Dominant Three-Peat: BPA Lady Rays Capture Third Consecutive Bay County Cross Country Championship

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — The Breakfast Point Academy (BPA) Lady Rays cross country team cemented their status as a local powerhouse on Saturday morning, capturing their third consecutive Bay County Middle School Championship in commanding fashion.

Behind a record-setting performance and an overpowering team effort, the Lady Rays successfully defended their crown with an impressive low score of just 28 points. Highlighting their dominance on the course, BPA placed five individual runners inside the top 10.

Leading the charge was Remi Arnold, who claimed the individual Bay County Middle School crown. Arnold etched her name into the history books by crossing the finish line of the 3,000-meter race in 12:48—setting a new BPA school record.

The depth behind Arnold proved relentless. Natalie Blankenship secured a 5th-place finish, followed closely in pack formation by teammates Emmalyn Kincer (6th place), Jemma Simic (7th place), and Brielle Northway (9th place) to lock down the team title.

"Winning one championship is tough, but sustaining that level of excellence to go back-to-back-to-back requires an entirely different level of discipline," said Coach Marcus Pocernich. "Scoring 28 points and placing five runners in the top ten is a testament to the culture these athletes have built. Remi ran a historic race, but from start to finish, the entire squad competed for one another today."

The BPA boys’ squad also turned in a resilient performance, securing a top-five team finish by taking fifth overall. Ryker Cookson spearheaded the boys’ effort, finishing 7th overall while setting a new BPA boys’ 3K school record with a blistering time of 11:47.

"Ryker’s record-breaking run was unbelievable, and every single runner out there left everything they had on the course," said Coach Jerrod Arms. "We saw personal bests across the board today. That doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the payoff from grinding through brutal after-school practices in the Panama City Beach heat and humidity all season long. We couldn't be prouder of how this team closed it out."

The championship triumph reflects a dedicated effort guided by the coaching staff of Jerrod Arms, Marcus Pocernich, Elena Monduy, and Taylor Sorrenti. Ahead of race day, parents and coaches rallied around the student-athletes, hosting a team breakfast during STING class to send the runners off into the postseason.

With two individual school records broken, five top-10 finishes, and another county trophy heading back to the trophy case, the Stingrays concluded their season at the very top of Bay County cross country.