THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 6, 1996 TAG: 9610060183
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG LENGTH: 58 lines
The wind was blowing at Saturday's William and Mary Invitational, but the winds of change were not. Kempsville's Adrienne Parker and Western Branch's Billy McGlaughon, each ranked No. 1 in the Virginian Pilot's weekly poll of cross country runners, continued to breeze by the local competition.
Parker finished ninth in the girls ``A'' race in a personal-best 18 minutes, 33 seconds, just six seconds ahead of Tallwood junior Pam Edwards. McGlaughon placed 10th in the boys ``A'' in 15:40. Neither has been beaten by a Hampton Roads runner this year.
Centreville's Laura Heiner led her team to the title with a blistering kick that helped her complete the 3.1-mile race in 17:20, an impressive 29 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Liz Awtrey of Robinson. Eric Kweder of Thomas Edison won the boys ``A'' division in 14:57.
The woodsy course of narrow pathways set along the rolling grounds of Eastern State Hospital is a beautiful setting for cross country, and the perfect prelude to the state meet, said Parker, placing in the top 10 for the second consecutive year. The field of roughly 2,800 runners divided into 10 divisions makes the 34-year-old event among the biggest on the East Coast.
``My time was pretty good for this time of year and this course. My first two miles were great, but I need to work on the last part of my race,'' said the senior Parker, who heard Edwards on her heels. ``I could hear people yelling at me, `She's right behind you; close the gap,' but I never look back.''
Edwards was much happier with herself this time compared with the Newport News Invitational three weeks ago. Despite being slowed by an illness the week, she bounced back to challenge Parker.
McGlaughon wasn't pleased with his start but was ecstatic with his finish. The Bruins senior had planned to hang with the top 10, but he got bottled up from the beginning and was running 25th going into the first mile. Then he started checking off runners, dodging by whoever he could.
``It's really hilly; you get to the top and want to rest, but you've got people going by you,'' he said between chugs of Gatorade. ``When I came to the mile mark I thought I'd be lucky if I got in the top 20.''
While the local favorites didn't deviate from form, the team competition was something of a surprise, a pleasant one for Great Bridge coach Mike Colaiacovo. The Wildcats, with four runners among the top 30, took third in the girls ``B'' team competition, nipping Kellam by three points. Tracy O'Neal led the way with a personal-best 19:21, and Great Bridge freshman Erin Nickerson turned in a surprising 21:01 for 18th. Kellam was led by Tamyra Stegeman in eighth.
``Before the race today I was looking at us on the bubble of going to state,'' Calaiacovo said. ``But right now I'm looking at a pretty solid No. 2 in the region for me.''
Kempsville, the girls favorite in the Eastern Region, did not field its full team because three runners honored soccer commitments. Western Branch and Hickory were hurt with injury and illness. The Bruins' Angela Cusick is out with mono and No. 6 runner Laurie Hulsey is nursing a sore achilles.
The Great Bridge boys placed 12th in ``A,'' and after McGlaughon, Kempsville's Ashley Hearne led the way locally in 26th place. In boys ``B'' Ryan Parks of Ocean Lakes was fourth in 16:16, and the Kellam boys took third. by CNB