Lebanon's Jon Ulrich claims Cross Country State Title

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http://www2.tricities.com/sports/2010/nov/14/prep-cross-country-lebanons-ulrich-claims-state-ti-ar-653133/

 

PREP CROSS COUNTRY: Lebanon's Ulrich claims state title

 

By Bristol Herald Courier | Staff & Wire Reports

Published: November 14, 2010

 

They came in with the same time.

 

But at the finish line it was Lebanon’s Jon Ulrich edging Northumberland’s Misha Turner by – almost literally – a hair as the sophomore picked up the Group A cross country championship with a time of 16:02.

 

It capped an eventful race for the Pioneers who, despite dreams of a state team title, fell seven points short to winner Altavista.

 

"It’s not disappointing, we are state runners-up," said Lebanon coach Travis Hooker. "The kids worked really hard. I mean, it can be disappointing, but we have to be proud of what we did this year.

 

"I’m happy."

 

Lebanon’s final score of 73 was helped by Bradley Rasnake’s third-place finish (16:35) that gave the Pioneers second-place points since Turner was the only Northumberland runner to enter the state meet held at Great Meadow in The Plains, Va.

 

Jordan Smith secured nine points for Lebanon with his 16:55 finish, followed by David Hampton (17:41) and Tyler Castle (17:42).

 

"I know Jon will tell you that he’d rather have the team title," Hooker said. "But, as a sophomore, it’s pretty impressive."

 

Ulrich kept the loss of the team title in perspective.

 

"There is no point walking around with our heads down," he said. "We are state runner-ups. There are a lot of teams that would want to be runner-up."

 

Lebanon girls runner Tabatha Arwood continued her torrid pace of improvement, jumping up nine sports from her 2009 finish at the Group A meet to finish third Saturday with a time of 19:57 behind George Mason’s Julia Estrada in second and repeat champion Katlyn Ayers of Strasburg.

 

Two seconds behind Arwood was John Battle’s Mariah Arnold in her second straight fourth-place finish – this time coming into the chute a the 19:59 mark.

 

Virginia High freshman Meta Grayson came in at ninth place in her state debut with a time of 20:24.

 

George Wythe’s Deanna Hedgepeth (11th, 20:30) and Lebanon’s Shelby Campbell (15th, 20:44) also earned all-state honors in the Group A girls event.

 

In the Group AA girls race, Abingdon’s Madison Turner provided the best local finish with a time of 20:54 and 82nd place. On the boys side of Group AA, Abingdon’s Colby Hinchey (17:02, 57th place), Michael Gifford (17:10, 72nd place), Tanner Cook (17:12, 73rd), Philip Studholme (17:27, 86th) and Ben Tolton (13:34, 133rd) all finished the race.

 

 

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