I WANT THE LEAD BEFORE THE WOODS

Matthews wins district cross country title by whopping 17 seconds

By Fred Hodge, Special to the Times

Nick Matthews knew the starting line at last week’s Class 4 Northwestern District boys cross country championship at Millbrook High featured a wide expanse before narrowing considerably as the trail hit a wooded section.

Passing runners is more difficult in the woods, so Matthews planned to go fast early. The Fauquier senior sprinted to the lead and won by more than 17 seconds in 15 minutes, 58.8 seconds over 5,000 meters.

“I just wanted to get out there from the git go; make it my race. I knew the competition I was up against, but I felt confident in my ability to get out there and get the job done,” said Matthews who finished well ahead of Sherando’s James Harris (16:16).

Led by Northwestern District boys champion Nick Matthews, Fauquier’s boys and girls squads advanced to this Wednesday’s Region 4C championships at Oatlands by placing in the top four. Liberty’s Sam Rodman made it, too.

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

“Nick just kept gaining and gaining ... all by himself. He did what we asked him to,” said Fauquier coach Quentin Jones.

In the team competition, James Wood’s boys won a narrow 60-62 decision over Milbrook, with Fauquier hot on their heels at 68. Sherando (89), Handley (107), Liberty (159) and Kettle Run (197) completed the field.

Other scorers for the Fauquier boys were Brian Bolles (7th, 16:34), John Paccassi (18th, 17:11), Ryan Godfrey (19th, 17:13), Stephen Hiner (23rd, 17:23), Kyle St. Clair (26th, 17:27) and Mark Zitzmann (27th, 17:28).

Liberty sophomore Sam Rodman took fourth in 16:20.8, 1.1 seconds shy of the bronze medal.

Jones thought the Falcons could have won the team title. “If we come out and do what we are supposed to do, we come out winners. We didn’t do that,” the disappointed coach said.

Falcon girls take fourth

Millbrook roared to the girls title with 20 points to 68 for runner-up James Wood, followed by Handley (82), Fauquier (93), Sherando (100) and Kettle Run (174). Lacking the minimum five runners, Liberty did not score.

Matthews sees Wednesday’s region meet at hilly Oatlands as a chance for the boys’ team to atone.

“It plays to our strengths more,” Matthews began. “We’ve predicated our success on being gritty and grinding out those tougher courses. I like our chances.”

Only the top three teams and five individual finishers from lower teams will move onto the Class 4 state meet at Great Meadow.

Other finishers

The Falcon girls were led by Bianca Cabral (16th, 20:38), Shelby Rosenberger (17th, 20:40), Annie Del Gallo (19th, 20:45), Eva Del Gallo (20th, 20:51), Aubrey Fernandez (21st, 20:52), Kelsey Gastley (25th, 21:00) and Lynsey Patterson (30th, 21:15)

The Liberty boys cross country entry included Rodman, Victor Zimmer (31st, 18:12), Ryan Lutz (29th, 18:56), Conner Rogers (42nd, 19:01), Matthew Anderson (44th, 19:09), Clay Smallwood (45th, 9:10) and Evan Worley (47th, 19:25).

Cougar Jada Dudley was 22nd in the girls race.

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

The Eagle girls crew included Lilly Wingo (54th, 24:27), Sage Laine (57th, 25:33), Erin Yancey (58th, 27:19) and Emma Dodson (59th, 28:10).

Jada Dudley took 22nd in 20:54 to lead the Kettle Run girls, followed by Claire LaFleur (35th, 22:07), Abby Gray (38th, 22:28), Rose Dickens (39th, 22:57), Kaiya Stone (40th, 23:52), Rachel Grant (41st, 23:52) and Victoria Ashton (42nd, 23:58).

Ethan Martin (34th, 18:39) led the Kettle Run boys, followed by Ben Grant (35th, 18:39), Parker Saville (39th, 108), Nick McCloskey (43rd,19:07), Aidan Brindley (46th, 19:23), Trevor Perkins (48th, 19:49) and Sean Kersey (49th, 20:18).