The streak continued for area athletes.
Last Friday at the FHSAA Cross Country State Championships, Alachua County brought home the gold again.
Buchholz senior Riley Smith won an individual Class 4A state title with a time of 15 minutes, 5.5 seconds in the 5000m race at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.
He has been recognized as the Pavlik Orthodontics Athlete of the Week for the week of Nov. 13 for his performance.
Smith, who finished first at the 4A-Region 1 meet to lead the Bobcats to a region title, helped Buchholz finish as state runners-up.
“Riley ran perfect tactically,” said Buchholz boys head coach Patrick Douma. “There is nothing I could have asked for. The guy he beat (senior Jonathan Leon of Hagerty) is also a UF commit so there wasn’t any room for error.”
It was the highest finish for the boys since finishing as 4A state runners-up in 2003 under then coach Ron Norris.
Smith, who will sign with the University of Florida on Dec. 1, becomes the 13th athlete to be selected for the weekly award.
Last week’s winner was Ava Fuller of the Gainesville girls swim team.
Fuller took home the gold in the Class 3A 200-yard Freestyle with an AA-C time of 1:49.10. The junior also finished fourth in the 500-yard freestyle, helping lead the Lady Hurricanes to a 13th-place finish overall.
Other winners include P.K. Yonge swimmer Lillie Nesty, who won two individual state titles, Santa Fe (Alachua) volleyball player Jordan Czaplewski, Williston running back Jace McDonald, Nash Lantinen of the St. Francis Catholic Academy football team, Oak Hall setter/right side hitter Cassidy McDonald, Oak Hall quarterback Dakota Brower, GHS quarterback Kane Smith, Buchholz football player Myles Graham, Hawthorne wide receiver Alvon Isaac, Chiefland running back Osten Jones, and Newberry volleyball player Hailey Tharp.
Coaches can email their nominations each week, along with stats, no later than Sunday night to mike.ridaught@mainstreetdailynews.com.