Creekside sophomore Eva Delaney ran the fastest cross-country time in the area at the Florida Horse Park Invitational in Ocala, clocking 18:44.8 and finishing sixth overall.
Her performance led the Knights girls cross-country team to a second-place team finish at the annual meet, held during the week of Aug. 31. The Florida Times-Union recognized Delaney with a Girls Athlete of the Week nomination on Monday, Sept. 7, calling her 18:44.8 the area's best time for the week.
Delaney one of five nominees for weekly honor
Delaney was one of five nominees across Northeast Florida. The other four were Lily Chiang of Stanton, who shot a 31 at Deercreek for golf medalist honors; Fleming Island volleyball's Lillie Eason, who tallied 41 kills and 20 digs; Christ's Church volleyball's Leah Renton with 81 assists; and Beachside volleyball's Mollie VanDeusen, who posted a triple-double of 12 kills, 10 digs and 19 assists.
Voting in the poll opened Tuesday, Sept. 1, a day later than usual because of the Labor Day holiday. It closed at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4. Votes were limited to once per device per hour. The winner had not been announced as of Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Meet held annually at Ocala's Florida Horse Park
The Florida Horse Park Invitational is an annual early-season meet held at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala. Historical results show the event has drawn high school programs from across the state each late August or early September.
Knights chasing a third straight state title
Delaney runs for a Creekside girls cross-country program that has won back-to-back Florida High School Athletic Association 4A state championships. The Knights claimed the title in November 2024 and repeated in the 2025 season, according to the Creekside High School website.
After the 2024 championship, the Creekside Athletics account celebrated on X, declaring the team "your 4A State Champions!"
The Times-Union's 2026 season preview, published Aug. 18, described the 2025 campaign as among the most successful in First Coast history.
How to submit a nomination
Coaches across Northeast Florida can submit athlete nominations to the Times-Union sports desk at [email protected] by 7 p.m. Saturdays.
