Whatley Fountain finishes 11th in Deerfield-Windsor cross country opener

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Deerfield-Windsor went looking for competition in its season opener.

The Knights found plenty of it.

Whatley Fountain finished 11th in a deep field at the Cecil Field Summer Classic Friday night, running the 5K in 15 minutes, 51 seconds to lead Deerfield-Windsor’s boys in their first race of the season.

And while Fountain once again led the way, Deerfield coach Jake Clawson found plenty to like behind him.

“I’m happy with how we ran,” Clawson said. “The race was fast and really deep. We went there to run some decent times and were able to do that in spite of the heat.”

Fountain’s 15:51 was just 13 seconds off his personal-best 15:38 and gave the Knights an impressive start at the front of their lineup.

Junior Daniel Roland followed with perhaps the most encouraging performance of the night for the Deerfield boys.

Roland finished in 17:47, the fastest season-opening time of his career.

“Daniel ran a really smart race and had his fastest ever season opener,” Clawson said.

Junior Adam Mallow was Deerfield’s third finisher, crossing the line in 18:59, while senior Mills Cothren finished in 19:39.

Senior Caughey Culpepper rounded out the Knights’ top five with a time of 21:57.

The Lady Knights didn’t have a runner near the front of the field, but they did something Clawson may have found just as encouraging — they stayed together.

Junior Sophie Logan led Deerfield in 24:07, and freshman Alli Roland finished with the identical time.

“The girls ran as a pack and were solid,” Clawson said. “Sophie Logan led us and Alli Roland really came on late in the race and surprised some people.”

The pack wasn’t far behind.

Junior Sydney Daniel was Deerfield’s third finisher in 25:30, with senior Emily Rutledge just five seconds behind her at 25:35.

Freshman Reagan Church completed the Lady Knights’ top five in 25:56.

That meant only 1 minute, 49 seconds separated Deerfield’s first and fifth runners — exactly the kind of pack running Clawson hopes will become a strength for the Lady Knights as the season progresses.

The Cecil Field meet was designed to provide an immediate test for a Deerfield-Windsor program accustomed to competing for championships.

Fountain has established himself as one of the area’s premier distance runners, but the Knights’ chances of another championship run will depend heavily on what develops behind him.

Friday offered some encouraging signs.

Roland opened faster than ever, Mallow broke 19 minutes and Cothren was under 20 as the Knights began figuring out what their scoring five will look like.

The Lady Knights may have provided an even clearer picture.

Logan and Roland crossed together, Daniel and Rutledge were separated by five seconds and Church wasn’t far behind.

It was only the first race of the season, and it came against the kind of deep field and August heat that Clawson wanted his runners to experience.

Deerfield didn’t leave Jacksonville with a team championship.

It left with something more useful in August — a starting point.

And Clawson liked what he saw.

Deerfield-Windsor will compete again next Saturday in Albany at the YMCA Invitational.