Reigning cross-country state champions Belen and Columbus have a friendly rivalry

Coach Frankie Ruiz, who at age 42 has already led Belen Jesuit’s cross-country team to 11 state titles since 2006, has earned respect.

Even from rival Miami Columbus.

“Frankie is the wizard,” said Columbus first-year head coach Daniel Areces, 23. “Whenever I get a fist bump or a head nod from him, I know it’s a job well done on my part.”

Last year, Areces got the head nod — concessions to COVID of course — as Columbus won the Class 4A state title in Tallahassee. Areces was a Columbus assistant last year but has since replaced Eric Pino.

Belen won the 3A crown for the fourth consecutive season last year, also in Tallahassee, and the Wolverines runners stuck around to watch Columbus race two hours later.

The Belen-Columbus rivalry tends to get bitter in contact sports, but it’s different in cross-country.

“A lot of our guys trained with the Columbus kids on the same club team [Miami Elite],” Belen senior Adam Magoulas said.

“We were cheering for [Columbus] at state, but (Ruiz) reminds us that we still want to be the best team in Miami.”

The Wolverines, who trained in the mountains of North Carolina this past summer, are actually one of the best programs in the nation, and they look strong again for 2021.

Yes, Belen lost its top three runners from last year, including state champ Javi Vento and state runner-up Aiden Villasuso — both of whom are now running for the Florida Gators. Vento also won the individual state title in 2018, and Villasuso finished second in 2019.

However, Magoulas, a senior, returns to lead Belen’s 2021 squad. He finished eighth at state last year with a 15:57 clocking, and he is weighing scholarship offers from Florida State and Florida.

“I will visit both schools [this month],” Magoulas said.

Juli Rodriguez, who finished 21st at state last year with a 16:19 clocking, has moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 in Belen’s pecking order.

Third on the list is Joshua Ruiz — no relation to the coach — who ran a 16:23 at Belen’s season-opening meet late last month.

For the final two spots, Coach Ruiz can choose from several talented runners, including junior Roberto Leon (16:39); sophomore Evan Torres (16:40); junior Marco De La Hoz (16:41); junior Matthew Calero (16:42); junior Alec Torricella (16:45); junior Diego De La Hoz (16:52); senior Ricardo Mendez (16:57); and senior Michael Hernandez, who missed the opening meet while taking the SAT.

The state championships are set for Tallahassee on Friday Nov. 12 — one day before the Miami Hurricanes football team invades the capital to play the Florida State Seminoles.

If Belen were to win, the Wolverines would tie Tallahassee Maclay (1998 to 2002) for the longest state-title win streak in Florida history — five.

Meanwhile, Columbus is coming off its first state title since 2010 and its fifth overall.

But Areces, a former Columbus and FIU runner, will have to replace five of its top seven athletes from last year’s team.

Of those five graduated runners, four of them are running in college: Chris Ivonnet, who finished eighth at state last year, is now at FIU; Alvaro Canarte (13th) is at the University of New Orleans; Malcolm Brown (27th) is at Bethune-Cookman; and Adrian Bichara (28th) is also at New Orleans.

Columbus’ top two runners this year are both seniors: Nick Ivonnet, Chris’ younger brother, and Marcus Mata.

Nick Ivonnet was 18th at state last year with a 16:17 clocking. Mata came in 34th at 16:55.

The next three spots belong to junior Gio DeArmas, sophomore Alejandro Romagosa and freshman Anthony Scarcello.

Areces said Viera High School — which finished second to Columbus in Class 4A last year by just five points — is the favorite in 2021.

“Viera didn’t graduate anyone,” Areces said. “Class 4A is stacked. Bartram Trail, Nease … It will be a tough task. But we’re hoping to at least finish in the top three.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Other Dade/Broward boys’ runners to watch include St. Thomas Aquinas junior Martin Goodwin (16:37); Coral Reef junior Ryan Sarafoglu (16:39); Braddock senior Gabriel Garcia (16:50); and Ransom Everglades senior Felipe de Cardenas (16:54).

▪ Dade/Broward girls’ runners to watch include Coral Park senior Penelope Sosa (18:47); Ransom Everglades senior Madison Munroe (19:10); Lourdes senior Johanna Diez (19:21); Braddock sophomore Annabella Cardona (19:32); Coral Reef senior Julia Alvarez Drago (19:34); Aquinas sophomore Lindsey Duffner (19:38); and Carrollton sophomore Andrea Montaner (19:40).

If you have news on a Dade or Broward athlete committing or signing with a college please email us at: wvilla07@yahoo.com

This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 3:49 PM.