November 1, 2009

Highland Park claims cross country titles

By DAVID CLAYBOURN

MESQUITE — Sara Sutherland and the Highland Park Scots repeated as the District 10-4A girls cross country champions on Saturday at Samuell Farm.

But the varsity boys division had a new individual champion and a new team champion.

Sutherland, who’s been one of the state’s premier cross country runners for four seasons, repeated as the district champion but by a much closer margin this year. Sutherland, who last year won the 3200-meter race by 24 seconds, nipped teammate Jenna Read by .24 of a second to win in the time of 11:58.63. Sutherland’s time was 19 seconds off last year’s winning time but the muddy course appeared to slower this year due to the recent heavy rains.

Highland Park also picked up fifth and sixth place finishes from Mary Beth Hamilton and Maddie Weakley to run away with the girls team title with 19 points. Rockwall was a distant second with 73 points.

The Greenville Lady Lions, led by Arin Alford’s 31st place finish (14:56.34), finished seventh.

Royse City’s Lady Bulldogs, led by Jada Muhammad’s 34th place finish, placed eighth.

Highland Park unseated Rockwall as the varsity boys team champion and Philip Todd took the varsity boys individual crown away from Highland Park teammate Matt Galvin. Todd, who was sixth last year, won this year in the time of 16:40.43. He was followed by Thorne Pettigrew of Rockwall (16:42.50), Jorge Alvarez of R.L. Turner (17:03.37) and the defending champion, Galvin (17:14.15). Galvin won last year in 16:47.

Royse City, led by Kenny Richardson’s 25th place finish, was seventh in the boys team standings.

Greenville, topped by Keeran Cook’s 33rd place finish, wound up eighth.

District 10-4A cross country meet

Samuell Farm

Saturday, Mesquite

VARSITY BOYS

Team standings — 1. Highland Park 28, 2. Rockwall 52, 3. R.L. Turner 64, 4. Rockwall-Heath 126, 5. Newman Smith 154, 6. Richardson Pearce 160, 7. Royse City 173, 8. Greenville 219.

Individual leaders

5000 meters

1. Philip Todd, Highland Park 16:40.43

2. Thorne Pettigrew, Rockwall 16:42.50

3. Jorge Alvarez, R.L. Turner 17:03.37

4. Matt Galvin, Highland Park 17:14.15

5. Taylor Piske, J.J. Pearce 17:30.56

6. Ben Clapp, Highland Park 17:37.28

7. Jacob Phillips, Rockwall 17:42.56

8. Billy Del Monte, Highland Park 17:49.03

9. Max Rosenfeld, Highland Park 17:51.15

10. Sam Grinnin, Rockwall 18:05.00

Others:

25. Kenny Richardson, Royse City 19:14.91

29. George Gomez, Royse City 19:36.49

33. Keern Cook, Greenville 19:52.90

34. Jhon Rojas, Royse City 19:54.12

35. John Curtin, Greenville 19:54.71

42. Erich Mesner, Royse City 20:14.72

43. Michael Dennison, Royse City 20:34.93

45. Juan Cunningham, Royse City 20:50.50

46. Joshua Carrillo, Greenville 20:50.84

51. Kevin Brannin, Royse City 21:12.28

52. Omar Espinoza, Greenville 21:13.62

53. Ramon Alvarez, Greenville 21:48.28

54. Camden Dewberry, Greenville 22:20.41

56. Clay Evans, Greenville 30:26.88

VARSITY GIRLS

Team standings — 1. Highland Park 19, 2. Rockwall 73, 3. Rockwall-Heath 92, 4. Richardson Pearce 104, 5. Newman Smith 144, 6. R.L. Turner 144, 7. Greenville 195, 8. Royse City 197.

Individual leaders

3200 meters

1. Sara Sutherland, Highland Park 11:58.63

2. Jenna Read, Highland Park 11:58.87

3. Megan Siebert, J.J. Pearce 12:18.02

4. Mary Beth Hamilton, Highland Park 12:23.27

5. Maddie Weakley, Highland Park 12:51.06

6. Courtney Okolo, Newman Smith 12:52.24

7. Madeline Crank, Highland Park 13:04.08

8. Aly Coughlin, Rockwall-Heath 13:04.81

9. Megan Cline, Highland Park 13:05.06

10. Kendall Howen, J.J. Pearce 13:05.62

Others:

31. Arian Alford, Greenville 14:56.34

34. Jada Muhammad, Royse City 15:02.72

36. Priscilla Carrillo, Greenville 15:08.40

37. Andrea Brincefield, Greenville 15:11.75

38. Mallori Baumann, Royse City 15:21.52

39. Taylor Neely, Royse City 15:30.21

42. Ariel Freese, Royse City 15:48.96

44. Mariana Magan, Royse City 15:40.68

45. Ellen Robins, Greenville 15:55.68

46. Jennifer Martinez, Greenville 15:58.75

47. Chanah Osborne, Royse City 16:02.62

48. Sarah Shelton, Royse City 16:02.62

53. Katie Rice, Greenville 16:37.68