The regional cross country meet is just over a month away.
Saturday afternoon in the Shady Spring Cross Country Invitational at Little Beaver State Park, coaches and fans alike received an early preview of the upcoming postseason clash, especially in Class AA.
When the final scores were recorded, the host school was victorious in both the girls and boys races.
“It is a good day. Both sides stepped up,” Shady Spring head coach Eric Lawson said. ” The freshman really stepped up on the girls side today with us finding out that Audrey (Justice) wouldn’t be able to go only 20 minutes before we stepped to the line. I couldn’t be any happier with the way they handled the pressure. The high stakes that were there and they stepped up and performed well. The boys, they are just staying consistent by pack running and doing what they are supposed to. They are hitting their marks.”
In the girls race, the Tigers had all five scoring runners finish in the top-20, led by sophomore Bre Crouse who finished second overall.
“It was definitely hot today, but thinking about it doesn’t help at all. You just have to put it in the back of your mind and just keep going,” Crouse explained. “I think I ran well today and I gave all that I had. I definitely feel like it is one of my top races of the season.”
Gwynn McGinnis was the second Tiger across the line in 10th place, followed by Raelyn Carr (12), Emma Hopkin (17) and Callie Hill (20). Berkley Davis (24) and Angelique Thomas (25) also had top-25 finishes for Shady Spring.
Carli Spade had a memorable day coming home first in the individual race. The PikeView junior earned the first meet win of her high school career in the process.
“When I started I was feeling really good and I wanted to maintain that pace and just go for it,” Spade said. “I came across the first mile and was feeling good, but I was thinking the hills might kill me. I wasn’t going to let that happen because I can do all things through (Jesus) Christ who gives me strength. I knew I had ran these hills before, so I knew I could do it.”
In a tight battle with Crouse, Spade was able to pull away late in the race for her historic win.
“After the third mile, I was thinking, wow, there is a huge possibility that I can win this race. I just kicked it in as much as a I could,” Spade said. “I knew (Bre Crouse) was a really good runner, but I couldn’t let her pass me. I knew I had it in me. When I crossed the finish line, I was like, Praise the Lord that I did that today. Today was a huge blessing.”
Summers County standout Avery Lilly had the best finish of her high school career at the Shady Spring event finishing third.
“The finish today is very fulfilling,” Lilly said. “I am coming off of the Concord Invitational where I broke the school record. My mindset this year has really become how fast can I run these races.”
A basketball standout all through high school, Lilly has now found new challenges and unexpected success out on the trails.
“I obviously started running cross country for basketball. Growing up in Summers County there is such a strong tradition of women’s basketball there,” Lilly said. “I got into cross country for conditioning. The more I run it, the more I am like, this is fun.”
Cross country has also opened some doors that the dual-sport standout could have never imagined.
“Cross country has presented me with this beautiful opportunity to try a new sport and now I am getting opportunities to compete on the college level. That is an opportunity I had never thought of,” Lilly said, smiling.”
Clara Swank from Oak Hill was fourth, followed by Kynzie Taylor (James Monroe) in fifth and Asia Collins (Princeton) in sixth. Adrienne Truman and Madison Angus from Nicholas County ran home seventh and eighth, respectively. Zimeng Skyler Ren from Woodrow Wilson was ninth.
Shady Spring dominated the boys race placing three runners in the top-nine and three more in the top-15.
Sophomore Ethan Dowdy paced the boys with a second place finish, followed by Logan Malott (5) and Eli Jordan (9). Caleb Rose was 13th overall, while David Northrop finished 14th and Bo Huffman was 15th.
Dowdy battled race winner Johnny Walkup the entire race before the Nicholas County senior pulled away to win by just over two seconds.
“Ethan is a special kid that keeps getting stronger and stronger every week,” Lawson said. “I am excited to see what the end of October looks like for him. He pushed Walkup to the limit today and Walkup is a top-10 runner in the state.”
While he was impressed by his entire team Saturday, Lawson was really pleased with the performance of senior Eli Jordan.
“Eli has been a senior leader and really consistent. He is closing that gap on some kids in the region that have traditionally beat him,” Lawson said. “I am just glad to see him not just lead through team stretches and stuff, but showing its OK to go hard and hurt for bit to finish the race as best as you can. He is laying it all out there and bringing the others with him.”
Walkup is the defending AA Region 3 champion, but he knew coming into the race that the battle for the top spot was not going to be easy.
“I was never really in the lead,” Walkup said. “I was just trying to keep up there with Ethan Dowdy and Tyler Huffman (from PikeView). Tyler led probably for just over two miles. It was tough keeping up there, but I managed to hang in. Me and Ethan broke away towards the end. I was able to pull ahead in the last stretch there and kick ahead of him. I knew Ethan was a guy to look out for.”
Saturday was not the first time that Walkup found another gear down the stretch to bring home a victory.
“I just struggle leading racing sometimes. It is not like I am holding back or anything,” Walkup said. “I just have to hang in there for the first part of the race and then try to finish stronger.”
Huffman finished third on the day followed by Kyle Peters from Woodrow Wilson in fourth place. Dakota Pettry from Summers County continued his strong junior season with a sixth place finish ahead of Vance Lindley from Woodrow Wilson in seventh place.
Luke Barr (Nicholas County) was eighth and Sawyer Dobbins (Clay County) rounded out the top-10.
Girls top-25
Boys top-25
