By Dave Brousseau * BCAA Writer

SUNRISE – There’s always a first time for everything.

Thursday at the annual BCAA Cross Country Championships at Markham Park a pair of runners proved that.

Shynah Collins, an eighth grader from Dillard and Alejandro de Bastos, a senior from Pembroke Pines Charter each claimed the girls and boys individual titles.

De Bastos also led Pines Charter to the school’s first team title with 70 points outdistancing second place Taravella with 127 points. De Bastos’ time of 15:54.97 was also a personal best at Markham Park.

He finished second last year with a time of 16:30.24. His championship run was a first for a boys cross country runner.

Collins, a second-year runner at Dillard, is really a sprinter running cross country.  She finished third in the Class 3A state track and field championships last season.

Her winning time of 18:54.18 outdistanced Gracie Finneran of St. Thomas Aquinas to help the Panther to a fourth straight cross-country title. The Panthers finished with 29 points, while Aquinas was second with 54 points.

“All the girls on the team are basically all sprinters,” said Dillard coach Davisson Gill. “Despite being young, we have experience and have a good shot to defend our state title.

The girls have bought into it. The biggest thing is getting to level they learn from the older kids. The learning curve is short to compete at a high level.”

Four other Dillard girls finished among the top 11 spots.

“This was an amazing experience for our runners,” said Pembroke Pines Charter coach Angeles de Bastos. “We always been close. Our guys deserved it this year  with three seniors finishing in the top 10.

As for Alejandro de Bastos, he feels his time is precursor for things to come.

“I never ran this fast on this course,” said de Bastos. “I’m excited for what I could do on faster course. Today was a good work out.”

De Bastos also runs the 800 and 1600 distances races during the track season, finishing in second place in the 800 at last year’s state track championships in Class 3A.

2024 BCAA Cross Country Championships

(At Markham Park, Sunrise)

Boys’ team scores

1. Pembroke Pines Charter 70; 2. Taravella 127; 3. Dillard 133; 4. St. Thomas Aquinas 136; 5. Western 159; 6. Coral Springs 189; 7. Cypress Bay 204; 8. Cardinal Gibbons 236; 9. Flanagan 241; 10. West Broward 313.

Individual results

1. Alejandro de Bastos (PPC) 15:54.97; 2. Joushua Gammage (DILL) 16:07.47; 3. Jeffrey Belizaire (CS) 16:33.93; 4. Adam Stewart (PPC) 16:53.12; 5. Matthew Wykpisz (CS) 17:00.58; 6. Aiden Johnson (PPC) 17:14.26; 7. Nolan Alba (MSD) 17:19.72; 8. Malcolm Spence  IV (FLAN) 17:22.21; 9. Prince Valbrun (NE) 17:22.71; 10. Deshawn Hamilton (DILL) 17:25.82; 11. Jeremiah Hollassie (STA) 17:28.59; 12. Guinn Sweet (CB) 17:27.81; 13. Bradford Jeoboham (BA) 17:31.77; 14. Brian Breaban (WEST) 17:38.97; 15. Lara Santiago (WEST) 17:39.60; 16. Dante Delagdo (DILL) 17:40.38; 17. Gustavo Perez (STA) 17:43.69; 18. Akeem Beckford (TARA) 17:47.40; 19. Gian Carlo De Bastos (PPC) 17:56.01; 20. Hector Rosa Malave (FLAN) 17:58.43; 21. David Lazo (SP) 18:00.30; 22. Elijah Vessella (TARA) 18:02.60; 23. Maxwell Helmie (CM) 18:03.81; 24. Mackenley Bonamy (BA) 18:05.44; 25. Craig Dennis (TARA) 18:06.26.

Girls’ teams scores

1. Dillard 29; 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 54; 3. Cardinal Gibbons 106; 4. Coral Springs Charter 111; 5. Cypress Bay 145; 6. Douglas 175; 7. Pembroke Pines Charter 193; 8. Flanagan 245;  9. Taravella 281; 10. West Broward 285.

Individual results

1. Shynah Collins (DILL) 18:54.18; 2. Gracie Finneran (STA) 19:02.13; 3. Claire Chanon (CG) 19:23.76; 4. Miley Gill (DILL) 19:32.40; 5. Abigal Richards (DILL)  19:47.65; 6. Madeleine De Lacoste (COOP) 20:12.59; 7. Taylor Gold (STA) 20:18.82; 8. Peyton Williams (DILL) 20:29.49;  9. Carleigh Tripp (FTL) 20:  30.34; 10. Kendall Parrott (CSC) 20:33.63; 11. Kelly Greene (DILL) 20:47.03; 12. Rebecca Cardenas (STA) 20:48.30; 13. Charlotte Lee (STA) 20:51.55; 14. Allison Albrect (CG) 21:06.36; 15. Tory Gardiner (WEST) 21:24.77; 16. Latiah Gore (DILL) 21:4.69; 17. Lily Richardson (CSC) 21:51.29; 18. Alyson Thomas (CSC) 21:52.03; 19. Callie McKinney (CB) 22:03.08; 20. Olivia Higgins (CS) 22:07.03; 21. Angelica Cardenas (STA) 22:20.66; 22. Molly Murphy CG) 22:28.80; 23. Shamara Fenelon (BA) 22:33.18; 24. Madison West (CB) 22:35.21; 25. Isabella Tejeiro (CB) 22:35.87.

Dave Brousseau can be reached on X at @dbrouss76 – or via e-mail at:
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