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Mobile Challenge of Champions


Langan Park, Mobile AL September 5-6, 2008

DyeStat featured meet / On-site coverage with Arthur Mack

Results
Boys - Girls

Preview
Schedule
Meet info

Meet web site
Highlights
  • Girls Invite: Narrow wins for Margaret Harkness, McGill-Toolen - St. Paul's Episcopal AL freshman Margaret Harkness edged McGill-Toolen AL's Carmen Carlos, 19:58 to 20:01, in the girls individual battle.  Carlos' performance, though, was a key in McGill-Toolen winning the team title over UMS-Wright AL, 68-71, with St. Paul's 3rd with 83 - Girls Results
  • Boys Invite: Close win for Robert Willett; Spanish Fort AL by 19 in team race - UMS-Wright AL sr Robert Willett nipped St. Thomas More LA sr Alden Heaphy, 16:58-17:00.  Spanish Fort AL put five in the top 13 to win with 38 to runner-up UMS-Wright's 57 - Boys Results

Toros Bullish on Competition at Mobile Challenge of Champions Meet

By ARTHUR L. MACK

Saturday, September 6—With a reduced field in the Mobile Challenge of Champions Cross Country Meet, because Hurricane Gustav prevented many of the Louisiana teams from traveling to Mobile’s Langan Park, it basically became a battle of local powerhouses.

Oh, there were a few out of town runners from Louisiana and Mississippi, but most of the competition came from the Mobile and Baldwin County areas of Alabama.

However, the competition was just as fierce, not only with teams, but with individuals as well.  And with the course muddy near the start and finish areas, it really was a challenge, not only for racing strategy, but also for the mental state of the competitors as well.

When it was over, Spanish Fort took the open and invitational boys’ divisions, while Mobile’s McGill-Toolen Catholic won the invitational girls team title and Fairhope’s Bayside Academy winning the open girls division.

Here is a look at what happened at the meet:

INVITATIONAL DIVISION

Spanish Fort coach Chris Schmidt knew his team would be among the top schools in the meet, and he figured that a strong showing among his top runners would pay off.

Did it ever.

The Toros placed three runners in the top 10—Ben Redman, his brother John, and Trevor Stevens—as Spanish Fort defeated UMS-Wright 38-57 to take the invitational boys’ crown.  Perennial powerhouse St. Paul’s, the defending Alabama 5A boys’ champion, was third with 67 points.  UMS-Wright’s Robert Willett won the invitational boys’ race in 16 minutes 58.18 seconds, outdueling St. Thomas More’s Alden Heaphy in the final stretch.

“It must be that Spanish Fort water,” said Schmidt after the meet. “But we have great athletes and great community support.”

Ben Redman was fourth in the invitational boys race, running 17:46.03, while his older brother John was sixth in 17:49.93 and Stevens eighth in 18:06.10.  An 11th place finish by Andrew Hollingsworth (18:28.72) and a 14th place finish by Brett Hanke (18:36.33) ensured the Toros of the team title.

“I was very, very pleased,” said Schmidt of his team’s effort. “With the Redman brothers going fourth and sixth, and Trevor finishing eighth, it was pretty strong.”

Willett and Heaphy led a pack of eight through the first mile in 5:15, but broke away soon afterwards.  The pair battled back and fourth, and Heaphy took the lead with 1,200 meters to go.  Heaphy had a 70-meter lead at that point, and was ready to run away with the win, but Willett, a strong 800-meter runner, closed the gap and passed the St. Thomas More senior with 150 meters to go.

“I didn’t know too much about him,” Willett said of Heaphy.  “But he started pushing the pace, so I had to go with him.  Once he started pushing it, I knew I had to hold on for as long as I could and use my kick to beat him.”

“We knew it would be a tight one with Spanish Fort,” said UMS-Wright coach Pat Galle. “We’re looking forward to running against them some more.”

The invitational girls division had a dramatic finish as well.  McGill-Toolen won a close team battle with UMS-Wright, 68-71, while St. Paul’s of Mobile was third with 83 points.  Individually, St. Paul’s Margaret Harkness passed McGill-Toolen’s Carman Carlos in the final 100 meters to win in 19:58.87.  Carlos ran 20:01.78—one of three Lady Jackets to finish in the top 10.

Carlos had the lead for 1 ½ miles, but Harkness battled back and both hit the two-mile mark in 12:54.  Carlos briefly regained the lead.  But Harkness put on a burst of speed in the final stretch to win.

“I had a lot of energy left, and I kicked it in as hard as I could,” said Harkness.  “She was way ahead of me, and I didn’t think I could have done it (beat her).  The course was pretty challenging and I was just watching my footing at the finish.”

McGill-Toolen coach Walker Yane said that although Carlos, an eighth-grader, lost, it was still a strong showing.

“I expected at least four of our runners to do well,” he said.  “I was pretty happy about Carman, because she ran a strong race.  It’s great to see that she can compete at this level as an eighth-grader.


OPEN DIVISION

Spanish Fort also won the open boys division, defeating Mary G. Montgomery 39-81, with Daphne third with 98 points and Bayside Academy fourth with 162.

St. Thomas More’s Patrick Spiller won the open division race in 19:05.08, as he pulled away from Daphne’s Miles Bowman.  Spiller had to work to win the race, as Bowman stayed with him in the early going.

“I was trying to pull away all along, but he (Bowman) wouldn’t drop,” Spiller said. “He was pretty strong.  The pace was a little slow, but it was hot.  Still, it was a good way to start off the season.”

Teamwise, Spanish Fort was strong, as it placed all five of its scorers in the top 20.  Dylan Sheridan was fourth in 19:35.54, Jack Walker fifth in 20:05.54, and Chase Dickson seventh in 20:15.63.  That was more than enough to overcome Mary G. Montgomery, which had four runners—Jaron Grantham (sixth, 20:09.67), Ryan Kichler (eighth, 20:17.34), Judd Grantham (ninth, 20:21.89), and Stephen Ferguson (20:22.58)—in the top 15.

But the Vikings did not have a strong fifth runner, and it prevented them from having a shot at the title.  Still, coach Charlie Crabtree felt that his team had an excellent showing, especially with most of his team being freshmen and sophomores.

“Last year, we had eight to 10 runners,” he said.  “This year, the interest in cross country at our school has exploded.  I’m thrilled about this, and I’m really besides myself because we did so well.”

On the open girls side, Bayside Academy placed all five of its scorers in the top 10 as it ripped McGill-Toolen 22-89, while Daphne was third with 90 and Mary G. Montgomery was fourth with 101.

Strong pack running was the key for the Lady Admirals, as Charlotte Gill finished     third overall (23:16 10), Isabelle Harrison fourth (23:38.86), and Crawford Hodgson fifth (23:57.86).  Iris Harrison and Georgia Robles were ninth and tenth respectively for Bayside.

“I was pleasantly surprised by how we did,” said Bayside coach Alan Foster.  “Our girls came out and competed, and we had a couple of girls who ran for the first time.  We got the job done, but the most important thing is that our girls competed.”

In the open girls race, Theodore’s Julia Sunde ran away from the field with a convincing 21:48.73 win.  Sunde conquered the slow and tough course, pulling away early from Daphne’s Amber Powell.

The significance of this race was it was Sunde’s first win in a race—ever.

“It’s my first time ever winning a race,” said the Lady Bobcat senior.  “Last year in this race, I was second.  The course was muddy at the beginning of the race, but I was able to break away from the pack and maintain a pace.”


Meet Information
  • Awards to top 10 individuals and top 2 teams in each division.
  • Middle School/Freshman Division: All entries should be emailed to [email protected]
  • Open and Invitational Divisions: To enter go to website www.cfpitiming.com . Click on Mobile Cross Country Challenge of Champions and follow instructions.  Emailed and faxed entries WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
  • Entry fee $25 per division per gender per team.
  • Checks should be made payable and mailed by Tuesday, September 2, 2008.to:
    Complete Sports Productions- 6509 Timbers Drive- Mobile, Alabama 36695
    Meet HQ: Quality Inn & Suites - Mobile, Alabama- 251-343-4949 -Ask for Cross Country Challenge of Champions rate
  • Steve Schoenewald-Meet Director 251-639-0303
  • Mike Cambre- Assistant Meet Director 985-626-8177

Schedule

Friday- September 5
Freshman/Middle School Girls 4:00 pm-2 miles
Freshman/Middle School Boys 4:30 pm- 2 miles
Awards 5:00 pm

Saturday-September 6
Open Girls 8:00 am- 5k-Unlimited Entries
Open Boys 8:40 am- 5k- Unlimited Entries
Invitational Girls 9:15 am- 5k- 7 Entries by Invitation Only
Invitational Boys 10:00 am- 5k - 7 Entries by Invitation Only
Awards 10:30am
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