Going the distance: Meet the 2023 All-Gainesville Area Boys Cross Country Team

Historically, Buchholz boys cross country reached their greatest feat of success in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Under the stewardship of current Florida coach Mike Holloway, the Bobcats won four team state championships in six years.

But even during the glory years of the program, the ‘Cats never had an individual state champion.

Until this season.

Riley Smith burst onto the scene and won the Class 4A state championship.

That honor is more than enough to win you some accolades.

Smith is the All-Gainesville Area 2023 Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.

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The senior took home the title by two seconds over Hagerty’s Jonathan Leon in Tallahassee on November 17.

He also helped Buchholz to a second place team finish, its best since 2003. The ‘Cats lost by just 10 to Nease.

The runner will stay in town after this season and run for Holloway at Florida.

The entire team of nine runners can be viewed below, along with the coach of the year.

Congrats to all the runners!

All-Gainesville Area Boys Cross Country Team

Evan Fleming (Buchholz): 7th in Class 4A State Final; 4th in 4A-Region 1 Final; 2nd team place finish at state

Grant Curtis (Oak Hall): 17th place in Class 1A States, highest finisher among Oak Hall; 8th place in 1A-Region 2; 7th place team finish at states

Gino Palazzolo (Buchholz): 10th place finish at states; 5th place finish at regionals

Quinten Dragstedt (Oak Hall): 20th place at states; 4th place at regionals, highest Oak Hall finisher

Peter Peloso (Oak Hall): 6th place finish at regionals; 1st place team finish at regionals

Riley Smith (Buchholz): State champion in Class 4A; District and Regional Champion as well; Committed to the University of Florida

Sam Freas (Buchholz): 16th place finish at states; 16th place finish at regionals; 1st place team finish at regionals

Sam Stone (St. Francis): 10th place finish at Class 1A states; 3rd place finisher at 1A-Region 2; 3rd place team finish

Saylor Bosko (St. Francis): 36th place finish at states; 14th place finish at regionals; 16th place team finish at states

Coach of the Year-Edwin McTureous, Oak Hall

The Eagles coach and school athletic director won the honor after leading the team to Class 1A-District 3 and Region 2 titles. The team finished in seventh in Class 1A states and featured three runners on the All-Area Team.

Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Riley Smith is Gainesville Sun's Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year