Stuart, Florida – The Belen Jesuit boys’ cross-country team showed their strength once again at the Region 4-3A meet on Saturday, adding another trophy to their collection by winning their 22nd consecutive regional championship. Racing under a challenging heat index of 86 degrees at South Fork High School, the Wolverines finished ahead of 16 other teams. They not only clinched the win but also made history by securing the school’s 28th regional title.
The team delivered a near-perfect performance, scoring just 15 points, by taking the top five positions in a field of 110 runners. Sophomore Armando Cruz led the way, edging out his teammates to claim the individual title with a time of 16:10. He was closely followed by seniors Joseph Socarras (16:10.20), Diego Magarino (16:10.30), Justin Ruiz (16:10.40), and sophomore Marcelo Mantecon (16:10.50), who all finished within seconds of each other.
This impressive victory means the Wolverines will head to the FHSAA State Championships for the 52nd time in a row, which will take place at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee on Saturday. They will be striving for their eighth consecutive state title, which would extend their record for the most consecutive team championships in any sport.
In other local cross-country results, Fort Lauderdale Dillard’s girls’ team took the regional title with an impressive score of 29 points, well ahead of Lourde’s 74 points. Eighth grader Shynah Collins led Dillard, winning the individual title in 18:53.90.
The cross-country season continues to highlight the incredible talent in this area, and with the state competition looming, many eyes will be on these athletes as they aim for glory.
