Print |
E-mail to a friend
SPORTS
Hurricane bests University at GEICO Classic
The girls Geico Classic Cross Country Meet Saturday. September 6, 2008, at Cabell Midland High School.
Purchase this photoRelated:
ONA -- No. 2 got the best of No. 1 in Class AAA in the GEICO Classic Cross Country Invitational on Saturday at Cabell Midland High School.
Hurricane's girls, No. 2 in the RunWV power rankings, won with 84 points to 105 for No. 1 University, the defending West Virginia Class AAA state champion.
"I'm very pleased with the effort," Redskins coach Bill Posey said. "We trained right through (heat) with high intensity. We ran a little tired, but we ran strong. Everyone was on the attack on the track and that's a testament to their training."
Alex Dent and Josie Crouch, who helped Hurricane win the Class AAA track title last spring, led the Redskins. Dent was third on the 5K course (19:21.57) and Crouch seventh (19:51.71). Hurricane, which won its invitational on Aug. 28, had seven of the top 39 times overall.
"Depth, it's not a bad thing to have," Posey said. "This is a good meet. We owe it to the girls to get them in the best competition."
Sophomore Letitia Propst of Elkins (19:00.16) edged Gallipolis freshman Peyton Adkins (19:00.48) for the individual title. Propst won the state title in 2007.
In Class AAA boys, No. 2 Wheeling Park topped No. 1 Cabell Midland. The Patriots, with Russell Mulley placing fifth and Kyle Gramlich sixth, had 101 points to 119 for the Knights.
"We know Cabell Midland has a great program," Wheeling Park coach Michael Jebbia said. "We said let's go out and run hard. Russell and Kyle gave a great effort. Our first three (Logan Wojcik was 17th) could finish high in any order. Our goal is try and improve each week."
Dustin Stewart was 16th to lead Cabell Midland.
"We got thumped," Knights coach Chris Parsons said. "Trey (Beckett) can do better than what he ran. Everybody has an off day."
North Marion's Zach Tennant blitzed the course in 15:52.27, a GEICO and course record. He finished almost a minute ahead of David Caldwell of South Charleston.
This meet, one of the biggest of the season, offered West Virginia schools a chance to see the state meet course. The West Virginia High School Championship will be held Nov. 1.
"This gives you a good indication," Parsons said. "Wheeling Park runs this course well."
"We can't get complacent," Jebbia said.
In Class AA-A boys, Ravenswood, No. 2 in the power rankings, won with 67 points. Berkeley Springs, first in the poll, was third behind Eaton, Ohio. For the girls, No. 1 Shady Spring finished No. 1 with 77 points. Wheeling Central was second.
Tennant continues to better his times on the Midland course. He ran 17:20 here last year and placed seventh. He did 16:36 in the state to place No. 2 overall. He took charge from the outset Saturday and never really got pushed.
"I wasn't sure if I should go hard or stay with the leaders," he said. "I felt confident and took off. At the top of the (first) hill, thought someone's got to be with me. I didn't hear anybody. The last mile I thought I was slowing down, but I stayed strong. I've never had a race like this."
Propst and Adkins stayed in front the entire race. Coming off the corner on the track (where the finish line is), Propst got a slight lead. Adkins came up on the right for a final push, but Propst held her off.
"She saw me and started to sprint," Adkins said. "She had that final burst and got me. It was a good race. It's good to have this kind of competition."
