The Class AAA Region 3 cross country meet was expected to be a tight battle Thursday.
Reality matched the expectations.
On the girls side, the top three qualifying spots for the state meet at Cabell Midland High School on Oct. 28 was separated by only nine points.
St. Albans earned the regional title scoring 43 points, while second place Beckley tallied 48 points and Greenbrier East scored 52 points in third place.
The Spartans came in as the defending regional champions and were led by Neena McClintic who was the overall regional champion for the girls.
“I knew who all I was running against, but I was a lot more nervous today than I was for any other races. I think that just comes with regionals,” McClintic said. “I just made sure that I pushed up on the hills, but my arms and legs got really tired. I couldn’t feel them, but my dad (and coach) was telling us before that everyone was going to hit a wall and you just have to push past it.”
The freshman sensation started the season on the same course back in August at the Chick-fil-A Beckley Invitational which helped her prepare for the regional run Thursday.
“The first race here I started out kind of hot and was in first place, but I finished (fifth),” McClintic said. “That race helped me learn what my pace should be and how to maintain the pace throughout the whole course. I also knew how hard it was to run on this course, so I knew I couldn’t let that get in my head.”
Facing a strong challenge from sophomore Abigail Troman from St. Albans, McClintic ran her race and eventually pulled away for a 21-second win. McClintic was a full minute faster Thursday than her first race in Beckley.
“My dad is all over the course and other parents are on the course. There will always be someone telling me to go faster,” McClintic said. “You have to start out hot because everybody does. Then there is a downhill and I kind of let go. Right after that is when I get more settled into my pace. I have to keep my pace especially on the straight stretches before I go up the hill, so I have enough energy to push me up the hill.”
Junior Luella Mansheim was 10th for the Spartans, followed by a trio of freshmen in Maddie Lilly (12th), Noelle McClintic (15th) and Kate Adkins.
The Flying Eagles were bolstered by their senior trio of Cecilia Lindley in third place, Kyndall Ince in fifth place and Lauren Curtis in sixth. Freshman Leah White was 17th and and fellow-freshman Lillian Bostwick was 19th.
Along with Torman, the Red Dragons had three more runners in the top-10 including Makayla Carter (7th), Ava Templeton (8th) and Olivia Devereux (9th).
The top two teams in the boys race were just nine points apart with George Washington topping Beckley for the regional title.
“The kids really gave it their all today and kept fighting. The other teams out ran us a little bit today, but it wasn’t due to the lack of effort from our teams,” Beckley head coach George Barbera said. “I knew what all of our competition was capable of running. There were definitely some major improvements on teams that qualified for the state. That is what you have to do.”
Mr. Consistency, Brandon Canaday fended off all comers to claim the boys individual regional championship.
Running on his home course, Canaday ran his race and watched each contender fall by the wayside.
“Gage Fox and Kirklen (Hinamon), the two from (George Washington), they scared me a little and so did Skylar (Hudnall),” Canaday said. “They kept pushing me. They got out ahead of me and I didn’t fall for it. It came down to experience on the course. To me this is the hardest course in the state.”
Canaday also won the mental game Thursday to stay on his pace.
“Every time the thought of needing to run faster came in my head, I just shut it out. That is the only way you can stay on pace,” Canaday said. “I just get out the negativity and keep going, that is when I got them.”
Freshman Kyle Peters was eighth for the Flying Eagles, while senior Michael Haddadin was 11th and freshman Vance Lindley was 15th. Senior Robert Shirey crossed the line in 20th position.
“We have had a great season. They are a great group of kids and the personalities just meshed,” Barbera said. “We have made a lot memories and the kids have enjoyed the season. We have a great group of seniors. They are not done fighting though.”
Riverside finished third and will also make the trip to the state meet, as will Zachary Neal from Princeton. Neal finished ninth to qualify as an individual.
