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Friday, Oct. 27 – With their performances at the Valley District cross country meet on Wednesday at Grottoes Town Park, the Rockbridge County High School girls and freshman boy Preston Spangler advanced to the Region 3C meet.
The RC girls placed fourth of five teams, tallying 74 points, and Spangler placed second of 49 runners in the boys’ race and earned all-district honors by placing in the top 15, completing the moderately hilly 5-kilometer course on the warm evening in 16:18.7, coming up just short in a spring to the finish with Broadway’s Tristan Yoder, who won in 16:16.7. Spotswood’s Peyton Kenee placed third in 16:29.6.
The RC boys concluded the team portion of their season, placing fifth of seven teams, tallying 120 points.
The top three teams from Class 3 and the top four individuals outside of those teams advanced to the Region 3C meet. The girls advanced because Harrisonburg, which placed second, is a Class 5 team.
With five runners in the top nine, host Spotswood, which had finished second to the Wildcats last year, won the girls’ title with 28 points. Harrisonburg (52) followed, and William Monroe placed third (69). The Wildcats (74) followed in fourth, and Turner Ashby (111) completed the team standings.
William Monroe’s Samantha Nitzsche won the girls’ race in 19:15.8, and Spotswood’s Taylor Myers placed second of 38 harriers in 19:27.
Senior Deena Ludtke, who won the Valley District title last year, led the Wildcats, earning all-district honors by placing third in 19:37.7, about 25 seconds faster than her time on the course at the district meet last year. She finished just ahead of two Spotswood runners, Ashland Dickel (fourth, 19:37.8) and Marika Dickel (fifth, 19:38.1).
The Wildcats’ second finisher was Nicole Black, placing 16th in 22:17.7, while teammate Anna Nye (17th, 22:18.2) and Brooke Eichelberger (18th, 22:36.1) followed closely. Wildcats finishing after Eichelberger were Dorothy Lewis (20th, 22:47.1), Kate Holston (26:16.9) and Hannah Ivins (33rd, 26:53.2).
In the boys’ race, RC’s second finisher was Alexander Miller, placing 26th in 18:48.3, 5.5 seconds faster than his time on the course last year. RC’s Trenten Cash followed in 28th in 18:52.1, and teammate Tyler Ludtke finished 31st in 18:57.1. Wildcats following Ludtke were Sammy Eastwood (33rd, 19:05.8), Fisher Howald (37th, 19:35.7) and Oscar McClung (38th, 19:38.4).
The Region 3C meet will take place on Wednesday on the hilly Pleasant Grove course in Palmyra, with Fluvanna County playing host. The girls’ race is scheduled for 2 p.m., with the boys’ race following at 2:45.
The top three teams and the top five individuals outside of those teams will advance to the Class 3 state meet, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Green Hill Park in Salem.
For the full story and photos from the regional meet, please see our Nov. 1 newspaper.
