Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511090024
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
She didn't have a team.
"When we started running this summer we only had four girls that were coming out," Newcombe said. "We needed to get at least five runners to be able to place as a team."
Enter Sarah Hendricks, a standout senior, with a solution.
"Sarah is really the reason we have a team this year," Newcombe said. "She went out and recruited a few more runners so that we would be able to field a team. She was really successful at getting people to come out and stick with it."
Judging from the success of the Indians this season, Hendricks' future as a recruiter might be as bright as it is as a runner. Blacksburg, with Hendricks' recruits, won the Group AA Region IV title held Friday at Radford University. She will compete in the Group AA state race on Saturday.
Hendricks had a big day individually as well, winning the regional title with a course record time of 18 minues, 40 seconds. In the process, she avenged a couple of losses to last season's state champion, Colleen Crawford of Abingdon High School.
"[Beating Crawford] is an extra incentive for me this season," Hendricks said prior to Friday's race. "She beat me last year in regionals and the state finals. I felt like I just had a bad day last year in the state finals. I still can't put my finger on what it was, but it was just one of those days when I didn't run my best race."
Hendricks considers her best outing the Harford Invitational in Maryland. Hendricks won, eclipsing the previous course record in the process.
"I felt really fast that day," Hendricks said. "I wasn't like I was just running that day, but it felt like I really raced at Harford."
Hendricks' participation in highly competitive meets such as the Harford Invitational is the reason behind her development as a runner, according to Newcombe.
"She enters races like Harford because she really wants to run against girls who are as good, or better, than she is," Newcombe said. "Those races have really made her a stronger runner because of the competition level."
Hendricks' success hasn't been limited to cross country. In addition to running for Newcombe's team, she also is a member of the track team, where she competes primarily in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter races.
Hendricks won the Group AA title in the 1,600 her freshman season, placed third as a sophomore and second as a junior. She also was runner-up in the 3,200 her freshman and junior years and third as a sophomore.
But even with her track success, Hendricks prefers cross country.
"The scenery is better in cross country, plus it's more exciting," Hendricks said. "Every course is different, there's variety. In track, everything's the same. There's just a 400 meter track to run around."
Her collegiate future seems to be in cross country. Several interested colleges have contacted her.
"She definitely has the ability to be a good runner in college," Newcombe said. "She's a good leader and a really hard worker. She really gathered our team together this year. She's very team oriented and to top it all off, she's very humble about her achievements."
Memo: NOTE: Also ran in November 9, 1995 Neighbors.