REGIONAL PREVIEW: Look out for Menendez's Ryan Jones, school record-breaker
ST. AUGUSTINE — Ryan Jones was ready to give up.
After a tough 2020 cross country season at Menendez, the sophomore wasn’t happy because he didn’t see any improvement. But little did he know, there was something bigger hindering him.
“Osgood-Schlatter,” said Menendez coach Ken Jones.
It’s a disease that causes pain and swelling below the knee joint. It’s common among boys between the ages of 10 and 15 who play games or sports that involve frequent running or jumping.
Bingo.
After Ryan's sophomore year, Ken began taking miles away from his runner. Ryan would still train but wouldn’t do big, heavy-mile runs.
Gradually, the runs were lengthened. Now, Ryan, a senior, runs with no pain.
“It paid off – big time,” Ken Jones said.
Ryan Jones just broke the school record for the boys 5K at districts last week, finishing 3.1 miles in 16 minutes and 11 seconds. With regionals looming, he's not done.
Districts Recap: WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT?: See what cross country teams area teams made regionals
What a year
After injuring his foot and knee while skateboarding and skimboarding during the spring, Ryan Jones stopped both of those activities. A full summer of training translated to record-breaking times and top finishes.
“Some people don’t actually get better but Ryan has constantly worked hard,” Menendez assistant cross country coach Scott Lentz said. “His work ethic is above the rest.”
As the top runner on a small cross country team boasting 14 boys and eight girls, Ryan has more responsibility to perform. Still, the boys team, which is headed to regionals later this week, has already been christened as the fastest team in school history.
Ryan, the team’s relentless leader, knows the onus laid upon him.
“Even if I don't have the best day, I have to think about how I’m still running for my team and how everyone counts,” Ryan Jones said.
The boys team finished ninth at districts last year, just missing a trip to regionals. This year, it finished fifth, led by eighth-place finisher Jones, Spencer Lawrence (28th), Quinn Larson (32nd) and Ethan Malloy (40th).
For years, Ken Jones would lighten the workouts during the state series. Not anymore. The plan is to train the same as the regular season. Whether or not that pays off will be determined on Saturday as the Falcons compete in regionals.
What’s for certain is that Ryan wants to continue running in college. Ken Jones, Lentz and Tocoi Creek girls’ cross country coach Tiegh Collins see him reaching that next level.
Collins, who coached with Ken at Menendez in 2005, said Ryan was always fast – even when he was a little kid. He could “go-go,” Collins added.
But now he is hungrier, focused and more confident, Collins said.
“Ryan the freshmen was not as confident about the running years ahead of him,” Ryan said of himself. “Now, I probably have plans for the future.”
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: High school cross country: Ryan Jones breaks school record
