Southwest Florida’s storied history of producing standout cross country runners is poised to continue in 2024.
A number of decorated athletes from last season, including Community School's Sierra Audrey , Bishop Verot's Mackenzie De Lisle , Fort Myers' Craig Allard , and Bishop Verot's Andrew Marino , return to area courses and will look to challenge the best runners the state has to offer.
2023 State Cross Country: CSN's Audrey wins gold, Verot's De Lisle, Naples boys state runners-up
Here’s a look at the top 18 runners in Southwest Florida, nine boys and nine girls, who are poised to power the local cross country scene this season.
SW Florida Girls Cross Country Runners to Watch
Sienna Audrey
School: Community School of Naples
Class: Junior
Audrey ran away from the postseason competition, winning District 1A-6, Region 1A-3, and Class 1A championships, clocking an impressive 18:08.8 at the state meet
Cameron Bates
School: Naples
Class: Senior
Bates placed 78th at the Class 3A state meet last season and opened this season by setting a PR with a time of 19:52.9 at the Dunbar Invitational, placing fourth. It's the first time The Golden Eagles' No. 2 runner ran under 20 minutes. Bates was also one of the top pole vaulters in the area during track season.
Mackenzie De Lisle
School: Bishop Verot
Class: Senior
De Lisle broke the 18-minute barrier four times last season, capped by a 17:52.2 to earn her a second-place finish at the Class 2A state championships. She also finished as runner-up at the District 2A-6 and Region 2A-3 meets and became the first female runner to repeat as Private 8 champion.
Masha Dorofeev
School: Fort Myers
Class: Senior
Dorofeev won the District 3A-6 championship and finished third at the Region 3A-3 meet. She placed seventh overall at the Class 3A state championships with a time of 18:45. During the regular season, she was the runner-up at the LCAC meet. Dorofeev took second in the Dunbar Invitational in 19:36.50 on Aug. 17.
Brianna Ferro
School: Marco Island
Class: Sophomore
Ferro had a strong finish to her freshman campaign, placing 19th at the Class 1A state championships where she joined Audrey as the only two Collier County runners to come in under the 20-minute mark. She also placed fifth at both the District 1A-6 and Region 1A-3 meets.
Jazlyn Forbes
School: Oasis
Class: Junior
Forbes won four regular-season meets, including posting a personal-best 17:41.3 at the Lely Invitational. In the postseason, she placed third at both the District 2A-6 and Region 2A-3 races and finished sixth at the Class 2A state championships with a time of 18:38. Forbes won the Dunbar Invitational in 18:46 on Aug. 17.
Gianna Gyurich
School: Bishop Verot
Class: Sophomore
Gyurich established herself as Bishop Verot's No. 2 runner as a freshman. She finished third at the Private 8 meet, fourth at the District 2A-6 race, and sixth at the Region 2A-3 championships. Gyurich placed 31st at the Class 2A state championships with a time of 19:44.
Avery Sommers
School: Estero
Class: Senior
Sommers placed fourth at the LCAC meet, fifth at the District 2A-6 race, and eighth at the Region 2A-3 championships. At the Class 2A state championships, she finished 29th in a time of 19:42.8.
Tara Watkins
School: Naples
Class: Senior
Watkins won the 2023 CCAC championship title with a time of 19:46.9. She also finished second at the District 3A-6 race and fourth at the Region 2A-3 meet in 18:56. Watkins finished 57th at the Class 3A state championships. She started this season by taking third at the Dunbar Invitational in 19:50 on Aug. 17.
SW Florida Boys Cross Country Runners to Watch
Craig Allard Jr.
School: Fort Myers
Class: Senior
Allard finished as the runner-up at the LCAC and the District 3A-6 meets. He also finished fourth at the Region 3A-3 race and placed 11th at the Class 3A state championships with a time of 15:55. Allard opened the season by wining the Dunbar Invitational on Aug. 17 in 16:11.70.
Troy Britton
School: Fort Myers
Class: Senior
Britton finished fourth at the LCAC meet, 12th at the District 3A-6 race and 17th at the Region 3A-3 championships. He also finished placed 35th at the Class 3A state championships with a time of 16:39.7.
Hayden Clark
School: Palmetto Ridge
Class: Senior
Clark earned a runner-up finish at the CCAC meet and captured the District 4A-4 championship with a season-best time of 15:49.2. He also placed fourth at the Region 4A-2 race before taking 160th at the Class 4A state championships.
Angel Cruz
School: Mariner
Class: Junior
Cruz placed second at the Dunbar Invitational on Aug. 17 in 16:18, a personal best. That's a good 30 seconds faster than he was running in the district, regional and state meets last year. He finished 51st in Class 3A last fall in 16:58.70.
Reece Lolly
School: Naples
Class: Junior
Lolly placed sixth at the CCAC meet, seventh at the District 3A-6 race, and eighth at the Region 3A-3 championships. He also finished 34th at the Class 3A state championships with a time of 16:39.5.
Andrew Marino
School: Bishop Verot
Class: Senior
Marino captured both the Private 8 and District 2A-6 championships. He also was the runner-up at the Region 2A-3 race and finished 11th at the Class 2A state championships with a time of 16:21.
Martin Mendoza
School: Immokalee
Class: Sophomore
Mendoza placed fourth at the CCAC meet, fifth at the District 3A-6 race and sixth at the Region 3A-3 championships. He concluded the season by finishing 19th at the Class 3A state championships with a time of 16:12.
Dennis Olsen
School: Bishop Verot
Class: Senior
Olsen finished as the runner-up at both the Private 8 and District 2A-6 championships. He also placed 28th at the Region 2A-3 meet and came in 29th at the Class 2A state championships with a time of 16:53.3.
Zachary Zielke
School: Bishop Verot
Class: Senior
Zielke placed third at both the Private 8 and District 2A-6 championships. He also finished fourth at the Region 2A-3 meet and 30th at the Class 2A state championships with a time of 16:54.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: SW Florida's boys and girls high school cross country runners to watch in the 2024 season
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