When Golden Gate's Alejandro Pedraza first decided that running cross country would be a good way to keep in condition for basketball, he never thought he'd find his niche as an athlete.

"I just wanted to try it out, see what I could do and keep in shape," Pedraza said. "Then I wanted to win."

Whatever the ulterior motives were for getting into the sport of distance running, Pedraza can now say he is among the best in the land after he blew past the competition with a personal-best time of 15:44 to win the 3A state title during the FHSAA meet in Tallahassee on Saturday.