Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 1, 1994 TAG: 9409010061
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Christiansburg has its best runner back from last year's NRD and Region IV championship squad. Blacksburg has back its best runner and a strong will to improve on last year's disappointing showing.
The race is on.
CHRISTIANSBURG steamrolled the competition all season in cruising to its district and regional titles. The Blue Demons had hopes of winning a state title, but they finished third at the state meet on a day when their best runners didn't have their best outings.
The Blue Demons will be strong again this fall. Christiansburg is led by senior Bethany Eigel, one of Timesland's best runners, who could be among the top five runners in Group AA. Eigel won NRD and Region IV individual titles last year before coming in 21st at the state meet.
Senior Leslie Cosgriff begins her fourth year on the varsity and senior Sharon Huppert will be in Christiansburg's top three on most occasions. Freshman Laura Evans is also capable of cracking the top four.
"Our goal ... is to do as well as we did in the district and regionals last year and to improve one spot in the state," said Christiansburg coach Steve Shelton.
The Blue Demons will be favored to finish among the top three or four teams at the state meet, although it will be a near impossible task to unseat defending champion Western Albemarle, which returns everyone from a squad that waxed the field last fall.
"I don't know where they grow 'em, but [their runners] come from everywhere," said Shelton.
BLACKSBURG also has a tradition of cultivating excellent female runners. Last year's squad slipped a bit from the state championship season of 1992 (the Indians were sixth last season), but Blacksburg should battle Christiansburg from the NRD through Region IV and into the state meet.
Injuries took a toll on the 1993 Indians. Sarah Hendricks, who was the Group AA runner-up in 1992, battled knee problems all season and never regained her form. She rebounded to finish third in the 1,600-meter run during the Group AA track championships last spring, and she is healthy heading into the fall season.
"She had a sliding patella, and that bothered her all year" said Blacksburg coach Ben Thomas. "She worked to strengthen her [quadriceps] to keep her kneecap in place. She's pretty much healthy."
Blacksburg is young. Hendricks is a junior, as are Amy Feuerback, Jill Johnson, Catherine Wheeler and Sanh Ngo. They will be the bulk of the team the next two years.
"We're in decent shape," said Thomas, who is beginning his first year at Blacksburg after previously coaching distance runners at E.C. Glass. "The plan is to make a run at district and regionals. We're shooting to get back up there with the best programs in the state."
In the Three Rivers District, GILES has talent and depth (11 girls are on the team) and appears to be the team to beat. The Spartans' top four runners will most likely be Katie Walker, Jessica Clark, Jenny Burn and Ilse Scott.
RADFORD could be a force in its first year in the Three Rivers. The Bobcats are led by Sarah Argabrite and Meghan Cropper. It's a forgone conclusion that Radford and Giles will battle for the district title since those are the only two schools with complete girls' squads.
FLOYD COUNTY has only two girls on the team - Johanna Neuman and Katherine Shelor. Neuman, a sophomore, qualified for the Group A meet last year and placed third in the 1,600-meter run at the state outdoor track meet last spring.
SHAWSVILLE, which was one of the Mountain Empire District's most consistent programs, will begin competition in the Three Rivers with just two girls - sophomores Kristi Henson and Marlynna Christian. Henson has shown some improvement during the summer and could be all-district material.
PULASKI COUNTY did not have its information available in time for this report.
sh: :wq!: not found STORY crosscountry TOPIC Several cros KEYWORDK AUTHOR:RALPHBerrie09/01/94 3
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