Nearly a month after the FHSAA’s official start date for competition, the Dolphins of Marathon were able to complete their first cross country race of the season at Miami Country Day. In the weeks since the Aug. 18 season opening, multiple events were canceled, all due to inclement weather, giving local teams some concern over whether they would be race-ready.
On Sept. 9, the Fins made it clear that they have not missed a beat.
Freshman Lucian Burns led the team to second-place finishes for both the Fins and himself. Burns finished in 17:06, good enough for a big PR and just a tenth of a second behind the first-place finisher. Right behind Burns was sophomore Tony Bursa, whose 17:32 put him in third overall. Allen Taylor and Caleb Shelar were next, each breaking the 20-minute mark and Taylor clocking a fraction of a second ahead of Shelar. Landon Anderson completed his first-ever cross country race in 21:24 and Anthony Vargas, a seventh grader, finished in 21:26, giving Marathon a solid sixth man to serve as tie-breaker should the team ever require one.
The sixth runner has been a deciding factor in the past for the Fins, and ensuring the team had someone in that role was one of the coaching staff’s biggest concerns heading into this season. The team captured second place out of a pack of six teams entered in the race.
The girls team had just two returners clocking times last week. Molly Joly was first for Marathon and seventh overall with a 22:56. Though just a seventh grader, Joly is now in her second year of varsity running with the Fins. The team’s other seasoned runner, Mylana Loza, was second for Marathon, running a 27:58. Transfer student Kayla Skaarup was third and broke the 30-minute mark along with newcomer Ariella Dworniczak. Stephanie Rodriguez rounded out the Fins’ top five.
Marathon and Coral Shores now each have one race completed this season, while Key West has not had any luck with dodging foul weather. The Conchs have used the lack of meets as a reset to get some extra work in as well as to bond as a new team. All three teams are scheduled to compete at the Spanish River Invitational Sept. 19 and the following week, a Marathon meet is scheduled for Sept. 24.
