It’s been a long time since The Canterbury School girls cross country team claimed a district title, but that all changed on Thursday at the Hibiscus Golf Club.
With four runners finishing in the top 10, the Cougars dominated in the District A-8 meet to take home the championship.
“It’s just really cool,” Canterbury’s Jessica Edwards said. “We thought it could happen, but we didn’t know. We’ve worked really hard all season.”
Edwards, an eight-grader, finished second individually, with teammate Elle Eisele, a sixth-grader, behind her in third. Marco Island Academy’s Olivia Watt finished first.
The Cougars’ Samantha Stensrud finished seventh and Isabella Swan finished ninth. The team had three other runners finish in the top 30.
“This win means the world to me, because these girls give 100 percent every day,” Canterbury coach Charlotte Edwards said. “I’m extremely proud of them and happy for them.”
The win marked the first district title for Canterbury since Charlotte Edwards took over coaching duties two years ago. Although, records weren’t available, Charlotte Edwards said it could be the team’s first district championship in about a decade.
Southwest Florida Christian’s Kylie Thomas finished fourth, and Evangelical Christian’s Oliveira Sierra and Elizabeth Wetmore finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
Moore Haven freshman Cristobal Morales wanted the individual boys championship, so he made sure to make it happen. He found himself paired with First Baptist Academy’s Daniel O’Dell on the final stretch, but he sprinted for the finish line, leaving O’Dell behind.
“It was really painful, and I’m just glad that I went through it,” he said. “I’m just really proud of myself.”
His first place finish help get the Terriers to the regional meet as they finished fifth as a team.
First Baptist won the boys team event, with Evangelical Christian finishing second. O’Dell finished second for the Lions, with teammate Cipriano Martinez finishing fourth. Seacrest’s Peter Charles took third and Evangelical Christian’s Thomas Beutler rounded out the top five.
Canterbury logo
District A-8 cross country meet
at Hibiscus Golf Club
Boys
Team scores
(Top 5 advance)
1. First Baptist Academy 61; 2. Evangelical Christian School 88; 3. Saint John Neumann 92; 4. Community School 117; 5. Moore Haven 127; 6. Southwest Florida Christian 158; 7. Seacrest 159; 8. Marco Island Academy 188; 9. Canterbury 188; 10. Everglades City 274.
Individual qualifiers
(Top 15 advance)
1. Cristobal Morales (MH) 17:25.57; 2. Daniel O’Dell (FBA) 17:28.70; 3. Peter Charles (S) 17:56.86; 4. Cipriano Martinez (FBA) 17:59.20; 5. Thomas Beutler (ECS) 18:13.87; 6. Griffin East (C) 18:22.41; 7. David Vera (ECS) 18:27.67; 8. Justin Merrell (Seacrest) 18:45.23; 9. Jake Leonardi (CSN) 18:50.12; 10. Delfino Mayorga (MH) 18:51.78; 11. David Sievert (SFC) 18:56.75; 12. Andrew Mitchell (SJN) 18:57.31; 13. Ethan Tank (SFC) 18:58.26; 14. Jamison McAdams (CSN) 18:59.39; 15. Michael Mertens (C) 18:59.61.
Girls
Team scores
(Top 4 advance)
1. Canterbury 34; 2. Evangelical Christian School 59; 3. St. John Neumann 98; 4. Marco Island Academy 99; 5. First Baptist Academy 121; 6. Seacrest 122; 7. Everglades City 189; 8. Moore Haven 195.
Individual qualifiers
(Top 15 advance)
1. Olivia Watt (MIA) 20:14.93; 2. Jessica Edwards (C) 21:19.20; 3. Elle Eisele (C) 21:39.33; 4. Kylie Thomas (SFC) 21:45.11; 5. Oliveira Sierra (ECS) 21:46.46; 6. Elizabeth Wetmore (ECS) 21:48.28; 7. Samantha Stensrud (C) 21:49.00; 8. Bridget Krauss (CSN) 22:38.65; 9. Isabella Swan (C) 22:59.46; 10. Ashlyn Goff (Everglades City) 23:00.85; 11. Margaret Sullivan (SJN) 23:21.75; 12. Moriah Oliveira (ECS) 23:26.69; 13. Anna Chamberlin (MIA) 23:26.80; 14. Rachelle Westervelt (Seacrest) 23:45.61; 15. Ashleigh Baker (FBA) 23:51.37.
