ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, October 13, 1996 TAG: 9610150040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
At last, someone named Dangerfield earned a little respect.
Christiansburg's Laura Dangerfield, who wasn't one of those expected to succeed Trish Nervo as the top Metro girls' cross country runner, held off several top runners Saturday at the Elizabeth Campus of Roanoke College to upset the field.
Dangerfield had a winning time of 20:16, holding off teammate Laura Evans for the Metro girls' title.
So the Blue Demons junior will be the trivia answer years from now as to who followed four-time Metro winner Nervo to first place. Nervo is now at North Carolina after a sensational cross country career that included four Group A titles. She set four consecutive Metro meet records, including a time of 18:38 last year.
It was a sweep for Christiansburg individually, with Matt Nolan winning the boys' crown for the second straight year. Pre-meet favorite Ben Dowdy of Cave Spring did not run because of illness.
Dangerfield and Evans' 1-2 finish helped Christiansburg take the girls' team crown, while Blacksburg, missing many top runners including its best athlete, Clay Schwabe, took the boys' title. Schwabe, who was late arriving because of the Scholastic Assessment Test, won the junior varsity race that was run after the varsity event.
In the girls' varsity race, Christiansburg's Christina Wolfe was the early pacesetter. She finished fifth behind her teammates, Blacksburg's Lacey Brown and Rockbridge County's Kelly Repair, who was favored to win.
``I just had to say, `Go Laura,''' joked Christiansburg coach Steve Shelton. ``Dangerfield has been coming on. Last week she was two seconds behind Evans.''
Dangerfield didn't begin running cross country until last year after Evans recruited her for the enjoyment of the sport.
``I'm not upset,'' said Evans. ``This just makes Christiansburg better for district, regional and state meets.''
Dangerfield wasn't fazed by the victory or her part in the history of Timesland's biggest cross country regular-season meet.
``Trish Nervo? Oh yeah, I've heard of her,'' said Dangerfield, who wasn't involved in cross country when the Glenvar runner finished her career last year.
Shelton was excited that seven Christiansburg girls finished under 23 minutes. Though he has coached boys' state champions the past two years, he probably has a stronger girls' squad this fall.
``I don't know if we can win the girls' state. Western Albemarle is loaded. But that's why they run the race. When you have two front runners scoring small points [fewer points are better in cross country] like Evans and Dangerfield, that's good. That's how our boys' teams always won [with no individual winner, but lots of high finishes],'' said Shelton.
Nolan was an easy victor over Rockbridge County's Jason Hannah without Dowdy there to set a faster pace. Nolan had beaten Dowdy in this race a year ago, but this fall the Cave Spring runner had topped the Blue Demons athlete twice.
``I was disappointed that Ben wasn't here because he gives you a push,'' said Hannah.
Nolan felt the same way. ``I wanted to prove I could be up there with him. When I found out he wasn't here, I wanted to go for [former Christiansburg runner] Justin Moseby's course record [of 16:28],'' said Nolan.
That was enough of an incentive as Nolan, a junior who can become a three-time winner of this event next year, finished with a time of 16:18 to top the mark Moseby set in a different race on this course.
Blacksburg's boys have overcome injuries and had only one runner, Nathan Hanna, finish in the top 15.
``I have a deep team,'' said Indians coach Jack Hencke. ``The team wanted to do this for the guys who were hurt. They're very motivated right now.''
``In our minds, we had it set that we could do it,'' said Hanna. ``Hopefully, we can win through district, regional and state. We'll work real hard.''
``I think we're top three in the state. But Western Albemarle is looking very tough,'' said Hencke. ``We have to hope two important runners [Matt Chisholm and John Patterson] can come back [from injuries].''
LENGTH: Medium: 79 linesby CNB