As we pass the mid-point of the 2015 Cross Country season and set our sights on the State Series in a just a few weeks, it's evident the next several years of distance running talent will continue to shine across the Sunshine State.
This week's honorees include two freshmen that are near to the top of the XC rankings in their respective class.
Our Girls FROSH of the Week is Lake Highlands Alexandra Cisneros.
So far this season, Alexandra has gone sub 20 once finishing 2nd at The Knights Dungeon Invitational. A break-out race of sorts as this may very well be the launching pad for Alexandra as we head towards the latter half of the season and into the State Series.
Coach Spring: Thank you for nominating Alexandra for Frosh of the Week! Although new to varsity this year Alexandra has been running in our Middle School program the past few seasons. Alexandra increased her mileage this past summer and has shown great promise in the season so far with a breakout performance at the Knight’s Dungeon Invitational last weekend. She is a very strong runner and it has been a joy to coach her. She is an excellent teammate and friend to all the girls on the team. In addition to running Alexandra is an accomplished Equestrian. The challenge for her the next few weeks is learn how to race up front with the leaders in the state series. I think she will surprise a few people at District, Region and State!
Alexandra: This is my first year running Varsity and I really enjoy running with the Lake Highland team. This summer I worked hard on getting my mileage up and had a lot of fun at running camp in North Carolina. This season has started well and I had a PR at East Ridge
last weekend. I’m looking forward to the West Orange meet and running at States this year.
Our Boys FROSH of the Week is Bolles Chase Rivera.
The Bulldogs of Bolles are in the midst of building a dynamo group of harriers that have the promise of something very special under the guidance of Coach Mike Rivera. So far this year, Chase has clocked 16.27.70. He finished 51st at the FSU Invitational and was the 2nd fastest freshman behind his teammate, Charles Hicks.
Coach Rivera: I have been at Bolles for three years and every day we talk about what it takes for teams to compete at a high level. With the current group (a very young group), things started to click this past spring and continued throughout the summer to the present. Dedication and intensity increased in all areas. Chase began training with this group during the summer and immediately helped forge the foundation for this season’s success. Chase has been relentless with his training that surprises me a little bit because he has not been part of a formal training program prior to this year and always relied on other sports for his fitness. He is dedicated in all phases that include long runs, swimming, weights, core, and nutrition. I have waited 14 years for this little kid who followed me around numerous tracks and cross country fields to say, “Dad, what is today’s training?” As many coaches know, it is a special feeling to have your child on the team that one coaches. I am proud of who he has become and cannot wait to see what he and his teammates can accomplish as they begin to see the high levels within their grasp.
Chase Rivera: The FSU Pre-State Invitational was a success for me as well as for the Bolles cross country team. Considering that this is my first year of actual Cross Country training and racing, I was extremely surprised when I crossed the finish line seeing a time of sub 16:30. Running with the Bolles team has been an amazing experience for me because Bolles has a great group of guys and coaches. When I ran my first meet at Ridgeview, my goal was to stay with my teammate Charles Hicks because I already knew that he had some extreme ability for a freshman. I achieved my goal and I work to get closer and closer to him in every single meet. In contrast, whenever I run well he does too and so do all of the other boys on the team. Our training has a huge impression on our race performance, thanks to Head Coach Rivera and our assistant coaches: Coach Stam and Coach Morris. Looking back at the previous Bolles team records and standings, our team this year and in years to come has the goal to completely rewrite the record board. It is an honor to run for my Dad and with the other guys and I hope our dedication and skill can possibly win us a state championship soon.
RELATED - SEE ALL FROSH OF THE WEEK FOR 2015 | 2014 | 2013
There are many factors that come into play when determining the "Frosh of the Week", including; time, place, rank against other freshmen, and overall impact they have on their team. We will not highlight the same Frosh more than once and the honors are purely subjective. If you wish to nominate your athlete for "Frosh of the Week" please e-mail me [email protected] with their name and why they are deserving of the honor.
