THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9510310112
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 27 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, COMPASS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
ALTHOUGH THEIR combined cross-country experience doesn't add up to many years, it does equal a winning combination.
Maury's top three runners didn't run last season, but still managed to keep the Eastern District girls' crown for the fifth straight year.
And today in Newport News, the Commodores will make a run for the region title, a feat that no other league has yet to accomplish.
``I'm excited,'' said sophomore Emily Kirsch. ``I love that course. It'll be a lot faster than the one at Mount Trashmore. We had to pace ourselves and stick with each other.''
And that's just what the Commodores are accustomed to.
Kirsch, who ran the winding 3.1-mile course in 22:12 for third place, and teammates Sara Frueh and Sarah Grady have become Maury's triple threat, almost always alternating for one of the top three finishes.
``It all depends on who's feeling best that day,'' Kirsch said.
Surprisingly, none of the three ran for the cross-country team, which became the first Eastern District team to qualify for the state meet. Jennifer Warren, who also qualified for the region singles and doubles tennis match, Kit Weaver, Courtney Dozier and Amie Weisberg returned to chip in quality times that helped bolster the Commodores.
Of those, Frueh, who sat out last season to work, is the most experienced. The senior was an all-district performer in 1993.
``She used to read the newspaper last year and get mad because she wasn't a part of what we were doing,'' Maury coach Walt Green said. ``I told her she had something to prove by going out and winning this thing.''
And 21:43 after the starting gun was fired, she did.
``It was just in me that day to win,'' Frueh said. ``I was running as fast as I could and I heard my earrings dangling. I thought somebody was behind me so I just took off.''
Lucky for Maury, so have Grady's and Kirsch's careers.
Grady walked over from Blair Middle School to practice with last year's team but couldn't compete because she was only in eighth grade. Green says that Grady might've been the Commodores' No. 2 runner otherwise.
Kirsch, a former soccer player, decided she needed something to do after school in the fall after she got a taste of track last spring.
``I was bad. I'll say it,'' she said. ``It took me a while to get into it. I started practicing in July for cross country and that's made a big difference. Now my time is a lot more important.''
But most important on the minds of the Maury runners is making it back to the state meet. The top four teams and 15 individuals in today's region competition qualify.
``I think we have a good chance at second or third and going on to state,'' Frueh said. ``But once we get there, they have all these skinny little girls that come from nowhere. I'm just going to go out there and do whatever it takes.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Members of Maury girls cross country team: Courtney Dozier (sitting,
front left), Sarah Grady (standing at left), Amie Weisberg (holding
trophy), Kit Weaver, Sara Frueh, Emily Kirsch (standing at right)
and Jennifer Warren (sitting, front right), with coach Walt Green
behind them wearing sunglasses.
by CNB