RC Boys Return Six Of Top Seven From State Runners-Up
Following its runner-up finish at the Class 3 meet last fall, the Rockbridge County High School boys cross country team has its sights set on winning its first state title in program history this fall, and the RC girls hope to have some individual state qualifiers.
The Wildcats have 22 runners this season – 17 boys and five girls – with a total of 12 returning runners.
From last year’s boys team, which finished just 39 points behind Class 3 state champion Western Albemarle, the Wildcats graduated just one senior, Trent Cash, from their top seven. Cash was RC’s fifth runner at the state meet. It was the third time in program history the RC boys placed second in the state, matching what the 2001 and 2002 teams did.
The RC boys also placed second to Western Albemarle at the Region 3C meet after winning the Shenandoah District championship for their first district title in recent history. Last year was the Wildcats’ first year in the Shenandoah District, after RC had competed in the Valley District the previous seven years.
Guiding both RC teams is 11th-year head coach Julie Tisone, and Eric Krepps joins the Wildcats as an assistant coach. Krepps, who moved here from Texas, is a teacher at Maury River Middle School. “He has a strong background in coaching and is very enthusiastic to join us coaching such a strong team,” said Tisone.
The RC boys return 10 runners, led by their top runner, senior Sammy Eastwood, who placed 16th in the state last year. Also coming back is senior Tyler Ludtke, who was the Wildcats’ second runner last year, placing 27th at the state meet.
RC senior Oscar McClung, RC’s third runner last year, finished 28th at the state meet and is a co-captain. The RC boys’ other co-captain is senior Lincoln Steele, who was the Wildcats’ seventh runner at the state meet. Tisone said McClung and Steele, along with Hannah Ivins for the girls, are captains because “they are all seniors and know the culture and routine of the team and provide continuity. They are all strong leaders and great role models for the younger members of the team.”
Returning for his junior season is Leif Guse, who was the Wildcats’ fourth runner at the state meet, placing 30th. Also back is junior Grant Swenty, who was RC’s sixth runner at the state meet last fall.
Other returning runners for the RC boys are juniors Luke Eichholz, Zach Hart and Hudson Saunders and sophomore Jude Eichholz. New to the team are seven freshmen: John-Francis Ayoub-Winder, Henry Cline, Will Ditzel, Caleb Dunlap, Harrison Edgar, Bede Eichholz and Asher Lawrie.
Tisone said the RC boys “are still a very strong team. Their strengths are their dedication to the sport and each other and to train[ing] hard over the summer, making them race ready when the season starts.” The RC girls placed fifth at the Shenandoah District meet last year and did not advance as a team, but they had four individual regional qualifiers. Leading the way was Reagan Imler, who returns for her sophomore year after placing seventh at the district meet as a freshman. The Wildcats graduated their other three regional qualifiers – Dorothy Lewis, Evelyn McClung and Kate Holston – but they return Ivins and junior Audra Roney.
New to the girls’ team are freshmen Elizabeth Margalus and Isabel Tubb, giving them just enough runners – five – to record a team score.
Tisone said the areas that need the most work for her runners are “the small details … their nutrition, sleep, strength, knowing the courses ahead of time.”
In the Shenandoah District, the RC boys’ closest competitor was Wilson Memorial, while Waynesboro won the girls’ title. Tisone expects the boys’ toughest opponent in Region 3C and the state to again be Western Albemarle.
The Wildcats were scheduled to start the season with the Valley Cup Relays yesterday, Tuesday, at Wilson Memorial High School in Fisherville. They’ll return to WM on Saturday for the Augusta Invitational. RC’s lone home meet is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Natural Bridge State Park.
MEMBERS OF the RC boys cross country team are (bottom row, from left) head coach Julie Tisone, Sammy Eastwood, Oscar McClung, Lincoln Steele, Leif Guse, Grant Swenty, Caleb Dunlap, Harrison Edgar, Jude Eichholz, Luke Eichholz, Tyler Ludtke, John-Francis Ayoub-Winder, Henry Cline, (top row) Hudson Saunders, Will Ditezel, Asher Lawrie and Bede Eichholz, Not pictured are Zach Hart and assistant coach Eric Krepps.
