Jessie Niemiec, Fort Walton
Beach: Junior placed second in both the 200 meter run (27.96) and 300 Hurdles with a personal-record time of

50.21. She finished third in the triple jump with a personal best of 29 feet, 7 inches. Niemiec was also part of the 4x800 meter relay team that placed first at the Max Bruner Relays.
• Emily Sager, Niceville: Finished first in the Triple Jump (32 feet, 5 inches), third in the 100 Hurdles (17.66) and also placed fourth in both the Long Jump and 300 Hurdles.
• Shakia Morris, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore turned in a personal-record of 14 feet, 9 inches to finish second in the long jump at the Max Bruner Relays and also placed third in the 100 meter run as well as fifth in the 200 meter

fifth in the 200 meter run while anchoring the fourth-place 4x100 relay team.
• Charlie Tidwell, Niceville: Earned a first-place finish in the Discus event with a throw of 145 feet, 9 inches. Also placed second (41 feet, 8 inches) in the Shot Put.
• Sarah de Vaux, Fort Walton
Beach: Ran on the Vikings 4x800 meter relay team that finished first at the Max Bruner Relays and finished second in the mile with a personal-record time of 5:53.37. She also set a personal record in the 800 meter run with a 2:33.05 time to finish third.

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/8/09 Page C1

FWB boys, Choctaw girls win at Max Bruner

By ADAM PRUIETT
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4421 | adamp@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH - It's never too early in the season to celebrate a victory.
So after Matt Bevil charged ahead and passed Niceville toward the conclusion of the 4x400 relay to put the cherry on top of the Fort Walton Beach boys' track and field team's second consecutive Max Bruner Relays championship, he was mobbed by his Vikings' teammates in appreciation of his breathtaking performance.
The relay finale mirrored the entire Saturday on the boys' side at host Choctawhatchee, as the 4x400 order matched the team finish. The Vikings won their second straight title with 163 points, Niceville was next with 149, Choctaw placed third with 82 and Crestview took fourth with 70. The fifth participant at the event, Jay,

scored 54.
"Last year we came out and won this meet, so we wanted to do the same this year," said Bevil, who won the 1600-meter run and was a part of another relay victory in the 4x800. "We wanted to come out with a good start to the season, which we did. We had a lot of great times starting out."
It was just as memorable of a season opener on the girls' side for Choctawhatchee, which delivered a wonderful surprise to first-year coach Hal Walker in the form of a championship. The Indians snared top honors with 150 points, Niceville placed second with 130.5, Fort Walton Beach followed with 107.5, Crestview was fourth with 80, Jay placed fifth with 29 and a small Paxton contingent compiled 20.
The Indians captured first places in six events and had 14 top-three finishes. Along with relay wins in the 4x100 and the 4x400, Choctaw also saw

top honors being earned by Kaysie Hanle (long jump), Jasmin Jones (shot put), Tasha Darden (100-meter run) and Valerie Dixon (800).
     "I had no expectations of winning this whatsoever," Walker said. "The girls really surprised me. They really worked hard. They're fighters."
     Fort Walton Beach's boys racked up 16 top-three finishes and five wins. Deiontrez Mount had a standout meet after topping everybody in the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles.
     "This is a very talented, committed team," Fort Walton Beach coach Lissette Moller said. "One of our blessings is that we have depth. We have a very strong middle and distance group, and we have enough to fill a roster in all the field events, including the pole vault. I think that's what our strong suit is, is that in a meet where you can have four entered, we were able to enter four in every singe event."

     Niceville's Stephen Haynes was at the center of the Eagles' runner-up finish, winning in the long jump and 200. Michael Cooley (400), Cameron Thomas (800), Christian Ritacco (3200), Charlie Tidwell (discus) and the 4x100 relay team also secured victories.
     Choctaw's Devontee Lawson collected top honors in both the pole vault and triple jump, while LeKeefe Robinson was fastest in the 100.
     In girls' action, Rachael Klinger led Niceville's push to second place with victories in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. Also winning for the Eagles were Emily Sager (triple jump) and Monique Gaubron (200).
     Crestview's Lauren Day started the season strong with wins in the 1600 and 3200, teammate Asten Lopez was tops in the 400, and Paxton's Katie Kinkey (high jump) and Erin Walker (discus) were also victorious along with the Vikings' 4x800 relay team.

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/8/09 Page C2

Local track & field
Max Bruner Relays
Saturday 3/7/09 at Choctawhatchee

Boys team scores:
1. Fort Walton Beach 163
2. Niceville 149
3. Choctaw 82
4. Crestview 70
5. Jay 54

Top 3 individual finishers:

Long jump:
1. Stephen Haynes (N) 20-4.5
2. Chaun Lynn (FWB) 20.3
3. Zeus King (N) 19-10.5
Pole vault:
1. Devontee Lawson (C) 6-0
2. Chris Pickett (Cr.) 5-10
3. Johnnie Rudolph (FWB) 5-10
Shot put:
1. James (J) 44-3.5
2. Charlie Tidwell (N) 41-8
3. Rashad Smith (FWB) 40-10
Triple jump:
1. Devontee Lawson (C) 42-0
2. Chaun Lynn (FWB) 41-4
3. Barlow (J) 40-4
Discus: 1. Charlie Tidwell (N) 145-9.75
2. Rashad Smith (FWB) 120-3.5
3. Darius Robbins (Cr.) 120-2.5
4x800 relay:
1. FWB 8:24.99
2. Niceville 8:40.05
3. Choctaw 8:45.34
4x100 relay:
1. Niceville 44.21

2. Choctaw 44.43
3. FWB 44.45
1600:
1. Matt Bevil (FWB) 4:34.27
2. Christian Ritacco (N) 4:42.46
3. Ben Chastain (FWB) 4:44.27
400:
1. Michael Cooley (N) 51.58
2. Barlow (J) 51.99
3. Donquel Dorsey (Cr.) 52.39
110 hurdles:
1. Deiontrez Mount (FWB) 14.87
2. Devontee Lawson (C) 15.68
3. Dominique Smith (FWB) 16.14
100:
1. LeKeefe Robinson (C) 11.08
2. Kevin Bryant (FWB) 11.40
3. Rick Whiddon (N) 11.43
300 hurdles:
1. Deiontrez Mount (FWB) 41.95
2. Dominique Smith (FWB) 42.62
3. Spencer Anderson (Cr.) 42.87
800:
1. Cameron Thomas (N) 2:06.70
2. Dylan Tillman (Cr.) 2:09.05
3. Jason Case (N) 2:11.55
200:
1. Stephen Haynes (N) 22.78
2. LeKeefe Robinson 22.99
3. Aaron Nelson (Cr.) 23.9
3200:
1. Christian Ritacco (N) 10:15.74
2. Hakeem Tarpley (C) 10:28.65
3. Sam Ammons (FWB) 10:32.52
4x400 relay:
1. FWB 3:32.51
2. Niceville 3:32.96
3. Choctaw 3:44.14

Girls team scores:
1. Choctaw 150
2. Niceville 130.5
3. Fort Walton Beach 107.5
4. Crestview 80
5. Jay 29
6. Paxton 20

Top 3 individual finishers:

Long jump:
1. Kaysie Hanle (C) 15-1.5
2. Bailee Hanle (C) 14-9.5
2. Shakia Morris (FWB) 14-9.5
High jump:
1. Katie Kinkey (P) 5-0
2. Rachel Klinger (N) 4-10
3. Bailee Hanle (C) 4-6
Shot put:
1. Jasmin Jones (C) 35-9
2. Whitney McClaine (C) 32-8
3. Indigo Duenus (C) 30-7.5
Triple jump:
1. Emily Sager (N) 32-5.5
2. Kaysie Hanle (C) 31-4.5
3. Tasha Darben (C) 30-0.5
Discus:
1. Erin Walker (P) 118-0.25
2. Kaitlin Davis (N) 111-6.75
3. Branita Malone (C) 99-6.0
4x800 relay:
1. FWB 10:33.11
2. Niceville 10:41.90
3. Choctaw 10:58.21
4x100 relay:
1. Choctaw 53.62
1. Crestview 53.62
3. Niceville 54.58

1600:
1. Lauren Day (Cr.) 5:40.45
2. Sarah de Vaux (FWB) 5:53.37
3. Laura Nelson (N) 5:54.02
100 hurdles:
1. Rachael Klinger (N) 12.05
2. K. Hudon (J) 13.24
3. Emily Sager (N) 13.26
100:
1. Tasha Darden (C) 13.58
2. Candice Green (Cr.) 13.75
3. Shakia Morris (FWB) 13.83
400:
1. Asten Lopez (Cr.) 1:06.21
2. Lauren Eschbach (N) 1:07.67
3. R. Blackman (J) 1:08.11
300 hurdles:
1. Rachael Klinger (N) 49.49
2. Jessie Niemiec (FWB) 50.21
3. Jodi Montalvo (Cr.) 51.34
800:
1. Valerie Dixon (C) 2:31.20
2. Morgan Keel (N) 2:31.65
3. Sarah de Vaux (FWB) 2:33.05
200:
1. Monique Gaubron (N) 27.87
2. Jessie Niemiec (FWB) 27.96
3. Asten Lopez (Cr.) 27.96
3200:
1. Lauren Day (Cr.) 12:35.87
2. Laura Nelson (N) 13:04.08
3. Abby McCool (N) 13:09.08
4x400 relay:
1. Choctaw 4:34.52
2. Jay 4:35.92
3. Crestview 4:58.14

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/3/09 Page C1

Pair of Eagles sign with South Carolina Upstate

Niceville’s Ritacco, Thomas sign scholarships to run cross country
at Division-I school

By TRAVIS DOWNEY
Florida Freedom Newspapers (850) 315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

NICEVILLE — When Niceville cross country coach Sherman Eller learned that his alma mater was interested in signing two of his most prized pupils to Division-I athletic scholarships, he could hardly believe it.
     Weeks after both Christian Ritacco and Cameron Thomas inked cross country scholarships with the University of South Carolina Upstate, Eller still voices a bit of disbelief.
     “I thought one (signing with Upstate) would be great, but two is awesome,” Eller said. “I’m still pretty shocked.”
     Ritacco and Thomas proved to be a deadly one-two punch in the Eagles’ run to a fifth-place finish at the Class 4A state cross country meet in November. Ritacco placed seventh at state and Thomas wasn’t far behind in 13th.
    Faced with the decision of where

they would pursue their college degree and, at the same time, continue their running careers, each looked for the situation that best fit their individual needs.
     As it turned out, they both found what they were looking for in USC Upstate, a small school located in Spartanburg, S.C. The pair — after reaching their decisions individually — committed to the Spartans program last month, bringing an end to what each dubbed a successful search process.
     “It’s a really nice area,” Ritacco, the Daily News Runner of the Year, said. “There’s a lot to do, so I won’t have to worry about not having something to do. The school is relatively small, so the teacher-to-student ratio is 13 to 1… it’s not like those colleges where they throw you in an auditorium and you have to try to keep up.
     “It suited me well.”
     Thomas, an All-Area selection, agreed, citing both the school’s academic landscape and athletic


Photo submitted Niceville cross country coach Sherman Eller (center) shares a moment with Christian Ritacco (left) and Cameron Thomas.
opportunities as a perfect marriage. “In the end, we both just enjoyed it a lot,” Thomas said, while also adding that having a familiar face when he reports next fall is a comforting piece of knowledge. “I’m glad (Ritacco) made the decision as well. (Upstate) is far away, so it would have been more difficult if I were by myself doing it.” It also helped that Eller provided a wealth of knowledge on the school. Eller, himself a former USC Upstate runner, coach and inductee into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame, offered the two an insight into the university few others could have presented,	giving each the “good and the bad” that went with potentially committing to USC Upstate. Falling under “the good” was USC Upstate’s NCAA Division I status and membership in the Atlantic Sun Conference, not to mention the opportunity to compete at the D-I level right away. There was also the university community and strong academic background. As for the bad? “They couldn’t go home every weekend,” Eller said. “They made two visits and fell in love with the place.”

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/2/09 Page C1

Track teams ready to hit the ground running

Max Bruner Relays at Choctaw this weekend kick off new season

-sibility where we could take a few teams to state.” Junior Rachel Klinger, a reigning district champion in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 4x400 meter relay, will be counted on to lead the Niceville girls team, along with Monique and Julianne Gaurbron and senior Morgan Keel.
Navarre returns Zak Boston and Chase Day, two key cogs in last year’s State 3A silver medal 4x800 team. Tim Sparks, a state finalist in the 4x400 and sprints, also returns for the Raiders.
Boston, who also finished fifth as an individual in the mile at state, has battled an injury suffered during cross country season but should begin to peak at just the right time this season according to coach Thomas Lintz.

     “It makes for a little different spring when you don’t go in with your biggest horse,” Lintz said. “I have some potential there. We’ve got some possibilities.”
     The reigning 1A state champion girls discus thrower, Erin Walker, returns for her junior season at Paxton alongside the girls’ High Jump bronze medalist, Katie Kinkey while Fort Walton Beach returns several who finished 2008 on the cusp of a state meet appearance.
     For those that have already reached state, the coming season offers an op-portunity to take the next step towards a state crown, while those that finished short enter the new season hoping to make the most of a second chance.

By TRAVIS DOWNEY
Florida Freedom Newspapers (850) 315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

build on past successes.
After losing a pair of All-State competitors from a year ago in Anna Carr and Ryan Howard, Niceville coach Sherman Eller believes the Eagles could be a deeper and more explosive team in ’09, particularly on theboys’sidewhere Roy Finch, Kody Williams, Stephen Haynes, Rick Whiddon, Christian Ritacco, Cameron Thomas and Michael Cooley bolster a strong and deep roster.
“We’ve got a sprint corps that is better than what Niceville has seen in a few years,” Eller said. “There’s a pos

The season is still yet a few days away, and the state track meet’s even further off, but local runners will have their sights squarely set on a state title when the 2009 track and field season gets underway this weekend.
As is usually the case in these parts, Saturday’s Max Bruner Relays at Choctawhatchee serve as the official kickoff to the new campaign. And, just as in seasons past, several area high schools enter the new year looking to

Northwest Florida Daily News
3/2/09 Page C3

PREP TRACK & FIELD TEAM CAPSULES

BAKER

Coach: David Oglesby
District: 1-A
District opponents: Jay, Freeport, Rocky Bayou Christian, Central, Paxton, Pensacola Christian Academy Athletes returning: Boys: John Scott, Devin Scott, Mason Doggette, Tyler Holley, Dakota Harper, Stephen Shelley. Girls: Kali Flanders, Haley Wagner, Cassidy Anderson, Bethany Chestnut, Brittany Farris, Morgan Jones, Raven Lopez, Jenna Peoples. Others to watch: Boys: Blake Bollinger, Calvin Lirette, Cory Harper, Graham Fox. Girls: Chloe Fox, Katie Rispone. Athletes lost: Boys: Russell Scott, Sam Langley , Chad Lawhon, Anthony Thompson. Girls: Courtney Gilmore, Camaran Cook, Carson Taylor.

CRESTVIEW

Coach: Ernie Martin
District: 2-3A
District opponents: Choctawhatchee, Fort Walton Beach, Mosley, Rutherford, Lincoln, Leon, Chiles Athletes returning: Boys: Dylan Tillman, Chris Pickett, Carter Hamlin, Cortez Whatley, Jacob Gourlie. Girls: Lauren Day, Morgan Coleman, Jodie Montalvo, Sydney Huseome. Others to watch: Boys: Tony Hart, Aaron Nelson. Girls: Donquel Dorsey, Taylor Polk. Athletes lost: Boys: Matt Sanders, Bobby English. Girls: Felicia Turner, Dominique Maisonett.

FORT WALTON BEACH

Coach: Lissette Moller
District: 2-3A
District opponents: Choctawhatchee, Crestview, Mosley, Rutherford, Lincoln, Leon, Chiles Athletes returning: Boys: Sam Ammons, Matt Bevil, Kevin Bryant, Ben Chastain, Jake Dearmon, Curtis Dumas, Bobby Graham, Stephen Haye, Daniel Hughes, Andrew Kight, Luc Lawrence, Chaun Lynn, Deiontrez Mount, Brandon Murphy, Johnnie Ruldolph, Joe Lofton, Dominique Smith, Rashad Smith, Josh Storbeck, Cameron Teamer, Blair Troop, Jarred Williams, Trent Williams, Jesse Quick. Girls: Chantell Betts, Sarah de Vaux, Brianna

Frederick, Grace Fuller, Gwen Fuller, Erin Gallagher, Lizzy Gallagher, Jackie Garcia, Tiffany Maher, Morgan McLaughlin, Miriam Mekhail, Shakia Morris, Jessie Niemiec, Kim Polite, Amanda Radford, Melissa Radfor, Iolani Scanlan, Emily Szklarski, Sierra Wanner. Others to watch: Boys: Edgar Corral, Nick Howell, Coleman Jacobs, John Hicks, Chris Douglas,Jonathan Kight, Stephen Quintin, Josh Simmons, Warren Wilson. Girls: Shalyne Cales, Kadijah Mount, Kathryn Russell, Marionna Pride, Marshaya Towner. Athletes lost: Boys: Joel Birlingmair, Ben Delone, Ricardo Khaleel, Daniel Kight, Felton Payton, Kyle Schenthal. Girls: Ashley Bridgford, Kristin Homer, Courtney Barnes, Tristian Harris.

FREEPORT

Coach: Charlie Marrello
District: 1-A
District opponents: Baker, Jay, South Walton, Central, Paxton, Pensacola Christian, Rocky Bayou Christian, Gainer, Escambia Charter Athletes returning: Boys: Jesse Schober, Cody Binder, David Wesson, Nathan Hendrickson, Eric Ogles, Tyler Adams, Daniel Davis Girls: Nikki Bishop, Ebone Newkirk, Jasmine Mason. Others to watch: Boys: Levi Osteroff, Jeremy Thompson, Bryce Sefo, James Leogrande, Girls: Emily Rice, Meagan Salzein. Athletes lost: Boys: Logan Caudill, Drew Farris, Spencer Martin Girls: Mindy Jones, Jessie Baker, Lauren Fogarty.

NAVARRE

Coach: Thomas Lintz (Boys), Joe Austin (Girls)
District: 1-3A
District opponents: Washington, Pace, Tate, Escambia, Pensacola, Milton, Pine Forest Athletes returning: Boys: Zak Boston, Chase Day, Vini Febus, Seth Nydam, Billy Mitchell, Tim Sparks. Girls: Mallory Beck, Alyxandra Aldrich, Julianne Haun, Kaleigh Tolbert, Karyssa Tourelle-Fallon, Sabrina Seignemartin, Chelsea Chandler, Kristen Cross, Allison Hart, Skyler Pusch, Jordan Roberts, Macy Weidenhamer, Karlee

Tyler, Shelby Weidenhamer, Chantel Sheets, Jameka Anderson, Jasmine Jordan, Amy Rigsby. Others to watch: Boys: none reported. Girls: Jeleisa Spencer, Katy Morrow, Amy Calhoun, Megan Erwin. Athletes lost: Boys: nonereported. Girls: Brittany Willis, Courtney Keiffer, Jerime Craig, Anisha Wilson.

NICEVILLE

Coach: Sherman Eller
District: 1-4A
District opponents: Bartram Trail, Buchholz, Flagler Palm Coast, Fletcher, Mandarin, Orange Park, Sandalwood. Athletes returning: Boys: Christian Ritacco, Cameron Thomas, Michael Cooley, Bobby Kressin, Stephen Haynes, Kody Williams, JonathanKing, Javon Tinker, Jeremy Burke, Jason Case, Trent Foxhall, Max Livingston, Rick Whiddon, Chase Hooker, A. J. Nardo, Michael Cooper, Patrick Lacombe, Joseph Bernier, Curtis Schreck, Zachary Hefner, Mitchell Kuhn, David Partain, Jason Riggs, Vincent Sansone, Cullen Fralix, Trent Dixon, Brandon Etheridge, Ben Knight, Dalton Cooper. Girls: Kaitlin Davis, Morgan Keel, Biannica Banksdale, Rachael Klinger, Lauren Eschbach, Monique Gaubron, Julianne Gaurbron, Casey Luzius, Abby McCool, Rachel Velasquez. Others to watch: Boys: Roy Finch, Donovan Woodberry, Robert Burnett, Cody Skarupa, Charlie Tidwell, Josh Jones, Zach Laubsh. Girls: Laura Nelson, Devon Caulkins. Athletes lost: Boys: Ryan Howard, Marquis Jeffers, Dylan Schroeder, Loring Ross, Tom Reho. Girls: Anna Carr, Ashley Calhoun.

PAXTON

Coach: Herb Haddock
District: 1-1A
District opponents: Jay, Pensacola Christian, Baker, South Walton, Freeport, Central, Rocky Bayou Chrisitan, Escambia Charter, Gainer Athletes returning: Boys: Sam Dunn, Jason Findley, Trevor Zorn, Jackson Dixon. Girls: Katie Kinkey, Magen Adams, Laura Ashley Anderson, Krysten Cuchens. Others to watch:

Boys: none reported. Girls: nonereported. Athletes lost: Boys: nonereported. Girls: nonereported.

ROCKY BAYOU CHRISTIAN

Coach: Josh Childers
District: 1-1A
District opponents: Central, Jay, Baker, Freeport, Pensacola Christian, South Walton, Gainer, Escambia Charter Athletes returning: Boys: Brian Stanton, James Waldron .Girls: Holly Stanton, Mary Balthazar, Emily Steele. Others to watch: Boys: Terrance Bryant, James Waldron. Girls: Kiara Bryant. Athletes lost: Boys: nonereported. Girls: nonereported.

SOUTH WALTON

Coach: Greg Niemiec
District: 1-1A
District opponents: Baker, Central, Freeport, Jay, Paxton, Pensacola Christian, Rocky Bayou Christian Athletes returning: Boys: D.J. Striedal, Dennis Smith, Ian Towne, Chris Sanders, Tristan Lanasa, Sam Wiscomb. Girls: Julie Williamson, Tiffany Snider, Marissa Dodson, Natalia Smith, Jessie Taylor. Others to watch: Boys: Ryan Shropshire, Wells Buzzett, Chad Downs, Quinston Morris, Jacob Leuze. Girls: Brittany Crittendon, Jessica Harrison ,Lauren Morton, Paula Swiercz, Alex McManus, Sarah Jane Logan, Valerie Theobald, Sam Vandiver, Allyssa Bump, Heather Anderson.

WALTON

Coach: Bernard Smith (Boys), Larry Geoghagan (Girls)
District: 1-2A
District opponents: Bay, Marianna, Chipley, Arnold, Northview, Pensacola Catholic, West Florida, Gulf Breeze. Athletes returning: Boys: William Brock, John Querisma, Austin Wilson, Corliss Stone, Brandt Ellenberg, Deron Hogans. Girls: JoanAnn Wilson, Chekedra Coleman, Melani Robinson, Lindsey Phillips, Aisha Scott, Brittany Boston, Kathryn Foy. Others to watch: Boys: Tyler Ealum, Zack Miner, Beau Rushing, Ramon Hogans, Markus Jiggetts, Will Allen, Sean Allen. Girls: Shelby Rushing, Candance Smith.

Northwest Florida Daily News
1/28/09 Page C1

Former Niceville star races to Vandy record

By ADAM PRUIETT
Northwest Florida Daily News
(850) 315-4476 | adamp@nwfdailynews.com

The word sick has a couple different usages, with one referring to a feeling of illness and another describing something great that happens — as in, “That was a sick performance.”
Well, Anna Carr proved in her first indoor meet for Vanderbilt’s track and field team that even though you’re sick you can still deliver a sick run.
Despite battling a fever of 101, the former Niceville standout raced to a school-record 7.65 in the 60-meter dash recently at the Kentucky Invitational, shattering a seven-year

mark (7.68) held by Autumn Smith.
“I was not about to sit out the meet after training all semester,” said Carr,

whose fever dipped enough during warm-ups that Vanderbilt’s staff allowed her to run. “I think I was too sick to be nervous.” At first, nobody was aware that Carr had set a new Commo-dores’ indoor record. The freshman asked her coaches what the record was for future reference. A look through the media guide showed that the future was now.
“I know this year I’m stronger and

faster than I was last year,” said Carr, who placed 20th out of 56 sprinters. “I probably guessed I could have broken (the record) eventually, but I wouldn’t have said I would have broken it here today.”
    “Someone was on my side that day,” she added.
    Carr said every-thing the Commodores do from now until the end of February is pre-paration for the SEC Indoor Champion-ship at Kentucky. For her part, Carr has already set a new school standard in the 60-meter dash, and she hopes to continue elevating it.
    “Now,” she said, “I have pressure on me to break it again.”

Northwest Florida Daily News
12/28/08 Page C1

FINISHING STRONG

ALL-AREA CROSS COUNTRY

sister,” he said.
    With the seed having been planted, Ritacco’s journey came full circle this season as the Niceville senior finished seventh at the Class 4A state meet with a personal-record time (15:55) to help the Eagles finish fifth as a team.     Meanwhile, on the girls’ side, fellow Eagle Morgan Keel erased the mem-ories of a 2007 season gone wrong by turning in a personal-best time (19:23) of her own to lead Niceville to a ninth-place finish.
    For their outstanding seasons, Ritacco and Keel have been named the All Sports Association/Daily News Runners of the Year.
    Keel, who like Ritacco ended her prep career with her finest run, set out early to rectify a 2007 season that she admitted ended well short of expectations.
    “Last year we expected to do really good and we didn’t,” Keel said. “I had a huge letdown at the end of the season, so I just wanted to make sure this year it didn’t happen again.”
    With that mindset, Keel participated in track for the first time and then, upon the conclusion of the season, jumped directly into a rigorous offseason summer conditioning program, all with her sights set squarely on righting what went wrong the previous cross country year.
    “Whenever I was having a hard time, I just told myself, ‘I’m making it to state this year,’ ” she said.
    For Ritacco, the only motivation necessary was the lasting image of his sister’s crowning moment.
    Since there was no cross country team at the school he attended in Maryland, Ritacco instead starred on the school’s track team but noted “the furthest I ran was a mile.”
    It was not until Ritacco’s eighth grade year when his family relocated to Crest-view that he began to run cross country.

    He proved to be a quick learner, finishing his eighth grade year as the team’s No. 2 runner and, once at Niceville, began to establish himself as a serious competitor.
    Then, during the summer leading into his senior year, Eagles’ coach Sherman Eller installed a new training program designed specifically for Ritacco. More than anything, Eller pointed to a shift within Ritacco’s inner drive that ultimately led to what he called a “breakout year” by the senior.
    “He was a senior and he wanted to be better,” Eller said. “He knew he had the talent to do it, and I think he was driven to be the top runner that he felt he could be.”
    Ritacco won the individual boys’ title at the Okaloosa County Cross Country Championships and then went on to finish second at the regional meet, setting the stage for the state final where, with his sister on hand, his longtime goal came to fruition.
    “(After) seeing my sister run (at state) and then for me to be there, it was really good,” Ritacco said.
    Keel, likewise, enjoyed her own memorable run.
    Having spent much of the race running alongside teammate Laura Nelson, Keel finished 16th with a time of 19:23, capping a season that saw her times drop as the pressure mounted.
    “(The county meet) was huge for our team because that’s when everyone realized we had a real shot at doing really well at state,” Keel said. “(The state meet) was a really good day. I wasn’t really sure how, I just kind of ended up with a personalrecord (time).”
    Her coach, Henry Spillers, said Keel’s time was much more than sheer luck or happenstance.
    “She did all the little things,” he said.     “When you are a senior and you set a personal record at the state meet — that’s the way you would like to go out — not a lot of people get to do that.”

NICK TOMECEK |DailyNews
Niceville’s Christian Ritacco (left) and Morgan Keel are the All Sports Association/Daily News Runners of the Year.

Christian Ritacco and Morgan Keel end prep cross country careers with their best seasons

By TRAVIS DOWNEY
Florida Freedom Newspapers (850) 315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

Somewhere between the ages of 12 and 13, Christian Ritacco experienced

an epiphany of sorts. It was then, while living in Waldorf, Md., that Ritacco stood in amazement as he watched his older sister, Megan, accept an award for finishing ninth in the state cross country meet as a high school freshman.
The significance of the moment was not lost on the younger Ritacco.
“I’ve always wanted to be like my

Northwest Florida Daily News
12/28/08 Page C1

Northwest Florida Daily News
12/7/08 Page B1

SPORTSLINE

From wire reports

Area runners excel
at all-star meet

   Saturday’s Florida Athletic Coach’s Association Cross Country Meet at Maclay High School in Tallahassee was a successful one for area runners.
   Niceville’s Morgan Keel finished seventh overall with a time of 20:04 to lead the Region 1 girls to a win while fellow Eagle Christian Ritacco turned in a time of 16:22 to place seventh and lead the Region 1 boys to a second place finish.
   Fort Walton Beach’s Erin Gallagher finished 10th on the girls side, turning in a time of 20:28.
   On the boy’s side, Navarre’s Zak Boston (16:57) finished 19th.

Northwest Florida Daily News
12/6/08 Page B2

Sports BRIEFS

Prep cross country

Navarre’s Boston to run in FACA meet

Navarre senior standout Zak Boston will run today in the Florida Athletic Coach’s Association Cross Country Meet at Maclay High School in Tallahassee.
Boston joins Niceville’s Christian Ritacco and Morgan Keel and Fort Walton Beach’s Erin Gallagher as area athletes who are competing.

Northwest Florida Daily News
12/3/08 Page B2

Sports BRIEFS

Prep cross country

Area athletes, coaches
will be at FACA Meet

    Three area senior athletes and two coaches will be participating Saturday in the Florida Athletic Coach’s Association Cross Country Meet at Maclay High in Tallahassee.
    Niceville’s Christian Ritacco and Morgan Keel and Fort Walton Beach’s Erin Gallagher will be competing.
    Niceville girls coach Henry Spillers will be coaching in the event along with South Walton coach Greg Niemiec.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/30/08 Page B2

Sports BRIEFS

Area runners place high at Foot Locker Regional

    Niceville’s Christian Ritacco and Cameron Thomas each finished inside the top ten at Saturday’s Foot Locker South Regional in Charlotte, N.C. to earn All-South Senior Team honors.
    Ritacco placed eighth with a time of 16:11 while Thomas finished 10th at 16:17 in an event that saw 165 athletes record finishing times.     Ritacco and Thomas each helped Niceville’s boys finish fifth in the 5A cross country state finals this season.     Navarre’s Zak Boston also ran in event and finished 20th with a time of 16:32.
    Fort Walton Beach’s Sam Ammons competed in the boys’ sophomore event, placing 66 th with a time of 17:23.
    On the girls’ side. Niceville’s Morgan Keel (20:58) finished 86th in the junior-senior competition while Fort Walton Beach’s Elizabeth Gallagher (23:29) placed 147th in the same event.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/27/08 Page C3

AREA HONOR ROLL

• Christian Ritacco, Niceville: Picked the biggest stage of the season to run his finest race, turning in a personal best time of 15:55 at the 4A state meet to finish seventh overall and lead the Eagles to a fifth-place team finish. Ritacco was awarded All State honors for his performance.
• Cameron Thomas, Niceville:
Finished 11th at the 4A state meet by turning in a personal best time of 16:02 to help lead Niceville to fifthplace finish.
• Jacob Leuze, South Walton:
Freshman finished 52nd at the 1A state meet with a time of 17:36.
• Luc Lawrence, Fort Walton Beach: Junior placed 27th with a personal record and Florida elite time of 16:42 to help the Vikings take home third at 3A state meet.
• Julie Williamson, South Walton:

Junior team captain led Seahawks to 12th place finish at 1A state meet with a season best time of 20:26.
• Bobby Graham, Fort Walton Beach: Senior ended first and only season of cross country with a personal record time of 16:59 at 3A state meet.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: Senior finished 22nd to help lead Vikings to third-place finish at 3A state meet with personal record and national elite time of 19:40.
• Meghan Ryan, South Walton:
Sophomore ran a personal record time of 20:49 at 1A state meet.
• Briana DeGennaro, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore helped her team to a third-place finish at the 3A state meet by placing 24th with a personal record and national elite time of 19:45.
• Paula Swiercz, South Walton:
Freshman took 30 seconds off her personal best time and ran 21:25 in the 1A state meet.
• Alexandra McManus, South Walton: Ran a personal best time of 22:17 in 1A state meet.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/22/08 Page B1

SPORTSLINE

From wire reports

Area cross country runners cruise into state

   Cross country runners are always shooting to shatter their personal records, and there will be no better time to set a new standard than today.
   The area will be well-represented when runners descend upon Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City for the state cross country meets, as a combined six teams from the area will compete along with a few individuals.
   In Class 4A, both Niceville squads clinched berths to state after each finished fifth in the Region 1 meet.
   Both Fort Walton Beach teams head into the Class 3A meet after huge showings in the Region 1 meet, where each secured second place.
   Navarre also will compete on both the boys and girls side in Class 3A after a strong showing in the Region 1 meet. Each raced to a sixth-place finish to earn a state bid.
   Not to be outdone, Rocky Bayou Christian’s and South Walton’s girls team sealed berths to state in Class 1A after capturing fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Region 1 meet.
   There will also be individuals to keep tabs on at state. Crestview’s Lauren Day is coming off an eighth-place finish in the Region 1-3A meet, while Choctawhatchee’s Hakeem Tarpley hustled to a 13th on the boys side.

   South Walton’s Jacob Lucze also nabbed a 13th in the Region 1A meet to earn a spot at state.
   Niceville’s Christian Ritacco had the area’s top finish at the regional meets when he collected a second place. Cameron Thomas made sure the Eagles had two runners place inside the top 15 when he finished 14th.
   Niceville did the same thing on the girls side at regionals compliments of Laura Nelson (sixth place) and Morgan Keel (12th).
   As its runner-up finishes attest, Fort Walton Beach littered the top 30 on both the girls and boys side at regionals. The Lady Vikings had five in that area in Sarah DeVaux (10th), Erin Gallagher (14th), Briana DeGennaro (18th), Iolani Scanlan (20th) and Melissa Radford (28th) while the boys had three in Matt Bevil (seventh), Ben Chastain (20th) and Simon Lawrence (28th).
   Navarre’s Zak Boston is one of the area’s leaders heading into state after claiming eighth at regionals, while the Raider girls are paced by Karyssa Tourelle-Fallon (16th at regionals) and Kristen Cross (30th).
   Rocky Bayou’s Holly Stanton (fifth) will be a threat at state along with teammate Elizabeth Berry (13th).    South Walton had a trio of runners finish in the top 30 at regionals in Julie Williamson (15th), Jessie Taylor (16th) and Meghan Ryan (24th).

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/16/08 Page B1

SPORTSLINE

From wire reports

FWB boys, girls take
2nd at CC regionals

   Neither the Fort Walton Beach boys cross country team nor the girls figured it could win the Region 1-3A meet.
   But both teams limbered up Saturday at Miccosukee Greenway Canopy Park in Tallahassee with the mentality that second place was all theirs.
   Each Viking team delivered, as Fort Walton Beach’s boys placed second with 119 points while the girls finished runner-up with 74 points.
   Fort Walton Beach coach Lissette Moller said it was an afterthought that Tallahassee Leon was going to win the boys meet and Tallahassee Chiles the girls meet. Finishing right behind those teams was the ambition.
   The Viking girls had five runners place in the top 28, led by Sarah DeVaux’s 10th (19:43). Fort Walton Beach’s boys had three runners place in the top 30, led by Matt Bevil’s

seventh place finish (16:30).
   Along with Fort Walton Beach, Niceville will send both its teams to state, doing so after both squads finished fifth at the Region 1-4A meet at Bartram Trail. Christian Ritacco ran a sizzling 16:00.86 to finish second on the boys side, while Laura Nelson raced to sixth in 19:26.90.
   Rocky Bayou’s and South Walton’s girls teams both locked up berths at state after finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, at the Region 1-A meet at Miccosukee. Holly Stanton paced the Knights with a fifth (19:26) while Julie Williamson led the Seahawks in 15th (20:56).
   Choctawhatchee’s Hakeem Tarpley placed 13th (16:39.36) to qualify individually for 3A state, while South Walton’s Jacob Leuze placed 13th to qualify for state in 1A.
   Note : Due to a late posting of meet results on the FHSAA Web site, full team results will be available in Monday’s paper.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/13/08 Page B3

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Sarah de Vaux, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore led girls to a runner-up finish at District 3A meet at Pace where she ran a personal record 19:43 to finish ninth.
• Michael Graziani, Freeport: Sophomore finished seventh overall at the District 1A meet.
• Morgan Keel, Niceville: Helped the Eagles qualify for the Class 4A Region I meet with a sixth place time of 19:40.
• Jacob Leuze, South Walton: Freshman took 8 th at district meet to help lead Seahawks to 4 th place finish and qualify for regionals.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: Senior ran a Florida Elite time of 19:56 to help Vikings finish second at 3A District meet.

• Julie Williamson, South Walton: Junior finished 6 th overall with a time of 21:29 and helped team to 3 rd place finish at district meet.
• Laura Nelson, Niceville: Placed 11th at 4A District I meet with a time of 19:55.
• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: Junior led the boys to a 3 rd place finish at District 3A meet with a Florida Elite time of 16:45 and placed 14 th.
• Jessie Taylor, South Walton: Sophomore finished 11th overall at district championships to help Seahawks qualify for regional championships.
• Sam Ammons, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore ran a personal record time of 16:57 to place 23 rd overall at District 3A meet.
• Will Dargavell, South Walton: Sophomore had personal record of 21:31 at Freeport meet.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/09/08 Page B1

SPORTSLINE

From wire reports

Niceville boys claim district track title

Talk about making a statement. Niceville’s boys’ track team did just that Saturday morning at the District 1-4Achampionship meet at Sperling Park and Recreation Area where the Eagles — behind a runner-up finish by Christian Ritacco — ran past a field of top 10 teams to claim the district title. Ritacco finished second individually with a time of 16:05, just seconds behind Mandarin’s Eduardo Garcia (16:00) as the Eagles (85 points) clipped the Mustangs (91) for their third straight win and secure their spot in next weekend’s regional

meet at Bartram Trail in Jacksonville.
   The confidence that this instills in these kids going into regionals — you can’t practice that, you can’t teach that,” coach Sherman Eller said. “They’re very confident right now.”
   Cameron Thomas (16:30) finished eighth individually while Michael Cooper (18th, 17:07), Robert Burnett (19th, 17:10) and Patrick Lacombe (38th, 17:34) each finished in the top 40.
   Cullen Fralix (44th, 17:45) and Cody Skarupa (48th, 17:49) rounded out a strong team effort by the Eagles.
   “I told them we could win this thing,” Eller said. “Now that they’ve done that, the confidence level is sky-high.”
   For more results from Saturday’s regional meets, see B2.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/09/08 Page B2

Area cross country teams excel at district meet

Staff Reports

    It’s one thing to have a cross country team or two flourish in the District 1-3A meet.
    But on Saturday at Sims Middle School, you couldn’t find a sour note in the bunch, as all area boys and girls teams locked down berths in the regional meet.
    Led by Sarah DeVaux (ninth, 19:43.74) and Erin Gallagher (12th, 19:56.29), Fort Walton Beach’s girls team placed second behind district champion Chiles (18) with a team score of 86.
    Navarre (fourth, 163), Choctaw-hatchee (fifth, 170) and Crestview (sixth, 178) all finished in the top six to nail down berths at regionals.
    Led by Matthew Bevil (12th, 16:40.92) and Ben Chastain (14th, 16:45.95), the Fort Walton Beach boys team placed third behind Leon (26) and Pine Forest (121).
    Navarre, guided by a third-place finish (15:50.59) by Zak Boston, placed fifth (135) while Crestview nabbed seventh (207) and Choctawhatchee eighth (221), making it a clean sweep by the area squads to regionals.
    Choctaw’s Hakeem Tarpley raced to 10th place (16:37.44), and Navarre’s Robert Mann also gained a top 20 by finishing 17th (16:54.94).
    Other top-40 finishers were Fort

Walton Beach’s Samuel Ammons (23rd, 16:57.90), Christopher Douglas (38th, 17:23.73) and Robert Graham (39th, 17:28.79), Crestview’s Jacob Gourlie (26th, 17:04.70) and Corey Smith (28th, 17:06.97), Choctaw’s Alec Herrera (27th, 17:06.65) and Navarre’s Cody Haden (29th, 17:07.42).
    Crestview’s Lauren Day led all area runners on the girls side by motoring to a sixth-place finish (19:10.87). Teammate Taylor Polk (14th, 19:58.79) and Fort Walton Beach’s Iolani Scanlan (18th, 20:18.66) were also in the top 20.
    Also among the top-40 locally were Fort Walton Beach’s Briana DeGennaro (21st, 20:46.16), Elizabeth Gallagher (28th, 21:20.04), Kathryn Russell (33rd, 21:35.83) and Melissa Radford (36th, 21:45.95), Choctaw’s Lisa Spikes (22nd, 20:51.84), Hayden Veech (25th, 21:06.35), Brooke McSheehy (26th, 21:08.40) and Tiana Rodriguez (37th, 21:58.13), and Navarre’s Karyssa Tourelle-Fallon (24th, 20:53.27), Kristen Cross (30th, 21:22.53), Sabrina Seignemartin (31st, 21:31.08) and Karlee Tyler (35th, 21:44.64).
    Niceville’s girls finished eighth in District 1-4A, led by Morgan Keel (sixth, 19:40.77), Laura Nelson (11th, 19:55.21) and Abigail McCool (21:05.29)

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/7/08 Page B3

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Christian Ritacco, Niceville: Senior took first in last weekend’s Okaloosa County Championships with a time of 16:04, just three seconds off of his seasonbest time to help the Eagles win a second-straight county title.
• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: Junior placed third at county meet where he ran a Florida Elite time of 16:37 to lead boys’ team to a second place finish.
• Cameron, Thomas, Niceville: Finished runner-up in last weekend’s Okaloosa County Championships behind Ritacco with a time of 16:29.
• Ben Chastain, Fort Walton Beach: Senior placed sixth at county meet with a Florida Elite time of 17:03.
• Laura Nelson, Niceville: Led the Eagles to a first place finish at county meet with a personal best time of 19:10.
• Je Hong Yoo, Choctawhatchee: Indians’ runner turned in a personal record time of 18:16 at last weekend’s county meet at Timberlake.
• Cody Skarupa, Niceville: Junior earned seventh place finish at last weekend’s Okaloosa County Championships to help Eagles to second straight county title.

• Hayden Veech, Choctawhatchee: Ran a personal record time of 21:08 at county meet at Timberlake.
• Taylor Adams, Niceville: Finished 15th at county championships with a season best time of 21:49.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: Senior led girls team to second place finish at county meet by placing fifth overall with an elite time of 19:49.
• Lisa Spikes, Choctawhatchee: Turned in a personal record time of 21:46 at county meet.
• Michael Cooper, Niceville: Finished eighth during last weekend’s Okaloosa County Championships with a time of 17:11.
• Levi Wiegand, Choctawhatchee: Indians’ runner finished last weekend’s county meet with a personal best time of 18:12.
• Melissa Radford, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore ran a personal record time of 20:42 to finish 11th at county meet.
• Kristin Denison, Niceville:
Placed 21st at Okaloosa County Championships with season best time of 21:49.
• Alec Herrera, Choctawhatchee: Ran a personal record time of 17:26 at last weekend’s county meet.
• Tim Maney, Choctawhatchee: Ran a personal best time of 17:54 at last weekend’s county meet held at Timberlake.

Northwest Florida Daily News
11/02/08 Page B1

Ritacco, Nelson lead Niceville to county titles

Eagles boys and girls run away with champion-ships at Okaloosa County cross country meet

turned in a personal best time of 19:10, taking 39 seconds off of her previous best time set just last week.
“I’m really excited because I got a best time and I helped my team,” Nelson beamed. “I just felt like I got into my pace.”
Niceville’s girls (39 points) edged by Fort Walton Beach (43) as Nelson, Morgan Keel and Lauren Eschbach

(20:58)(19:39), Abby McCool (20:10) each turned in sub-21:00 times.
    Meanwhile, all five Fort Walton Beach runners ran Florida Elite times.
    “They’ve worked hard,” Vikings coach Lissette Moller said. “The fact that they ’re so closely packed really helps us.”
    Rocky Bayou’s Holly Stanton (19:14) finished second individually as the Knights (86) took home fourth, while Crestview, which finished third (84), was led by Lauren Day’s 19:19.
    Choctawhatchee (108) finished fifth.
    On the boys’ side, the

day belonged to Niceville (27 points) for a second consecu-tive season.
Cameron Thomas (16:29) finished just ahead of Fort Walton Beach’s Matt Bevil (16:37), while teammates Cody Skarupa (17:10), Michael Cooper (17:11) and Robert Burnett (17:12) each placed in the top 15 as the Eagles cruised to the title with only the Vikings (56 points) posing any semblance of a threat on the day.
Crestview (74) finished third with Choctaw (79) and Rocky Bayou (149) rounding out the boy ’s field.

By TRAVIS DOWNEY
Florida Freedom Newspapers (850) 315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH
— Entering Saturday’s Okaloosa County Cross Country Championships, Niceville boys’ coach Sherman Eller asked his team to dial it down a notch with the intention of keeping his team rested and healthy for next week’s District 1 meet.
But Eagles’ senior Christian Ritacco couldn’t help himself.
“They wanted me to hold back a little for districts, so

I did try to hold back a little, , but I felt so good I said screw it and kept with it,” Ritacco said.
    He went fast.
    Ritacco won the 2008 Individual boy’s title with a blistering time of 16:04 to help the Eagles claim a second straight county championship while on the girls’ side, Niceville’s newest face, sophomore Laura Nelson, took home top individual honors and led her team to the county title.
    Nelson, who transferred to Niceville from North Carolina,

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/30/08 Page B3

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: Led the boys to a fifthplace finish at the Panhandle Championships by running a personal-best time of 16:28 to finish seventh and earn a spot on the All-Panhandle Team.
• Michael Graziani, Freeport:
Sophomore finished first at a fiveteam meet in Paxton to record his fifth straight win with a time of 17:51.
• Alexandra McManus, South Walton: Freshman helped team to seventh place finish at Panhandle Championships by running a personal-record time of 22:51.
• Abby McCool, Niceville: Helped the Eagles to a fourthplace finish at the Panhandle Championships with a personal best time of 20:39.
• Emmett Hightower, South Walton: Sophomore trimmed 49 seconds off his best time to run a 21:07 at the Panhandle Championships.
• Hakeem Tarpley, Choctawhatchee: Finished first at Tri Meet against Fort Walton Beach and Navarre with personal-record time of 17:35.
• Malorie Leach, South Walton: Junior took 52 seconds off her personal-best time to turn in a 24:22 at the Panhandle Championships.
• Sam Ammons, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore finished 25th at the Panhandle Championships with a

Florida elite time of 17:09.
• Christopher Perez, South Walton: Sophomore cut 1:16 off his personal-best time to run a 23:26 at the Panhandle Championships.
• Casey Luzius, Niceville: Placed 36th at Panhandle Championships with a personal-best time of 21:42.
• Alec Herrera, Choctawhatchee: Placed second at Tri Meet against Fort Walton Beach and Navarre with personal-record time of 17:40.
• Iolani Scanlan, Fort Walton Beach: Junior led the girls to a second-place finish at the Panhandle Championships with a personalbest time of 19:53 to place 12th with a second-team elite time.
• Lauren Eschbach, Niceville:
Placed 28th at Panhandle Championships with season-best time of 21:04.
• Tiana Rodriguez, Choctawhatchee: Finished first at Tri Meet against Fort Walton Beach and Navarre with personal-record time of 21:43.
• Sarah de Vaux, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore tied her personal-best time of 20:20 to earn a Florida elite time at Panhandle Championships.
• Brooke McSheehy, Choctawhatchee: Placed second at Tri Meet against Fort Walton Beach and Navarre with a personal-record time of 22:04.
• Kathryn Russell, Fort Walton Beach: Freshman won the open race setting a new personal record of 21:51 and securing a varsity spot for county championships.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/26/08 Page B1

SPORTSLINE

From wire reports

Niceville cross country boys win Panhandle

   Christian Ritacco (16:01) finished second individually to lead Niceville to a first-place finish among 26 teams at the Panhandle Cross Country Championships, edging 3A power Leon, 85-87, while Fort Walton Beach took second on the girls’ side.
   Six of Niceville’s seven runners turned in personal-best times on the day.
   “I couldn’t be any happier with our day,” Niceville coach Sherman Eller

said.
   Cameron Thomas (16:13) finished thirdoverall while Michael Cooper (16:59) and Cody Skarupa (17:13) each finished inside the top 30.
   Robert Burnett (17:14), Patrick Lacomb (17:16) and Cullen Fralix (17:18) each finished in the top 40 to help the Eagles hold off a late run by Leon.
   Fort Walton Beach (168) finished fifth, just ahead of area rivals Navarre (sixth, 170) and Crestview (ninth, 247). South Walton’s boys placed 16 th .
   On the girls’ side, Fort Walton Beach (second, 92 points), Niceville (fourth, 102), South Walton (seventh, 200) and Navarre (ninth, 280) placed in the top 10.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/23/08 Page B3

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Meghan Ryan, South Walton: The sophomore trimmed 59 seconds off her previous best time at the Prestate meet where she finished second for the Seahawks with a time of 21:37.
• Morgan Keel, Niceville: Placed 59th at Race of Champions with a season-best time of 20:31.
• Briana DeGennaro, Fort Walton Beach: Junior set a new personal record of 20:35 at Prestate meet to earn Florida Elite status with a 14th place finish.
• Michael Graziani, Freeport: The sophomore runner finished first with a personal best time of 17:38 in a quad meet at Walton for his fourth win in a row and also finished third at the Bay High School Invitational with a time of 17:55.
• Laura Nelson, Niceville: Led the Eagles to an 11th place finish at the Race of Champions by placing 47th with a time of 20:13.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: Senior set a personal record of 19:42 at Prestate meet, finishing fourth overall while leading Vikings to

second place team finish.
• Eddie Kalil, South Walton:
Sophomore dropped 48 seconds off his 5K personal record at Prestate meet on the state championship course.
• Sarah DeVaux, Fort Walton Beach: Junior ran a personal record of 20:20 at Prestate meet to earn Florida Elite status with an eighthplace finish.
• Jessica Harrions, South Walton: Seahawks’ freshman took 1:02 off her previous best time with a run of 23:27 at Prestate meet.
• Brandon Murphy, Fort Walton Beach: Sophomore set a new personal record at the Prestate meet with a time of 18:28.
• Dalton Morrison, Freeport:
Sophomore finished second in a quad meet at Walton with a time of 18:17.
• Ben Chastain, Fort Walton Beach: Senior led boysto fifth place finish at Prestate and placed 12th overall with an elite time of 16:55.
• Reed Coker, South Walton:
Freshman set a personal best of 21:50 as he took 45 seconds off his time at Prestate meet.
• Chris Douglas, Fort Walton Beach: Junior set a new personal record of 17:41 at the Prestate meet and helped the Vikings to a fifth place finish.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/16/08 Page B4

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Christian Ritacco, Niceville: Senior placed second overall at the Great American Invitational with a time of 16:41 to help lead Eagles’ to a second place finish. Ritacco has finished in the top three in four of his five races this year.
• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: Junior led the Vikings to a seventh place finish at the Great American meet with a time of 17:28 to place 14th.
• Cameron Thomas, Niceville: Senior earned a 10th place overall finish at the Great American Invitational with a time of 17:19.
• Paula Swiercz, South Walton: Freshman took fourth place overall to help the Seahawks to a win at Freeport.
• Michael Graziana, Freeport: Sophomore finished first in quad meet

with a winning time of 18:15 for his third straight win. • Michael Cooper, Niceville: Junior finished 25th overall at the Great American Invitational with a time of 17:48. • Ben Chastain, Fort Walton Beach: Senior placed 23rd at the Great American meet in Hoover, Ala., earning a medal with a time of 17:43.
• Cameron Drew, South Walton: Sophomore finished seventh as Seahawks defeated Baker, Walton and Freeport in quad meet.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: Senior led the Vikings’ girls team to a fifth place finish with an elite time of 21:07.
• Jacob Leuze, South Walton: Freshman placed second overall to help the Seahawks to a victory in a quad meet at Freeport.
• Briana DeGennaro, Fort Walton Beach: Vikings’ sophomore finished second with a time of 21:42 at Great American.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/12/08 Page B5

AREA PREP ROUNDUP

Staff Reports

Boys cross country

• Great American XC Meet:
Christian Ritacco placed second overall (16:41) in the Great American Invitational to help Niceville claim a second place team finish on a day in which three Eagles turned in medal times.
Cameron Thomas placed 10th (17:19) and Michael Cooper finished 25th (17:48) as the Eagles narrowly missed taking home top honors in the 14-team field in Hoover, Ala.

Niceville: Christian Ritacco 16:41, Cameron Thomas 17:19, Michael Cooper 17:48, Robert Burnett 18:11, Cullen Fralix 18:14.

Girls cross country

• Great American XC Meet:
Laura Nelson turned in a team-best time of 20:13 to place 47th overall in the Race of Champions and help Niceville’s girls finish 11th in a field that featured the fourth- and sixth-ranked teams in the country.

Niceville: Laura Nelson 20:13, Chanelle Cox 20:26, Megan Keel 20:31, Lauren Eschbach 21:36, Abby McCool 22:01, Casey Luzius 22:56, Taylor Adams 22:57.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/9/08 Page B4

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Nathan Terry, South Walton: The junior trimmed 46 seconds off of his best time (20:23) to finish fourth for the Seahawks at the Rams Invitational.
• Sam Ammons, Fort Walton Beach: Placed fifth (17:34) at the Rams Invitational to assure the Vikings the win.
• Hakeem Tarpley, Choctawhatchee: Placed and medaled 11th out of 176 runners at the BoysVarsity Invitational at FL Runners with a personal-record time of 16:42.
• Meghan Ryen, South Walton: The sophomore finished third for South Walton at the Rams Invitational with a personal-best time of 22:36 as the Seahawks placed fourth in the 10-team event.
• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: The junior led the boys to a first place finish at the Rams Invitational with a time of 17:13.
• Tiana Rodriguez, Choctawhatchee: Turned in a personal-record of 22:11 in the Girls Varsity Open at FL Runners.

• Eli Syed, South Walton: The freshman took one minute off his best time to turn in a 21:54 at the Rams Invitational.
• Iolani Scanlon, Fort Walton Beach: The junior placed third overall (20:59) to help the Vikings to a first place finish at the Rams Invitational.
• Christian Ritacco, Niceville: Won Wildcat Invitational with a time of 16:13 to tie a personal best and help lead Eagles to runner-up finish.
• Tim Maney, Choctawhatchee: Ran a season personal-record time of 18:53 in the Boys Varsity Invitational at FL Runners.
• Allysa Bump, South Walton: Bump finished fifth on the team after taking a minute off her time at the Rams Invitational.
• Melissa Radford, Fort Walton Beach: The sophomore placed ninth with a personalbest time of 21:29 at the Rams Invitational.
• Cameron Thomas, Niceville: Had a third place finish at Wildcat Invitational with a time of 16:27.
• Brook McSheehy, Choctawhatchee: The sophomore ran a personal-record of 22:00 in the Girls Varsity Open event at FL Runners.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/5/08 Page B3

AREA PREP ROUNDUP
Niceville girls cross country racks up first place at meet

Staff Reports

    Henry Spillers doesn’t believe his Niceville girls are running “great meets” just yet, but following Saturday’s win at the 36th Annual Wildcat Invitational, he believes the Eagles are getting close.
    “It’s good to win a meet while we’re still working on things,” Spillers said. “We’re not running great meets yet, they’re good, but not great yet.”
    Laura Nelson led Niceville with a fifth-place finish (20:08) and Chanelle Cox placed sixth overall (20:09) to give the Eagles a team score of 68, 10 points better than second place T.R. Miller.

Niceville: Laura Nelson 20:08, Chanelle Cox 20:09, Abby McCool 20:56, Lauren Eschbach 22:46, Casey Luzius 22:46.
Navarre: Kristen Cross 21:42.07, Sabrina Seignemartin 22:16.36, Mallory Beck 22:29.17, Karlee Tyler 23:04.47, Chelsea Chandler 24:36.40.
Rocky Bayou: Holly Stanton 20:26.77, Elizabeth Berry 21:40.20, Christy Allen 22:32.04, Katie Brown 23:09.13, Whitney Denney 23:09.13.

Boys cross country

• Wildcat Invitational: Niceville’s Christian Ritacco turned in a blazing time of 16:13 for first-place overall, narrowly edging Navarre’s Zak Boston (16:27.37), but it wasn’t enough as Washington won the sixth-man tiebreaker with the Eagles by 10 seconds to claim the Wildcat Invitational in Pensacola.
Teammate Cameron Thomas placed third with a time of 16:27.58, just behind Boston while Michael Cooper (17:11) finished ninth.

Niceville: Christian Ritacco 16:13, Cameron Thomas 16:27, Michael Cooper 17:11, Cody Skarupa 17:42, Patrick Lacomb 17:48.
Navarre: Zak Boston 16:23.37, Robert Mann 18:02.95, Cody Haden 18:20.45, Callen Nation 18:37.19, Dylan Dejardins 19:04.12.
Rocky Bayou: Charlie Highers 20:04.56, Chris Listak 22:23.91, Josh Zook 23:35.44.

Northwest Florida Daily News
10/2/08 Page B4

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Wells Buzzett, South Walton: The junior shaved 32 seconds off of his best 5K time at the FSU Invitational.
• Laura Nelson, Niceville: Finished 27th at the FSU Invitational by turning in a personal-best time of 20:31.
• Michael Graziani, Freeport:
The sophomore finished first last week in a five-team meet with a personal best time of 17:40.
• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: Junior led his team with a 15th place finish at the FSU Invitational with a personal best time of 16:50.
• Patrick Ryan, South Walton:
The freshman trimmed 45 seconds off of his 5K time to take second for the Seahawks at the FSU Invitational with a 19:27.
• Dalton Morrison, Freeport: The sophomore placed second last week with a personal-best time of 18:08 in a meet at Paxton.

• Luc Lawrence, Fort Walton Beach: In just his second-ever meet, the junior ran an 18:00 at the FSU Invitational.
• Cameron Thomas, Niceville: The senior placed 16th at the FSU Invitational with a personal-best time of 16:25 to help the Eagles finish fifth as a team.
• Jessie Taylor, South Walton: The sophomore turned in her best time of the year (23:00) to finish second for the Seahawks and help the girls’ team to a No. 25 finish.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: The sophomore ran a 20:35 to help lead the Vikings to an eighth place finish at the FSU Invitational.
• Christian Ritacco, Niceville: The senior earned his third top 10 finish in as many races with a personal-best time of 16:13
• Sarah deVaux, Fort Walton Beach: The sophomore turned in a new personal record time of 20:48 to finish 36th at the FSU Invitational.
• Chanelle Cox, Niceville: Led the Eagles to a fifth-place finish at the FSU Invitational by placing 21st with a season-best time of 20:05.

Northwest Florida Daily News
9/28/08 Page B3

AREA PREP ROUNDUP
Niceville boys cross country
place well at FSU Invitational

Staff Reports

    Niceville's boys cross country team had two runners place in the top 20 to finish fifth as a team at the FSU Invitational on Saturday in Tallahassee.
    Christian Ritacco set a personal-best with a time of 16:13 to place eighth overall, while Cameron Thomas also had his career-best run with a time of 16:25 to take 16th place.
    The meet had 43 teams in it and was won by Tampa Jesuit.
    Fort Walton Beach took 15th and was led by Matt Bevil. Hakeem     Tarpley led Choctawhatchee to a 25th-place finish, while Jacob Lueze was the first to cross the line for South Walton (39th). Rocky Bayou finished 41st as a team and was led by A.J. Aguilar.

Niceville: Christian Ritacco 16:13, Cameron Thomas 16:25, Cody Skarupa 17:04, Robert Burnett 17:30, Patrick Lacombe 17:31. FWB: Matt Bevil 16:50, Ben Chastain 17:05, Sam Ammons 17:23, Jake Dearmon 18:39, Bobby Graham 18:58. Choctaw: Hakeem Tarpley 16:53, Alec Herrera 18:03, Craig Anderson 19:50, Levi Wiegand 19:56, Jordan Taylor 20:00. SW: Jacob Lueze 19:13, Patrick Ryan 20:05, Wells Buzzett 20:06, Nathan Terry 21:34, Wade Howard 22:55. RBCS: A.J. Aguilar 18:05, Charlie Highers 21:11, Josh Allen 23:19, Chris Listak 23:32, Cameron Sutton 23:59.

Girls cross country

o FSU Invitational: Chanelle Cox finished in 21st place to lead Niceville to a fifth-place finish in Tallahassee.
Laura Nelson placed 27th overall as the next to cross the line for Niceville in the meet, which featured 36 teams.
Fort Walton Beach took eighth as a team. Erin Gallagher was the top Viking, placing 28th overall. Choctaw finished 22nd as a team, with Rocky Bayou right behind the Indians and South Walton was 25th. Lisa Spikes was the top finisher for Choctaw, while Elizabeth Berry was the first finisher for Rocky Bayou and Julie Williamson was the first to cross the line for the Seahawks.

Niceville: Chanelle Cox 20:05, Laura Nelson 20:31, Morgan Keel 20:55, Lauren Eschbach 21:18, Abby McCool 21:23. FWB: Erin Gallagher 20:35, Iolani Scanlan 20:45, Sarah de Vaux 20:48, Brianna Degennaro 21:24, Lizzy Gallagher 21:55. Choctaw: Lisa Spikes 22:07, Brooke Mc-Sheehey 22:13, Tiana Rodriguez 22:33, Priscilla White 22:57, Hayden Veech 23:37. RBCS: Elizabeth Berry 21:34, Christi Allen 22:36, Katie Brown 23:15, Brittney Tiller 23:33, Whitney Denney 23:34. SW: Julie Williamson 21:20, Jessie Taylor 22:59, Meghan Ryan 23:18, Alex McManus 23:58, Jessica Harrison 24:55.

Northwest Florida Daily News
9/25/08 Page B3

PREP HONOR ROLL

• Julie Williamson, South Walton: Helped lead the Seahawks to 20th place as a team at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Matt Bevil, Fort Walton Beach: He ran a 17:03 to finish 25th overall at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Chanelle Cox, Niceville: Led the Eagles to fifth place as a team by finishing12th overall at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Michael Graziani, Freeport: In his first race last week, took first over all during a quad meet.
• Alex McManus, South Walton: Improved her time by nearly two minutes in helping the Seahawks take

20th as a team at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Erin Gallagher, Fort Walton Beach: The senior finished 11th overall to help the Vikings to a 7th place team finish at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Morgan Keel, Niceville: Finished 21st overall at the Gulf Coast Stampede to help the Eagles place fifth.
• Jacob Lueze, South Walton: Dropped his time by 54 seconds to run 18:35 at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Chris Douglas, Fort Walton Beach: Ran an 18:53 in his first meet at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Wade Howard, South Walton: Improved his time by more than two minutes at the Gulf Coast Stampede.
• Kathryn Russell, Fort Walton Beach: Improved her time by more than a minute at the Gulf Coast Stampede.

Northwest Florida Daily News
9/21/08 Page B2

Sports BRIEFS

Ritacco cruises in Gulf Coast Stampede

    Niceville senior Christian Ritacco turned in a blistering 16:19, good for third overall in the 5K, as the Eagles finished sixth (191 points) in the team standings in Saturday’s 42-team Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede.
Ritacco was joined by fellow senior Cameron Thomas (18th overall) with a time of 16:54.
    Fort Walton Beach’s Matt Bevil (17:03) finished fourth in the junior male overall standings.
    On the girls’ side, Crestview’s Lauren Day turned in a time of 20:11 to claim the top spot in the junior female overall standings.
    Rocky Bayou’s Holly Stanton (20:55) finished just behind Day for fifth.
    Fort Walton Beach’s Erin Gallagher (20:16) and Niceville’s Chanelle Cox (20:17) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the senior female overall standings.

Northwest Florida Daily News
9/16/08 Page B3

AREA PREP ROUNDUP

Eagles race to first-place finish

Staff Reports

    Niceville’s boys cross country team finished first among nine schools in the Cougar Invitational at Godby High School on Monday.
    The Eagles won with 36 points, outdistancing MaClay with 54 points, by having all five of its runners place in the top 12.
    Christian Ritacco led the way, taking second in a time of 17:18. Cameron Thomas took fourth, Michael Cooper was seventh, Cody Skarupa took eleventh and Cullen Fralix finished twelfth in the team’s first race of the season.
    Patrick Lacombe (13), Max Livingston (14) and Jason Riggs (15) all won medals by placing in the top 15 among all runners.