Four Wildcat Girls Also Advance To Regionals
For the first time in recent history, the Rockbridge County High School boys cross country team brought home a district crown, and the Wildcats did so decisively at the Shenandoah District meet last Wednesday at Ridgeview Park in Waynesboro. The RC girls placed fifth of six teams, but they advanced four runners to the Region 3C meet.
The top three Class 3 teams and the top five individuals in the district outside of those teams advanced to the Region 3C meet.
The RC boys had six of their seven runners place in the top 10. The Wildcats scored 22 points, while Wilson Memorial placed a distant second of nine teams with 54 points. Fort Defiance (81) finished third, Alleghany (129) came in fourth, and Waynesboro (131) rounded out the top five. Completing the standings were Stuarts Draft (162), Buffalo Gap (196), Riverheads (216) and Staunton (241).
Entering this school year, the Wildcats switched from the Valley District to the Shenandoah District, with shorter travel distances for meets. At the Valley District meet last year, the RC boys placed fifth of six teams, with only two runners advancing to the Region 3C meet.
RC head coach Julie Tisone said it was a great race for her runners. “We hadn’t seen the course, so that was a fun element going into the race, but the runners were confident,” she said. “The boys really came together as a team and ran a playful race that turned into a winning race, which is always fun. … This is a super committed team that has worked hard for a long time, and it shows.”
Waynesboro senior Grayson Norris won the boys’ race, completing the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 51.16 seconds. The Wildcats then took the next three spots. Sophomore Leif Guse placed second of 63 harriers in 17:27.47, junior Tyler Ludtke finished third in 17:30.3, and junior Sammy Eastwood came in fourth in 17:34.07. RC’s fourth runner was sophomore Grant Swenty, placing sixth in 17:56.2). Eastwood and Swenty were the RC boys’ two regional qualifiers last year.
Also cracking the top 10 and earning alldistrict (top 15) honors for the RC boys last Wednesday were junior Oscar McClung (seventh, 18:01.36) and senior Trent Cash (ninth, 18:06.33). The Wildcats’ seventh and final runner was junior Lincoln Steele (20th, 19:00.45).
Waynesboro won the girls’ race with 48 points, while Fort Defiance (64) placed second of six teams, and Alleghany (69) finished third. Completing the standings were Wilson Memorial (73), RC (117) and Riverheads (142). In the Valley District last year, the Wildcats had placed fourth of five teams, but they advanced to the Region 3C meet because they were the third Class 3 team. The RC girls placed ninth at the regional meet last year.
Last Wednesday, Alleghany senior Kiera Lowman won the girls’ race in 19:02.51, well ahead of the runner-up, WM’s Thea Franklin, who finished in 20:38.29.
Freshman Reagan Imler led the Wildcats, placing seventh of 45 harriers to earn all-district honors in 21:36.86. RC’s second runner was senior Dorothy Lewis, finishing 21st in 23:50.48, and senior teammate Evelyn McClung came in 26th in 24:49.23. RC’s fourth harrier was senior Kate Holston (31st, 25:59.91). All four runners advanced individually to the Region 3C meet.
Concluding their season for the RC girls were junior Hannah Ivins (38th, 27:01.7), sophomore Audra Roney (39th, 28:33.09) and senior Gemma Batis (41st, 29:49.76).
“The girls ran a solid race,” said Tisone. The Region 3C meet will take place today, Wednesday, at the Pleasant Grove course in Palmyra. The girls’ race is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by the boys’ race at 2:45. The top three teams and the top five individuals outside of those teams will advance to the Class 3 state meet, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Green Hill Park in Salem.
Tisone expects Western Albemarle to be the toughest opponent at the regional meet and said her main hope is to advance as many runners as possible to the state meet.
