The 17th Annual Wickham Park Jamboree was contested by a record 460 finishers under clear, calm, humid conditions on a smoking fast course, mowed low and devoid of any moisture like seasons past.

The lengthened course, roughly 75 meters from 2015 according to Meet Director, Satellite's Coach Butler, precluded any serious attempts at the meet records which will hold for another year.  17:46 by Holy Trinity's Kayla Hale in 2007 and more recently, Brandon Marquez's equally impressive 15:23 from 2014.

The Boys race went off at 0730 and by the time the Girls race went off promptly at 0800, the heat had not only rolled in, but it was starting to bake.  Thus is XC season in August in Florida.

The pre-race favorite, Holy Trinity senior Samantha Folio is well versed on the course at Wickham Park, and it showed as she was well clear of the field after rounding the outer lake and making her way back to the midway 5 minutes into the race.

Holy Trinity's Samantha Folio leads the Girls 5K just past the Mile Mark in 5:44

While we fully expected a contingent of harriers to pack it up early, Folio had a different game plan.  She passed the mile marker in 5:44, a full 23 seconds faster than Rockledge junior Dominique Coriell who passed us at 6:07.

When asked if she was surprised to find no one going with her early on, Samantha said, "I was pretty surprised they didn't stick on for longer."  That opening 5:44 by the book is sub 18 pace and a pretty good reason why!

Dominque Coriell had the unenviable task of being caught in no man's land, good ways back from Folio throughout the race and having to consider the power of the chase pack that was only seven seconds back and ten deep at the Mile, led by Titusville's Camryn Folger and Sebastian Rivers Ciara Golliher.

Rockledge's Dominique Coriell in 2nd with the ensuing chase pack

When asked how the race played out for her, Dominique offered, "I was actually surprised, because I was working on pace, I was doing pretty well my first mile,  second kind of slacked a bit, keeping up with Samantha was difficult I'd admit."

Dominique Coriell just pass the Mile Mark, 23 seconds back of Folio

Passing through the midway the second time around fully in charge and rolling easily, Samantha was being urged by Holy Trinity Coach Scott Baker to stay heads up and get engaged as it's seemingly easy to lose focus so far in front of the field.

Coach Baker shared some thoughts on how they mentally prepared for the Meet as well, "we talk all the time, it's a mental game with her, and we're winning that battle right now", "we just talk to her saying you got to run your own race regardless of who is on the line, it doesn't change anything, so she's doing exactly what she needs to do".

Meanwhile, things were heating up back in the chase pack behind Coriell.  Ciara Golliher had moved into third and Satellite transfer Anique Kattenberg was on the move into fourth.  Behind them, the loose formation of racers included Satellite's Lana Rukab and The Pine School's Claire Barber.

The Chase Pack behind Coriell, from L to R, Rukab, Barber, Groppel and Kattenberg

One final time around the lake for Folio and by the time she passed us again on the Midway, 15:11 into the race and 800 meters from home, the hard work had been done, and the torrid pace was starting to take its toll. 

Still fully in control, Folio's lead had grown to 53 seconds as Coriell rolled by, still in no man's land with the chase pack not able to make any substantial ground in her bid for a runner-up finish.

Kattenberg had pushed forward into third, with team-mate Marie Groppel in 4th.  Back in 5th though with a lot of fight still left was Claire Barber.

The first two finishers were never in doubt coming into the latter stages of the race.  Folio capped off a superb solo effort finishing in 19:29. Coriell finished in 20:19, dwindling the margin of victory by 3 seconds, finishing 50 seconds back.

Barber had a great finish to nab 3rd as both she and Groppel passed Kattenberg who finished fifth, followed by Rukab and Winter Spring's Bahr Elayna to round out the top 7.

SEE THE FULL MEET RESULTS HERE