The Week that Was
This past weekend included several meets throughout the state of Kentucky, while some teams traveled out-of-state to run. Here are some highlights from the Cross Country meets held on 9/09/06.
Male Invitational
This meet was held at Joe Creason Park in Louisville. For the most part the teams in attendance were from the Louisville area. This course is not an easy run with a hill runners must conquer not once but twice. The #1 ranked duPont Manual girls rolled to a victory led by Mary Grace Pellegrini. This was a big triumph for her after a disappointing opening race at Tiger Run. This weekend reminded everyone why she is one of the state's top runners. Manual also showed their great depth, by winning without Colleen Campbell and Elise Medley. Helen Hagg from Ballard strengthened her place in the top 5 of the rankings.
The boy's race was supposed to be a show down between #5 ranked duPont Manual and #7 Butler, but Male decided differently. Butler won the team title, followed by Male, and then duPont Manual. Neither Butler nor Manual were running at full strength, but a win is a win for Butler. Hillary Bowen of Indiana traveled across the river to win the individual title, followed closely by David Hamm (duPont Manual) and Kaelin Wigge (Butler.)
Grant County Invitational
The biggest race of the weekend was a face-off of the northern Kentucky powers. On the girl's side, St. Henry continued to show why their reign of dominance shall sustain. The girls went 2-4 to help take the title. Senior Karen Lageman led the team, finishing second. Demi Welte of Walton Verona won the individual title helping her move up to #2 in the 9/11/06 Class A rankings. Her team finished 38 points (40-78) behind St. Henry for second.
The boy's race was packed with teams jockeying for position in their respective regions. The Conner Cougars pulled off the win over Campbell County and #9 Covington Catholic. Campbell County had the individual winner with senior Drew Harris, who made is way into the rankings this week at #20. Matthew Walters fourth place finish led #8 Conner.
Owensboro Invitational
This was a match between Class AA #1 Owensboro Catholic and Class AAA #4 Daviess County. When the dust settled, Class AA #2 Willie Polio's winning the race was not enough to help his team conquer Daviess. The margin of six points showed the potential of both teams. Freshman Neal Smith of Owensboro displayed why he was in the Class AAA top 20 with a second place finish. Daviess County was led by Jordan Clark in fifth.
Class AAA #4 Daviess County dominated the girls race, placing seven runners in the top fourteen including the individual winner AAA #18 Elizabeth Miller.
Rumble in the Jungle
Class AAA #3 St. Xavier won the boys race showing their impressive depth. Many teams in the state would struggle with their normal #1 and #2 runners not placing in the top five but not St. X. Minus senior Brian Long, injured, and senior Justin Bowling, who did not finish, St. X still placed five in the top 11 to win. Oldham County senior Class AAA #7 ranked Ken Prater won the individual title over Class AAA #9 South Oldham senior Derek Berry.
Class AAA #9 Annie Barry of Oldham County added to the individual wins for the school with a 33-second win over Class AA #2 Kelsey McClain of Pendleton County. Class AAA #3 team Oldham County won the girl's title.
Purple Striders Invitational
This race was held at Keriasakes Park in Bowling Green. Class AA #1 Suzanne Holt of Muhlenberg South led her team to victory with the individual win, running the fastest current time in the state with a 19:30.95.
Class AA # 4 Aaron Poore won the boys title, beating teammate Cody Napier. Going 1-2 was still not enough to hold off Class AAA #5 Southwestern who won the team title, led by four runners in the top nine.
Out of State Meets
Kentucky teams traveled to Clarksville, Tennessee for the Kenwood Classic, including Class AAA girls #2 Assumption, #7 Notre Dame Academy, #9 John Hardin, and pre-season #5 Graves County. Assumption, led by AAA #2 Ellen Daly, won with ease, putting four girls in the top five with the lone outsider being AAA # 4 Maggie Mattingly from John Hardin finishing second. Freshman James Maglasang (St. Mary) beat fellow freshman Sean Breeds (Meade County) with a fourth place finish on the boys side. John Hardin's boys was the team runner-up.
Scott High School went 1-2 on the boys side at the Mason Invitational in Ohio. AAA #1 Ryne Smith won followed by #3 Blake Askin in second.
St. Henry traveled into Ohio for the Tiffin Cross Country Carnival. Junior Gordy Dooley A #1 was the first Kentucky runner to go under 16:00 in the season with a 15:49.30. Class A #1 St. Henry saw the ability of our northern neighbor with a 17th place finish out of 40 teams.