Freshman Imler Leads RC Girls In Her First Meet
Getting the season underway with a fun meet, the Rockbridge County High School cross country teams competed in Wilson Memorial’s Valley Cup Relays on Tuesday of last week in Fishersville, where the top RC boys’ team placed fifth of 33 teams. The RC girls didn’t compete as a team, but they had strong individual performances.
The relays consisted of teams of four, with each individual running 2 miles instead of the usual 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) on a challenging course that included a big hill to go up.
RC head coach Julie Tisone said her runners “all had a really good meet.”
The Wildcats entered three relay teams in the boys’ relay, placing fifth, eighth and 15th.
RC’s Shenandoah District rival Waynesboro won the boys’ relay, with their four runners finishing in 44 minutes, 27 seconds. Broadway placed second in 44:53, Spotswood came in third in 45:03, Stonewall Jackson finished fourth in 45:29, and RC’s A team placed fifth in 45:34, more than two minutes faster than their time last year (47:49). Rounding out the top seven teams were Wilson Memorial (45:38) and Turner Ashby (46:03).
The top seven teams in the points system were Broadway (105), Waynesboro (114), Spotswood (124), Wilson Memorial (124), Stonewall Jackson (131), RC (135) and Turner Ashby (161).
The Wildcats’ B team placed eighth in 46:27, and RC’s C team finished 15th in 48:03.
Of the 135 split times on the 2-mile course, the best time of the day was by East Rockingham’s Cade Yancey, finishing his split in 10:01.26. Tyler Ludtke had the RC boys’ best time, clocking 10:34.1 for the fifth-best time of the day. RC teammate Trent Cash had the eight-best time, finishing in 10:41.3.
Other RC boys in with times in the top 25 were Leif Guse (10th, 10:42.3), Sammy Eastwood (12th, 10:43.8), Oscar McClung (19th, 11:01), Lincoln Steele (20th, 11:02) and Grant Swenty (22nd, 11:06.78).
Four RC girls turned in individual split times on the relay course. The fastest girls’ time of the day was by Alleghany’s Kiera Lowman, completing her split in 11:41.2.
Freshman Reagan Imler led the RC girls, finishing in 13:27.27 for the 13th-fastest time of 91 runners. The Wildcats’ second-fastest harrier was Dorothy Lewis (36th, 14:57), followed closely by Evelyn McClung (37th, 14:58.4). Also competing for the RC girls was Kate Holston (62nd, 16:20.3).
There were also three RC girls competing in the open race, won by Spotswood’s Lillian Meyers in 12:28.8. Hannah Ivins led the Wildcats, placing 32nd of 60 harriers in 17:05.6. RC’s second runner in the open race was Audra Roney (35th, 17:12.9), and the Wildcats’ final finisher was Gemma Batis (58th, 22:13.1).
On Saturday, the Wildcats will race in the Knights Crossing Invitational at Green Hill Park in Salem, the location of this year’s Class 3 state meet, with Cave Spring playing host.
