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RC Harriers Head To Regionals Coach Says Runners ‘Meeting Personal Goals’
With strong performances at the Valley District cross country meet last Wednesday at Grottoes Town Park, the Rockbridge County High School girls cross country team and RC boys Sammy Eastwood and Grant Swenty advanced to the Region 3C meet.
RC head coach Julie Tisone said her runners “ran hard and ran their race plan, knowing it could be their last race of the season. It was a great effort by all on the team and a nice ending to the season for many. But for nine individuals, we go on!” Tisone noted that five of her runners ran personal-record times.
The RC girls placed fourth of five teams, and Spangler and Swenty both finished in the top 30 in a field of 53 boys. The top three teams and the top five individuals in the region outside of those teams advanced to the Region 3C meet. The girls advanced because William Monroe, which placed second, is in a different region.
With four runners in the top five, Spotswood defended its title in the girls’ race, tallying 21 points. William Monroe placed second with 50 points, Turner Ashby (70) finished third, and RC (96) came in fourth. Completing the standings was new district rival Rocktown (128). The RC girls also placed fourth last year to advance to the Region 3C meet.
WM’s Samantha Nitzsche won the girls’ race, completing the flat and fast 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 9.4 seconds.
RC’s lone senior, Brooke Eichelberger, led the Wildcats, earning all-district (top 15) honors by placing 14th of 40 harriers in 21:41.8. Junior teammate Dorothy Lewis also earned all-district honors, finishing 15th in 21:53.8.
The Wildcats’ third runner was Evelyn McClung (24th, 24:17.8), followed closely by teammate Kate Holston (26th, 24:37.1). Wildcats after Holston were Hannah Ivins (32nd, 25:37), Alice Gresham (38th, 31:51.4) and Cate Skaggs (40th, 38:56.3).
With four runners in the top 10, Broadway won the boys’ race with 33 points. TA (75) placed second of eight teams, and Harrisonburg (78) finished third. Rounding out the top five were Spotswood (103) and East Rockingham (125). The Wildcats, who placed fifth last year, finished sixth this time with 151 points. Completing the standings were WM (192) and Rocktown (195).
Broadway’s Tristan Yoder won the boys’ race in a blistering time of 15:46.4. Sophomore Sammy Eastwood led the RC boys, placing 20th of 53 harriers in 18:00.7. Freshman teammate Grant Swenty also advanced, finishing 28th in 18:56.2.
RC’s third runner was Fisher Howald (30th, 18:56.2), followed closely by Trent Cash (33rd, 19:14.8). Wildcats after Cash were Finn Miller (40th, 19:52.4), Hudson Saunders (42nd, 20:27.3) and Ben Gresham (46th, 21:08.2).
The Region 3C meet will take place today, Wednesday, on the flat and fast 5K course at the Jackson River Sports Complex in Covington. The boys’ race is scheduled for 3 p.m., followed by the girls’ race at 3:45. This will be the Wildcats’ first time running on the Jackson River course because they missed the Alleghany XC Invitational on Sept. 21 to run at the Adidas XC Challenge in Cary, N.C. At last year’s regional meet, the RC girls had a team competing and placed sixth of nine teams.
From the Region 3C meet, 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. 16, at Virginia Tech.
Looking forward to the regional meet, Tisone said, “We will set some individual goals for the runners. We have a super tough region and will be happy meeting our personal goals – and sometimes big things happen when we meet our personal goals.”
