Nationally ranked triathlete leads the pack Hagerty junior shows he can go the distance
Olympia High sophomore Emily Knopfle has grown up excelling in triathlon, which wraps running, swimming and bicycling all into one race. But she also is exceptional in one key component of that sport — distance running.
She is the Orlando Sentinel cross country Runner of the Year for 2022.
The All-Area team features runners from nine teams, including two each from Circle Christian and Boone. Other high schools represented are Bishop Moore, Lake Minneola, Master’s Academy, Mount Dora, Trinity Prep and Winter Springs.
Runner of the Year Emily Knopfle
Olympia, So.
Buzz: The nationally ranked triathlete placed second in the Class 4A state meet with a time of 18:34.0 for 5,000 meters. She ran a career-best 18:26.6 on the same course in the FSU Invitational. Knopfle was third in 4A as a ninth-grader. Knopfle had five victories in eight races, including conference and district meets and three invitationals. She also was a track standout for the Titans last spring and plans to compete again in distance events before turning her attention to the triathlon circuit over the summer.
All-Area runners
Morgan Cox
Trinity Prep, Sr.
Buzz: Placed ninth in the 1A state meet with an 18:52.5 time. She ran a career-best 18:25.8 as district runner-up to Knopfle and 18:37.6 at the FSU Invitational.
Megan Dolan
Boone, Sr.
Buzz: Third place in the 4A state meet with 18:51.2 time. She was a Metro Conference and district champion and added two invitational wins. Best of 18:40.19.
Hannah Douglas Mount Dora, So. Buzz:
Lake-Sumter and district champion placed 18th in the 2A state meet at 19:12.6. Her season-best time of 19:25.0 came in Windermere’s Meet of Champions.
Ava
Hendrix Lake Minneola, So. Buzz:
Won the 3A District 4 with a personalbest 19:01 performance. She was second to Monaco in Region 2 and ran 19:25.9 in the FHSAA state meet.
Rachel
Judy Circle Christian, 8 th Buzz:
Took 12th in the 1A state meet with a 19:03.0 time that was No. 1 among eighthgraders at the state meet. Ran career-best 18:38.9 behind Knopfle and Cox in district meet.
Hagerty junior Jonathan Leon ran the Orlando area’s fastest boys cross country time of the season and was the front-runner for the area’s best team.
He is the Runner of the Year for 2022. The Sentinel All-Area team features runners from 10 teams, including two from Hagerty. Other high schools represented are Boone, Circle Christian, Edgewater, Harmony, Lake Mary, Montverde Academy, Oviedo, Tohopekaliga and Orlando University.
Runner of the Year Jonathan Leon Hagerty, Jr.
Buzz:
District champ Leon led the area’s top team. He ran the area’s best 5,000-meter time of the season, 15.23.8, for third in a fast region race at Santa Fe College in Gainesville. He clocked a 15:49.9 for fourth place in the 4A state meet after running 15:28.2 on the same course as area’s top finisher in the FSU Invitational. Won the Hagerty Invitational on his home course and also won the DeLand Invitational, Jim Ryun FCA Invitational and Seminole Athletic Conference crown.
All-Area runners Paige McCaul Berrio Bishop Moore, Sr.
Buzz:
The Citrus League champion also was the 2A District 4 winner. She placed 13th in the 2A state meet with a personal record 18:44.5.
Alejandro
University (Orlando), Jr.
Buzz: Tohopekaliga Invitational winner clocked career-best 15:49.1 for second in 4A Region 3. Owned area’s seventh-best state meet time (16:30.6).
Johan
Simone Monaco Camacho Winter Springs, Sr. Tohopekaliga, Sr. Buzz: Buzz:
First-year phenom was a conference, district and region champ. Top area finisher in FSU Invitational with PR 18:25.9. Ninth in 3A state meet at 18:44.2.
Fourth-fastest area runner in the state meet in Tallahassee (16:12.8) placed 22nd in 4A. Set personal best of 16:08.9 in Region 3 race.
Leah Moury Evan Casterline Circle Christian, So.
Buzz:
Helped the Centurions place fifth in 1A with a 19:17.5 time good for 16th individually. Her personal best was 19:14.1 in the District 4 meet.
Edgewater, Sr.
Buzz: His 16:35.9 effort was 23rd in the 3A state final and eighth fastest by an area boy in Tallahassee. Ran career-best 16:28.5 at West Orange.
Noelle Vu Jack DeJesus Mount Dora, Jr. Circle Christian, Sr. Buzz: Buzz:
Lake-Sumter and district runner-up to Douglas. Personal best 19:00.7 at FSU Invitational. Ran 19:24.1 in state meet, fourth best among area 2A runners.
DeJesus had the area’s second-best state meet time (15:48.1) as the Class 1A runner-up. He was a district champ and Hagerty Invitational runner-up to Leon.
Ava Wyant Joel Jean The Master’s Academy, Jr. Harmony, Sr. Buzz: Buzz:
Ran 18:33.0 for fourth in 1A state meet Orange Belt Conference champion to improve on fifth-place 2021 finish. Clocked (16:26.08) ran season-best 16:20.44 for career-best 18:18.5 in district race, one of her second-best 4A district finish behind Berrio. four meet victories. No. 9 area state meet time (16:42.0).
STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL
Dylan Mauldin
Boone, So.
Buzz: Metro Conference East champ had fifth-fastest state meet time by an area runner (16:17.8), good for 24th in 4A. Had PR 16:04.2 in Region 3 race.
Marc McDonald Oviedo, Sr. Buzz:
Raced 13 times in 14 weeks and went under 16 minutes twice with best of 15:55.9. Tenth-fastest area state meet time of 16:42.2.
Riley Novack Montverde Academy, Sr. Buzz:
Regular season was limited due to illness and injury, but Novack was a district and region champ and ran area-best 15:31.7 in state meet as 2A third-placer.
Miguel Pantojas Hagerty, Sr. Buzz:
West Orange Invitational winner had a season-best time of 15:44.8 in 4A Region 1 meet. Sixth-best area time (16:25.1) on state championship day.
Price Wheeler Lake Mary, Sr. Buzz:
Rough day at the state meet but had area’s fourth-best time (16:18.6) in the FSU Invitational on the state meet course. Coach Joe McKinney Classic champion.