Results
Boys All-Time Great American List
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Cary, North Carolina - For the third straight year Florida superstar Marcelo Mantecon took the individual title at the Great American XC Festival. His mark of 14:35 was his fastest ever at Great American or WakeMed and the field was the strongest he's seen in his four years.
Mantecon is our top ranked boys athlete in our COROS MileSplit50 rankings, and would face off with #10 Brooks Barbee (Christ School, NC), #12 Andrew Beroset (McCallie School, TN), #13 Ryan Sykes (Horace Greeley, NY) and #18 Ruel Newberry (Denton Guyer, TX).
Mantecon has never been one to take things from a blistering pace from the gun, but is always in the mix up front. The field got out fast down the downhill start of WakeMed's course with a large lead pack going through the Mile in 4:36 up front with 36 boys going through under 4:40.
Beyond the Mile, the race soon after ascends back up the hill at WakeMed where tight fields start to separate and stretch out. The lead group of about 20 boys with all the top names began to pull ahead as they climbed the hill lead by the Belen Jesuit duo of Mantecon and Armando Cruz. Cruz would be the one pushing the pace through the 2 Mile mark as the lead group with of about 17 boys cross the 2 Mile mark in 9:38.
As they emerged ahead of the final ascent up the hill to the finish line, Mantecon was out front with Newberry on his shoulder. Barbee, Mario Montoya (Redondo Union, CA) and Sykes were just behind with a gap back to Cruz who was trailed by Beroset.
Mantecon would move things to another gear hoping to break the field heading up the hill. He put a slight lead onto Newberry and Montoya that would slowly expand through the finish line crossing in 14:35. Newberry would give it all he had taking 2nd in 14:38. Barbee and Sykes would move ahead of Montoya towards the later stages of the hill and battle to the line in 14:40.8 to 14:41.3 as Montoya would hold off Cruz for 5th in 14:49.
Mantecon's mark ranks him third all time in Great American history behind Brodey Hasty (Brentwood, TN) and DJ Principe (La Salle Academy, RI) who both ran 14:32 in a thriller in 2016. Newberry, Barbee and Sykes would run #4 to #6 all-time Great American marks.
After finishing third as a Freshman in 2023, Marcelo Mantecon wraps up his high school career at Great American as a three time individual champion.
Boys Race of Champions Results
