JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Alyson Johnson was on pace for the best season of her high school cross country career.
Johnson, a junior at Creekside, won four of her seven meets, including a low of 17 minutes, 23 seconds on the 5K course at the New World Fall Spectacular. Then, the tough stretch hit. By Johnson’s lofty standards, it was her most challenging season in high school. She was coming off that PR at the New World Fall Spectacular and then a district title when she got sick in the final weeks of the year. For Johnson, the All-News4JAX girls cross country runner of the year, the timing was more disappointing than anything.
Her mission was to defend her individual state title and help the Knights win a team state championship. By the time the state meet rolled around, Johnson knew that she wasn’t feeling well enough to push for an individual title. But that wasn’t going to stop Johnson from getting on the course and competing.
“I just felt so much stronger this season. And every race I ran, I definitely noticed that my training has definitely helped me feel really strong in races and feel able to run really fast,” she said. “I got a little bit sick at the end, so it was definitely a little bit of a setback, being so close to the postseason and everything.”
That sickness slowed Johnson down, but she still had the mission of helping Creekside win the team state title. Johnson finished eighth in the Class 4A state championship in 18:22.7.
Her sister, freshman Sydney Johnson, was third (18:03.7), Sarah Rose was 14th (18:34.3), Hadleigh Roberts (19:00.1) was 23rd and Emily Kate Longmire was 43rd (19:22.2) to lead the Knights to just the second team title in program history. Johnson said the team aspect helped her power through.
“We wanted to win states. So, I think that having them there definitely helped push me through it, because I know I had to run for them,” she said. “It made me just really just want to run for my team and push even harder even when I wasn’t feeling good so we could perform well at state.”
Johnson has continued to establish herself as one of the best cross-country runners in recent history. As a freshman, Johnson’s low was an 18:46.8 at region. She sliced nearly a minute off that time as a sophomore (17:49.29). Johnson took another 26 seconds off that time this year. At that pace, she’s well positioned to challenge as the fastest local time ever.
Only two other local runners (Bolles’ Jillian Candelino with 17:16.23 in 2023 and Nease’s Karen Xiang with 17:20 in 2013) have been lower than Johnson. Candelino was a three-time All-News4JAX runner of the year.
All-News4JAX Varsity 4 girls cross country runner of the year
2024: Alyson Johnson, Creekside
2023: Alyson Johnson, Creekside
2022: Jillian Candelino, Bolles
2021: Jillian Candelino, Bolles
2020: Jillian Candelino, Bolles
2019: Ashlyn Iliff, Creekside
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls cross country team
First team
Runner, school, class, notable
Peyton Cerasi, Flagler Palm Coast, Fr.
Ran PR of 18:19.20 at the Class 4A state meet. Won season-opening Spikes & Spurs Classic.
Avery Hartley, Cornerstone Classical, 8th
Excellent season for young runner. Won three of her four races, including Katie Caples in season-best time of 18:03.81. Took 13th in New World Fall Spectacular. Posted best time of her 2024 at the out-of-season Nike Cross National Southeast Regionals (17:54.46).
Alyson Johnson, Creekside, Jr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection and two-time runner of the year. Had four wins this season, including at district. Had low time of 17:23 in the New World Fall Spectacular. Finished eighth in Class 4A state meet. Colorado commit.
Sydney Johnson, Creekside, Fr.
Posted her best time of the season (17:49) at the prestigious New World Fall Spectacular. District and region runner-up. Finished third at Class 4A state meet. Younger sister of runner of the year, Alyson.
Sarah Rose, Creekside, So.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Turned in season-best of 18:31 in the New World Fall Spectacular. Other sub-19 run came in 14th place showing at 4A state meet to help lead Knights to team title.
Daisy Ross, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Two-time All-News4JAX selection. Had five wins this season, including district and region. Took fourth in Class 3A state meet to help Sharks win team title. Low time of year (18:10) came in New World Fall Spectacular.
Lauren Voutour, St. Augustine, Jr.
Latest Yellow Jackets star in a program that is turning out some good ones. Season-best time (18:25.04) came in region runner-up finish. Was 21st at Class 3A state meet.
Second team
Runner, school, class, notable
Estella Bruneau, Bolles, Jr.
Three sub-19 runs this season including a low of 18:43.40 for a seventh-place finish at the 2A state meet. First-team All-News4JAX selection last year.
Samantha Gore, Ponte Vedra, So.
Her best time of the year was an 18:56.10 for place 13th at the 3A state meet. Won the Florida Horse Park Invitational.
Stephanie Grden, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
Have five races with top seven finishes. Low of 18:37 came at the New World Fall Spectacular. Fourth at both district and region. Second-team All-News4JAX selection last year.
Ava Hendrix, Fleming Island, Jr.
Had three top-10 finishes this year, including a season-best fifth at district. Season-best time (18:40) came at the New World Fall Spectacular. Indiana State commit.
Tessa Massa, Bishop Kenny, Jr.
Took second at region and third at district. One of the area’s highest finishers at state with a sixth in 2A meet. In-season PR (18:39) came at New World Fall Spectacular. Best time of 2024 came at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional (18:27.86).
Sofie Stam, Bolles, 8th
Now a two-time All-News4JAX selection (a first-teamer last year), she’s positioning herself for an extremely bright future. Had three sub-19 times, including a district-winning 18:53. Low of 18:52.8 at the adidas XC Challenge. Took ninth in 2A state meet.
Alexis Wilson, Bishop Kenny, So.
Season-best time of 18:51 was at the New World Fall Spectacular. Added a ninth-place finish at district. Second-team All-News4JAX selection last year.
Honorable mention
Runner, school, class
Emma Akhundjanov, Providence, 8th
Marissa Berger, Tocoi Creek, Jr.
Kate Brice, Episcopal, Fr.
Sofia Bushkell, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Alaysa Chipunov, Mandarin, Jr.
Shannon Fischer, Nease, Sr.
Lucrezia Gowdy, Episcopal, Sr.
Eliza Hutton, Fletcher, So.
Jillian Jakab, Bishop Kenny, So.
Charlotte Joseph, Bolles, Jr.
Olivia Kaminsky, Ponte Vedra, So.
Savannah LaVasser, Ponte Vedra, Fr.
Emily Kate Longmire, Creekside, So.
Stella Krueger, Episcopal, 8th
Taylor Lawhon, Bishop Kenny, So.
Esther Nelson, Nease, Jr.
Kavya Patel, Bolles, So.
Brooke Reynolds, Fleming Island, So.
Hadleigh Roberts, Creekside, Fr.
Arianna Slaughter, Flagler Palm Coast, So.
Kendall Wampler, Nease, Sr.
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