Plant wins Bobcat Invitational

Posted Sep 26, 2009 by Bill Ward

Updated Sep 26, 2009 at 05:40 PM

Despite the continued absence of its star runner due to injury, the Plant boys cross country team captured first place in Saturday’s Buchholz Bobcat Invitational in Gainesville.

The Class 4A Panthers placed all five of their scorers in the top 16 to score 61 points, defeating runner-up Gainesville P.K. Yonge, one of the state’s top 1A programs, by 29 points.

Plant’s scorers were Bo Nalsen, who was fourth overall in a 5-kilometer time of 16 minutes, 25 seconds, Travis Christenberry (11th, 16:56), Sam Powers (14th, 17:16), Jake Peabody (15th, 17:17) and Kyler Long (17th, 17:19). The course, near Santa Fe Community College, is a large pasture area featuring rolling hills.

The Panthers will be without senior Trenor Wilkins for several more weeks as he recovers from stress fractures in both lower leg bones. But the way his teammates are running, the squad is still finding a way to earn its No. 3 ranking in the 4A state poll.

Among the 4A teams Plant beat Saturday were Longwood Lyman and Jacksonville Mandarin, which featured overall winn Eduardo Garcia (16:16).

“This meet was a great way to find out of the rankings were appropriate for us,” said Panthers coach Mike Boza. “To be this far along without Trenor is pretty surprising to me. The guys are really stepping up in his absence and filling the gap.”

Top photo: Members of the Plant boys varsity cross country team pose with their first-place trophy after winning Saturday’s Bobcat Invitational in Gainesville.

Insert photo: Junior Bo Nalsen was the Panthers’ No. 1 man Saturday, finishing fourth overall.