DADE CITY — Saturday’s Steven Villareal Memorial hosted by Dade City at Withlacoochie River Park was just the kind of meet one would expect from the rolling rural hills. It took a dirt road and winding, one-lane road to finally reach the course and when the runners shot out of the gates, they vanished into the timber for more than two miles, only emerging once most position battles were settled.
In the boys race, Pasco senior Zachery Weaver got in front of the lead pack early and piled on the seconds with every step.
“Two guys went out blazing fast but they died when we got into the woods,” Weaver said. “I got out in front and no one came up next to me and when I looked back at the one-mile mark there was no one there.”
Weaver finished in 16:38.19, more than a minute ahead of runnerup Jack Rodgers of Robinson, who led the Knights to the team title.
The Land O’Lakes boys were second with 58 points, led by seventh-place Austin Dotson. Gulf (95 points) was third.
Robinson placed its top four in second, third, eighth and ninth, led by Rodgers in 17:38.77 and Manuel Tejeda in third at 17:44.26. Ben Jones and Wade Fitzgerald grabbed ninth and 10th, respectively, for Robinson.
“Ben (Jones) sealed the deal for us today,” Robinson coach Mark Altimari said. “I’m happy with the way the team really came together over the summer.”
Carrollwood Day freshman Jack Pironti was sixth in 17:58.02.
For the girls, Claire Farnsworth of Lecanto breezed to victory by more than 20 seconds. Farnsworth had difficulty finding the trail as she emerged from the woods and made two quick circles before meet officials finally put her on the right path.
Behind Farnsworth came Jenkins’ Emily English in 20:44.89, then Wiregrass Ranch’s Kerry Reilly in 20:48.81. Lakeland George Jenkins finished fourth, ninth and 17th to claim the team title with 59 points. Wesley Chapel’s Amber Maxwell was fifth in 21:10.80. Reilly helped Wiregrass finish second with 65 points.
“She (Reilly) ran even splits the whole race,” Bulls coach Don Howard said. “At the one-mile mark she was in eighth or ninth and she worked her way up to third.”
The Robinson girls (89) were third, led by Isabel Hanewicz (sixth) and Frankie Wilson (13th). Land O’Lakes (90) was fourth, led by Lauren Hale (eighth) and host Pasco grabbed fifth led by sophomore Cameryn Weaver (12th).