Area high school cross country runners finally get to let loose with the 7th annual Cecil Field Summer Classic set to go on Fri. Aug. 25 with nearly 70 schools already set to go. Race director Richard Fannin will once again have a star-studded field filled with defending state champions from as far as South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. Pictured is graduated Katie Thompson from Fleming Island who now runs for University of South Florida with Clay High senior Kaygen Williamson to be a top contender. Fleming Island’s boys team, led by second in state senior Graham Myers, will attend as well as the girls. Fannin noted that the elite boys and girls races (runners under 17 minutes/20 minutes) will have nearly 350 runners with 40 teams. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with a middle school race (2.5K), a 6:15 p.m. start for High School varsity girls (5K), a 6:45 p.m. start for high school boys, 7:15 p.m. for elite girls and 7:45 p.m. for elite boys. The meet record is 15:05 (Patrick Koon, Leon, 2021) and 17:46 (Eliana Black, Cambridge Christian 2022).

The course is staged at the Cecil Field New World Golf Facility on the base on Normandy Blvd.