DATE: Sunday, November 9, 1997              TAG: 9711090158

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: THE PLAINS, VA.                   LENGTH:   53 lines

MUD MARS CROSS COUNTRY MEET COLD, WET CONDITIONS MAKE FOR HARD COURSE; ONLY TWO AREA RUNNERS PLACE IN THE TOP 20

Muddy and cold conditions, the worst some runners had ever seen, ruled the state AAA Cross Country meet Saturday at Great Meadows.

South Hampton Roads schools placed only two runners - Pam Edwards of Tallwood (7th) and Hollie Robinson of Cox (19th) - in the top 20 among boys or girls individuals.

For a course that usually hosts equestrian steeplechase events, the muck wasn't hospitable even to the mudders.

``I haven't run in any conditions as bad as this,'' a winded Edwards said after completing the course in 19:55. ``It was just a matter of who could run with it better and who's more used to it.''

Defending AAA state champ Laura Heiner of Centreville won again, finishing in 18:21.

Kempsville, the girls Eastern Region team champs, finished seventh, the highest of any South Hampton Roads team.

``My team ran a great race,'' said junior Erin Holmes, who was the top Kempsville finisher in 22nd place with 20:43.

``Individually, it doesn't matter what you do. We had a lot of heart and courage.''

Also in girls team standings, Great Bridge finished 13th, followed by Kellam and Western Branch in 15th and 16th places.

Cox was the top boys South Hampton Roads finisher at 13th. Kellam and Salem finished 15th and 16th.

The 5K Great Meadows course was soggy at best, with sucking mud slowing the pace in spots. The route twice crossed a swollen creek flowing through the course's heart, forcing runners to negotiate chilly, calf-high water.

``Hitting the water, you couldn't feel your legs,'' said Edwards, who had to be helped off the finish line after the girls race. ``But everyone had it the same. It's not an excuse. I just had problems with it.''

Edwards was bidding to become the first South Hampton Roads girl to win the AAA championship since Kempsville coach Kendall Tata did it for her alma mater in 1979.

Kempsville's Josh Kagan was the top South Hampton Roads boys finisher, completing the course in 17:39 and claiming 35th place.

Patrick Conway of West Springfield, the third consecutive winner from his school, finished in 16:30.

Granby's Delano Harris, winner of the boys Eastern Region meet last week, finished 93rd with 18:30.

Edwards improved on last year's performance in the state tournament, where she finished ninth.

``It's frustrating,'' she said. ``I had a pretty good season. I had only one bad race and it was today. Everyone has them and today was mine. Today wasn't my day.''

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