Bobby Curtis overcomes heat and Isaac LaFond
Ali Sauer wins girls race
South Oldham boys, New Albany IN girls win team titles
from the Louisville Courier-Journal
Bobby Curtis beat both the searing heat and a challenge from South
Oldham's Isaac LaFond to capture his second straight Tiger Run high
school cross country meet yesterday at Seneca Park.
Curtis, the St. Xavier junior and defending Class AAA champion,
pulled away from LaFond about two miles into the race and cruised
to victory, running 5,000 meters in a course-record 15 minutes,
11.90 seconds despite high temperatures and humidity that sent four
runners to the hospital. None had life-threatening conditions, St.
X trainer Danny McDonald said.
''I've been training only seven weeks,'' said Curtis, an All-American
who also has won four track and field state titles. ''This being
the first race of the season, I went out conservative, and when
I felt the pace was lacking a little I made my move.''
In the girls' race, South Oldham senior Alli Sauer pulled out to
an early lead and held off the rest of the field, including defending
AAA champion Suzanne Cooney of Lexington Paul Dunbar, to win her
second Tiger Run title in three years in 18:59.05.
Defending champion South Oldham, led by LaFond and fourth-place
finisher Kal Clark, won the boys' race with 84 points. Shelby County,
rated No. 1 in the state coaches' preseason poll, was second with
129. But St. X's performance -- the Tigers split into two teams
and finished third and fourth respectively -- pleased coach Chuck
Medley so much that he could be seen chestbumping his runners afterward.
Silver Creek (Ind.) was fifth with 211.
The New Albany girls repeated their title by placing four runners
in the top 22 and totaling 96 points. Scott High took second with
126, followed by Paul Dunbar (150), South Oldham (168) and Notre
Dame (186).
But it was Curtis who stole the show.
''I've got a pair of his spikes, and I'm going to sell them on
eBay after he becomes famous,'' a boy said as Curtis was being interviewed
by a reporter.
Until then, Curtis has his sights set on repeating the season he
had last year.
''I want to run faster times, win State, qualify for nationals
and be an All-American,'' he said.
Curtis and LaFond ran shoulder-toshoulder much of the first two
miles before Curtis pulled away.
''He did a real good job of keeping the path and keeping control
of me,'' said LaFond, a senior who finished second to Curtis at
last year's state meet. ''I tried to duck under some tree branches
to get past him, but it didn't matter -- he'd just catch up.''
In the girls' race Sauer stayed with the lead pack shortly after
the start, then pulled away after about one mile.
''I tried to stay back because I knew they would go out a lot faster
than they finished,'' she said.
Sauer won the AAA title as a sophomore, then fell to seventh last
season, when she was slowed by nagging knee soreness. She credited
a summer's worth of training and a renewed confidence for yesterday's
victory.
Cooney never could catch Sauer after her early breakaway.
''It's hot. I was surprised,'' said Cooney, who spent the summer
in Aspen, Colo.
Two runners went down on the course and were among the estimated
50 who McDonald and his staff -- which included four doctors and
several nurses and student trainers -- treated for things ranging
from bee stings and blisters to dehydration.
''It was terrible,'' LaFond said of the mid-afternoon heat. ''You
still want to try to run the same time and get your position, but
it really starts taking its toll near the end.''
Water was readily available to runners as they came off the course.
And a misting machine and a spraying fire hose, courtesy of the
St. Matthews Fire Department, also were nearby.
Yesterday's results
BOYS
Teams -- South Oldham 84, Shelby County 129, St. Xavier 130, St.
Xavier B 150, Silver Creek 211, Trinity 238, Bowling Green 267,
Covington Catholic 310, Henry Clay 350, Fort Knox 362, Scott 365,
Christian Academy 393, Manual 419, Paul Dunbar 462, North Hardin
473, Providence (Ind.) 500, Seneca 530, New Albany (Ind.) 547, Woodford
County 565, John Hardin 576, Central Hardin 577, Male 673, Western
Hills 695, Nelson County 872, Atherton 916, Kentucky Country Day
1065.
Top individuals -- 1. Bobby Curtis (St. Xavier), 15.11.9; 2. Isaac
Lafond (South Oldham), 15:32.3; 3. Ryan Snellan (Central Hardin),
15:42.9; 4. Kal Clark (South Oldham), 15:53.9; 5. Wes Seacat (New
Albany), 15:56.4; 6. Jacob Buckman (Butler), 16:13.7; 7. Peter Meirose
(St. Xavier), 16:22.8; 8. Michael Congleton (Owsley County), 16:29.2;
9. Michael Jesse (Shelby County), 16:32.8; 10. Chris Davis (Covington
Catholic), 16.34.8; 11. Clay Pendleton (Bowling Green), 16:47.1;
12. Lucas Ridley (Bowling Green), 16:49.2; 13. Thad Schroeder (Paul
Dunbar), 16:51.4; 14. Jason Beyer (St. Xavier), 16:51.7; 15. Zack
Book (Providence, Ind.), 16:57.2; 16. Tony Shaw (Trinity), 16:59.4;
17. Jack Misbach (St. Xavier), 17:00.4; 18. Brad Lawson (St. Xavier),
17:03.0; 19. Shaun Coenrad (Shelby County), 17:04.6; 20. P. J. Kiledin
(South Oldham), 17:07.0.
GIRLS
Teams -- New Albany (Ind.) 96, Scott High 126, Paul Dunbar 150,
South Oldham 168, Notre Dame Academy 186, Mercy Academy 210, Assumption
238, North Hardin 245, Manual 264, Woodford County 267, Sacred Heart
291, Shelby County 301, Clarksville (Ind.) 404, Frankfort 505, Central
Hardin 560, John Hardin 587, Christian Academy 587, Western Hills
672, Jeffersonville (Ind.) 724, Presentation Academy 738, Franklin
County 794, Assumption B 889.
Top individuals -- 1. Alli Sauer (South Oldham), 18:59.05; 2. Suzanne
Cooney (Paul Dunbar), 19:29.13; 3. Maddie Schuler (Sacred Heart),
19:33.72; 4. Holly Geers (South Oldham), 19:45.32; 5. Kim Grieshaber
(Woodford County), 19:51.67; 6. Meghan Crowe (Notre Dame), 19:59.52;
7. Mellissa Massey (Manual), 20:10.49; 8. Leah Ryan (unattached),
20:16.61; 9. McKenzie York (Shelby County), 20:18.39; 10. Missy
Burgin (New Albany), 20:20.36; 11. Teresa Burridge (Eastern), 20:30.62;
12. Elizabeth Campbell (North Hardin), 20:33.4; 13. Sarah Bielski
(New Albany), 20:37.74; 14. Jenna Fisher (Oldham County), 20:42.11;
15. Lauren Crook (Scott High), 20:49.47; 16. Lyndsay Overton (New
Albany), 21:05.88; 17. Natasha Benjamin (North Hardin), 21:06.13;
18. Lauren Wilson (Mercy), 21:08.14; 19. Emily Pellagrini (Manual),
21:09.43; 20. Shannon Price (Atherton), 21:12.63.
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