|
Clark¿s Cora Kerber keeps a steady pace during a meet Saturday at Lykins Park. (Sun photo by Bill Thiry / October 8, 2012) |
More than 1,000 fans and runners converged on Lykins Park Saturday for the eighth annual George Rogers Clark Coaches Classic Cross Country Invitational.
The high school races featured a combination of current regional foes, former regional and conference rivals. The boys event featured approximately 100 runners from 13 high schools.
The rece featured a rematch between Powell County's Mark Ventura, Bath County's Evan Staviski and Clark's Grayson Brookshire. Madison Central's Brennan Fields joined the mix in front of the pack. Brookshire defeated Ventura and Staviski in a meet last month in Owsley County. Ventura battled back last week defeating Brookshire in Louisville. Ventura also defeated Staviski twice on Staviski’s home course in Bath County.
The lead pack of Fields, Ventura, Staviski and Brookshire separated themselves from the field of competitors at about the 800-meter mark of the race. Fields maintained a lead of a stride until the mile mark when he separated from the pack. Fields won the race with a time of 17:02.51, with Powell’s Ventura coming in second at 17:09.77. Staviski was third in 17:17.53, followed by Brookshire in fourth with a 17:20.59. Rowan County's Shelly Deharte had a late race kick to pull into fifth place, clocking a time of 17:30.32. Clark’s Ben Petrey placed 12th with an 18:21.77.
In the final team standings, Madison Central claimed top honors with a 36, followed by Clark, which pulled off a surprising second-place finish ahead of Ashland Paul Blazer, which was third. Southwestern placed fourth, with Harrison County fifth. Bath County placed seventh and Powell was 10th.
“I was thrilled with the boys’ second-place finish,” Clark coach Dodd Dixon said. “Harrison County beat us three weeks ago and Ashland is one of the top teams in the state. To beat two old regional rivals was a goal that I am glad we achieved.”
Dixon credited the middle of the roster for the win. Brandon Bailey, Gary Coleman, Cody Cox and James Banks finished in a close pack of 19:37 to 19:40. The field of runners inched the team ahead of Ashland and Harrison. Also running in the varsity race was Aaron Barnett, who finished as Clark’s seventh man.
The girls competition featured five of the top runners in Region 7. Pulaski County's Alyssa Hyden claimed top honors with a near record meet time of 20:13.45, followed by a pack of four Madison Central runners.
Lady Cardinal Cora Kerber was Clark’s top runner, placing eighth with a time of 22:14.21. Lydia Gapp placed 12th with a 22:59.44, followed by Alyssa Gaunce (23:43), Genna Petrey (24:45), Destiny Hembree (25:08), Heidi Geittmann (26;42.98), Emma Mork (27:31) and Madison Henry with a 27:44.
In final team standings Madison Central was first, followed by Pulaski in second and Clark was third. Montgomery County and South Laurel failed to field a full team because of injuries.
The Cardinals claimed top honors in the boys junior varsity race for the second year in a row.
Competing in the race for Clark were Josh Boldt, John Dixon, J.J.Johnson, Aaron Dieck and Randy Morris.
The high school races featured a combination of current regional foes, former regional and conference rivals. The boys event featured approximately 100 runners from 13 high schools.
The rece featured a rematch between Powell County's Mark Ventura, Bath County's Evan Staviski and Clark's Grayson Brookshire. Madison Central's Brennan Fields joined the mix in front of the pack. Brookshire defeated Ventura and Staviski in a meet last month in Owsley County. Ventura battled back last week defeating Brookshire in Louisville. Ventura also defeated Staviski twice on Staviski’s home course in Bath County.
The lead pack of Fields, Ventura, Staviski and Brookshire separated themselves from the field of competitors at about the 800-meter mark of the race. Fields maintained a lead of a stride until the mile mark when he separated from the pack. Fields won the race with a time of 17:02.51, with Powell’s Ventura coming in second at 17:09.77. Staviski was third in 17:17.53, followed by Brookshire in fourth with a 17:20.59. Rowan County's Shelly Deharte had a late race kick to pull into fifth place, clocking a time of 17:30.32. Clark’s Ben Petrey placed 12th with an 18:21.77.
In the final team standings, Madison Central claimed top honors with a 36, followed by Clark, which pulled off a surprising second-place finish ahead of Ashland Paul Blazer, which was third. Southwestern placed fourth, with Harrison County fifth. Bath County placed seventh and Powell was 10th.
“I was thrilled with the boys’ second-place finish,” Clark coach Dodd Dixon said. “Harrison County beat us three weeks ago and Ashland is one of the top teams in the state. To beat two old regional rivals was a goal that I am glad we achieved.”
Dixon credited the middle of the roster for the win. Brandon Bailey, Gary Coleman, Cody Cox and James Banks finished in a close pack of 19:37 to 19:40. The field of runners inched the team ahead of Ashland and Harrison. Also running in the varsity race was Aaron Barnett, who finished as Clark’s seventh man.
The girls competition featured five of the top runners in Region 7. Pulaski County's Alyssa Hyden claimed top honors with a near record meet time of 20:13.45, followed by a pack of four Madison Central runners.
Lady Cardinal Cora Kerber was Clark’s top runner, placing eighth with a time of 22:14.21. Lydia Gapp placed 12th with a 22:59.44, followed by Alyssa Gaunce (23:43), Genna Petrey (24:45), Destiny Hembree (25:08), Heidi Geittmann (26;42.98), Emma Mork (27:31) and Madison Henry with a 27:44.
In final team standings Madison Central was first, followed by Pulaski in second and Clark was third. Montgomery County and South Laurel failed to field a full team because of injuries.
The Cardinals claimed top honors in the boys junior varsity race for the second year in a row.
Competing in the race for Clark were Josh Boldt, John Dixon, J.J.Johnson, Aaron Dieck and Randy Morris.
