Runners had to compete in ‘terrible’ conditions
By Steve Williams
High school cross country runners had to deal with slick, muddy conditions as they competed for TSSAA state tournament berths last Tuesday at Victor Ashe Park.
The rainy days had ended, but puddles of water throughout the hilly course made the going treacherous.
After crossing the finish line in the first race of the day, one girl lost her footing and fell flat on the ground and laid there, hurting and stunned from the fall. Teammates helped her get up and supported her as they slowly walked away.
There were others, too, that slipped due to the wet conditions.
Carter Coach Chris Meadows said he walked the course that morning before the races began. “It was terrible, absolutely terrible,” he said. “I’ve seen it rain, but … It was very, very slick.”
Gibbs senior Nick Minarchan said, “It was a little rough, very muddy, a lot of mud spots throughout the course. It wasn’t ideal, but we still got it done. Toward the finish line I saw a bunch of guys falling. It was pretty muddy at the start and the end.”
The Division I Class AA Sectional did not stop and conditions appeared to get better throughout the day.
Vella Nave, a sophomore from Elizabethton, won the opening race with a time of 19:40.3 over the 5,000-meter course. She placed fourth in the state as a freshman last year.
L&N STEM Academy’s junior Petra Brown had the best time (22.57.38) among Knox County runners and placed 13th to earn a state medal. The L&N team that included junior Kristopher Ezold, junior Claire Elliott, senior Gabe Glashauser and freshman Molly Phillips also qualified for a state berth with its fourth place finish.
Carter sophomores Ella Blake (23:37.80) and Mae Anderson (23:38.79) crossed the finish line one second apart to place 17th and 18th, respectively, but were shy of a state berth.
The top four teams – Cherokee (28 points), Elizabethton (60), Sullivan East (72) and L&N STEM (75) – received a plaque. The top 15 runners overall received a medal as well as the Top 5 individuals that were not on a qualifying team. The number of awards given out were the same in all classifications.
Greeneville junior Trey Bailey posted a time of 15:58.29 to win the boys’ race and lead the Greene Devils to the sectional title.
L&N senior Connor Arnold placed fifth in 17:29.68 and led the Gryphons to third place in the team scoring. Sophomore teammate Jacob Taylor finished 12th.
Casper Pleasant, a South-Doyle senior, will represent the Cherokees at the state. He finished seventh in 17:35.63.
Fulton senior Douglas Bangas also qualified for the state.
Other members of the state-bound L&N team are Koli York, Liam Arnold and Damon Hamilton.
GCA girls win Division II-A East title
Freshman Sophie Lee posted a time of 19:00.75 to take top honors and lead Grace Christian Academy to first place. CAK freshman Emery Adams was runner-up at 19:39.24.
CAK’s Lindsay Lloyd placed seventh and GCA’s Ella Cox and Adeline Kose were eighth and ninth, respectively. Vivie White (13th) and Kayla Webster (25th) rounded out the Lady Rams’ Top 5.
CAK’s team placed third to also get a state berth. The Lady Warriors’ Ellen Kate Bell was 24th.
In the team scoring, Grace Christian had 54 points. Boyd Buchanan (77) was second and CAK (98) third.
Lakeway Academy won the boys’ team title (42 points) and Noah Losacker was the individual champion with a time of 16:29.33. CAK was the runner-up with 73 points.
Talan Sturdevan (17:43.88) and Nate Hickman (17:57.55) led the Warriors. Cohen Flatt, Hayden Adams and Trevor Smith rounded out the top five.
The King’s Academy sophomore Duncan Oshumu (17:01.03) placed third to earn a state berth. GCA’s Caleb Roach was ninth.
