Photos by RICK MACKENZIE
The 2022 cross country season in the Florida Keys was marked by a number of standout individual performances, crowned by Marathon sophomore Vance Bursa’s blazing finish in the FHSAA 1A state championship meet to claim ninth place.
And in looking ahead, Keys teams appear to just be revving up for 2023.
In a sport with no timeouts, no substitutions and only one significant statistic, choosing the inaugural All-Keys cross country teams was a relatively simple matter. But in naming the top seven male and female cross country athletes in the county, our staff noticed something: 13 of the 14 athletes, should they so choose, will have the chance to compete again in 2023, and two of them haven’t even hit high school yet.
Needless to say, we can’t wait.
From the staff at the Keys Weekly Sports Wrap, congratulations to the 2022 Keys Weekly All-Keys Cross Country Teams.
(Boys)
MVP
Vance Bursa
Sophomore, Marathon
Season Record: 16:18.20
“This was Vance’s second year running cross country, but watching him you would think he was a veteran runner. He is already the second-fastest Dolphin ever with a 16:18 PR and placed the second-highest ever at states for the Dolphins with a 10th-place finish. Excited to see what he can do in the next two years.” – Marathon coach Jim Murphy.
Simon Gutierrez
Senior, Coral Shores
Season Record: 17:53.00
Gutierrez led the Hurricanes this season, on and off the course. “Simon is graduating this year and his leadership and positive attitude are going to be missed,” said Coral Shores coach Gabriel Suarez. ”He has set a great example for the new runners, and I hope they follow a similar path in running.”
Jakub Bursa
Junior, Marathon
Season Record: 18:20.00
“Jakub is the workhorse who logs the most mileage on our team. He put in many 50-plus-mile weeks throughout the season and was one of our most consistent runners. He will be coming back next season for his senior year stronger and ready to go.” – Marathon coach Jim Murphy
Mason Buxton
Junior, Marathon
Season Record: 18:20.00
“Mason is the veteran on our team. He just finished his fourth season and has one more to go. Mason’s times dropped a lot this season and he should be a monster on the track this spring.”- Marathon coach Jim Murphy
Antonin “Tony” Bursa
Seventh Grade, Marathon
Season Record: 18:38.10
“Tony is only in seventh grade and is already running consistently in the 18s. He has multiple great examples in his household that he learns from and I’m excited to see what he can do when he reaches high school.” – Marathon coach Jim Murphy
Colbin Hill
Junior, Key West
Season Record: 18:48.20
“Colbin is a runner whose actions speak louder than his words on and off the field. His work ethic is unparalleled, and he is always willing to go the extra mile in his training. He was the clear leader of the team this year, and we’re looking forward to great things from him next season.” – Key West coach Mark Coleman
(Girls)
MVP
Caylaa Makimaa
Sophomore, Key West
Season Record: 20:36.00
“Caylaa is a ray of sunshine in life and on a race course. Always smiling and turning negatives into positives, Caylaa was one of only two veteran cross country runners on this team. She ensured that she was always lending a helping hand to our runners who were newer to the sport. Caylaa works hard, and it showed up this year; Caylaa is full of potential as a runner and has a bright future ahead of her.” – Key West coach Keara McGraw
Ella Dunn
Sophomore, Marathon
Season Record: 22:36.50
“Ella is such a wonderful athlete to work with; she brings so much joy and light to everything she does. She is someone you can always count on to lift you up when feeling down.” – Marathon coach Darby Sheehan
Madelyn Thornton
Eighth Grade, Marathon
Season Record: 22:40.40
“Madelyn is an amazing athlete with tons of natural talent. I have no doubt she can do anything she sets her mind to and I can’t wait to see how far she goes with cross country.” – Marathon coach Darby Sheehan
Laira Anaya
Sophomore, Key West
Season Record: 22:48.70
“In running, mental grit is one of the keys to success, but it’s the hardest thing to teach. Laira is one of the grittiest ladies I’ve ever met – she’s inquisitive and always looking for ways to improve. I’m so proud of how far Laira has come this season in so many ways, one of which was learning to take feedback and apply it to her races positively. As a first-time cross country athlete, I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Laira in the sport.” – Key West coach Keara McGraw
Mikkel Ross
Junior, Marathon
Season Record: 23:02.00
“Mikkel is an incredible leader on our team. She is the person that all the girls look up to and come to when they need help. She has a fun personality that always keeps everyone laughing.” – Marathon coach Darby Sheehan
Kai Guth
Sophomore, Coral Shores
Season Record: 23:07.60
Kai Guth’s time was not the only thing making her a top athlete for the Hurricanes this season. “Kai and Simon (Gutierrez) both helped with getting sponsorships for the team and helped fundraise for our new uniforms. To this day they are still running, entering local 5k races and encouraging my newer runners to join.” – Coral Shores coach Gabriel Suarez
