The members of the back-to-back state champion Columbus cross-country team tried to add another prestigious honor to its already successful season last weekend.

But a week after becoming only the second Florida cross-country team to qualify for the Nike Cross Nationals, the Explorers, running as the Miami XC Club, finished 22nd at the meet held Saturday in Portland, Ore.

Fleitas' squad joined Winter Park as the only other team with runners from Florida to qualify for the event, following a second-place finish at the Nike Southeast Regionals in Cary, N.C., on Nov. 28.

``Even though we ran a bad race, we went to the show and got a taste of it was like, and it was an amazing experience,'' Columbus coach Jorge Fleitas said. ``Nike put on a great show for the kids. They got to meet a few Olympians. It was unbelievable.''