JACKSONVILLE – The Cecil Field Pre-Season Classic Cross Country festival, to be held Fri., Aug. 17 at the Cecil Field Golf Course will be the first look at area harriers preparing for another cross country season.

With races starting at 6:15 p.m., the classic will include a middle school race of 2.5 KM (1.55 miles), an open 5K race and girls and boys high school races of 5KM (3.1 miles).

Top area runners include Keystone Heights High senior Alex Guy, Oakleaf High junior Dylan Nelson, Fleming Island High freshman Mei Chiang for the girls with Emma Millson returning for her sophomore season, Orange Park High’s John Bear, a senior, and Ridgeview High’s Joel Nesi. Orange Park also has a strong pair in twins Steven and Stevenson Aris, both seniors.

At Middleburg High, sophomore Emma Mussante returns after a spectacular freshman season.

Fleming Island. with Ridgeview transfer Marisa Kortright joining this year, has a strong trio of freshman with Grace Adams, Lauren Schaudel of Green Cove Springs Junior High joining Chiang to improve the Golden Eagles’ squad.

Fleming Island sophomore Kameron Wallizada also blazed his freshman year and has had a strong summer of training.

The course, which starts at the New World Disc Golf center, is a two loop course wrapping around the “Front 9” holes of the Cecil Field Golf Course.

In 2017 inaugural race, Rockledge High School junior Troy Smith surprised a local contingency of runners with a 16:10.00 time to win over Fleming Island High’s senior duo of Andrew Miller, second in 16:28, and Evan Fuller, third in 16:56. Fleming Island High’s boys team won the team title over Providence High School 41-96.

In the girls high school race, Columbia High senior Bridget Morse also upended the local runners with a 20:14 split and win over Orange Park Junior High eighth grader Mei Chiang, who was second in 20:16.