TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Cross Country Represented In Polls

ADVERTISEMENT

By BART O'CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: August 7, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - Although the cross country season isn't slated to begin until the week of Sept. 15, this past week has been a whirlwind for coaches and a few outstanding runners around the county.

Likely feeling as relieved as a runner who just finished a grueling workout, coaches from Pasco's 11 public schools learned that their supplements will remain intact. The School Board had been considering cutting the supplements to just one per school.

The news, coupled with the county's excellent representation among the various flrunners.com preseason rankings, which were released last Friday, serves as a prelude to what should be a strong season.

It's expected to end at the state meet at Little Everglades Ranch for several area runners, including Gators senior Felix Soto, ranked third individually in the Class 3A boys poll, Bulls sophomore Ariel Grey, No. 22 individually in the 2A girls poll, and Wesley Chapel junior Jessica Furst, No. 24 in the 3A girls poll.

In the 2A girls team poll, Wiregrass Ranch is ranked 11th, and in the 3A girls team poll, Gulf is 20th and Land O' Lakes earned the 30th and final spot.

The rankings were compiled by coaches statewide, including the Bulls' Don Howard, who was responsible for the 2A Girls individual rankings for the first time. But the selection of Grey hardly could be seen as favoritism, as her strong showing as a freshman, both in cross county and track, arguably could have warranted an even higher spot.

"I probably could have ranked her higher, based on her 11:48 in the 3,200-meters which translates into low 19s minutes in cross country," Howard said. "It'll put pressure on her, but not in a bad way. She wants to be ranked higher than she is."

Howard said Grey, the defending 2A-District 3 champion, has been focused more on running this year. She is no longer competing in club soccer and has increased her weekly mileage from 10 to 12 miles last year to 25 to 28 miles this year. The rest of the 2007 district runner-up team, which now includes track and field state qualifier Kelsey Sturman to go along with Lakeishia Brown, Megan Ibison and Taylor Hixson, also has been training better.

Pasco senior Leeann Eble nearly made the 2A girls top 25, but Howard decided against it due to her recent injury troubles, adding "at the very worst, she'll be on the girls to watch list once the season starts." Howard also played a role in the Gators' appearance in the 3A team rankings, after Coach Kris Keppel said he had three girls running under 21 minutes.

Howard and Keppel have been active in speaking out against the budget cuts throughout the offseason. Howard and Bulls' boys coach Chris Loft were prepared to split their supplements if the cuts were made, but they are thankful that won't happen for at least another year.

They have been told that the current budget is not likely to stay intact when the issue is revisited again in January. The cuts also could affect a track and field assistant position, which Howard and Keppel currently hold at their respective schools.

Wiregrass will host the first regular-season meet within the county on Sep. 16 at the school, a one-mile loop that goes through the stadium and is 70 percent grass. Land O' Lakes, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Brooksville Central are expected to attend.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT