By Jill Benavides
Forty-two athletes from the No Excuses Running Club (NERC) traveled to Lakeland, Florida, on Oct. 31 to compete at the 2025 FLYRA Middle School Cross Country State Championship. After preparing since June, the team arrived with a singular goal: becoming state champions.
The weekend began with strong performances in the elementary divisions. In the 2K Elementary Girls race, runners Hasset, Darcy, Vivian, Linley and Harper all earned individual medals, securing a second-place finish for the team. Individual success continued in the Boys 2K, with Hudson earning a 17th-place medal. In the 1K event, runners Millie, Khari and Cal also brought home individual medals.
Drama unfolded prior to the Middle School Girls 3K race when the team’s No. 2 runner woke up very ill. Despite her illness, she took to the starting line, inspiring her teammates to dig deep. The girls responded by setting personal records, dedicating the race to their teammate. Their effort resulted in winning the Middle School Girls Club 3K division and earning the title of Overall Fastest Middle School Cross Country Girls Team of 2025. Top runners for the girls included Bri, Madelen, Amelia, Amaya, Piper, Emma, Olivia, Meghan, Anna and Kenley.
Inspired by the girls’ performance, the NERC boys approached the 3K starting line with deep resolve. Runners Bryce, Martin, Peter, Parker, Harrison, Nicholas, Elias and Thomas delivered a dominant performance. The top four runners finished under the 10-minute mark, beating all opposing teams. The victory marked the team’s sixth consecutive Club Cross Country State Championship. They were also crowned Overall State Champions and are now recorded as the fastest middle school boys cross country team in the history of the Florida Youth Running Association (FLYRA).
In the final event of the meet, the NERC Boys Open team—comprised of Johnathon, Xavier, Amari, Cooper, Elliot, Caleb, Dutch, Ben, Daniel, Ezra and Mudil—battled the odds to achieve perfection. The team scored a “perfect 15,” marking the first perfect cross country team score in the history of the FLYRA middle school championships.
The team attributes their strength to their faith and a resolve to run not for themselves, but for one another. With the cross country season concluded, the club now sets its sights on the 2026 track season.
Jill Benavides is the head cross country and track coach for No Excuses Running Club (NERC).
