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View Full Version : STORY: Gloucester's Fenstermacher wins regional


Sonny Dearth
11-01-2007, 07:05 PM
Gloucester's Fenstermacher wins regional


By JEFF CUNNINGHAM/Correspondent


CHESAPEAKE — Gloucester underclassman Kevin Speray didn’t run Wednesday at Bells Mill Park — he’s still on the JV team — but he had plenty to cheer about at the Eastern Region cross country meet.

Specifically, varsity teammate Douglas Fenstermacher.

The senior ran the 5-kilometer course in just over 15 minutes, 50 seconds to take the boys’ individual region title. He beat Kellam’s Bobby Peavey by nearly six seconds.

His effort also helped the Gloucester boys finish fourth, good enough to let the team advance to the Group AAA state meet Nov. 10 in Warrenton.

"I can’t really say how I do it out there," Fenstermacher said. "The team has advanced every year I’ve been here, but I hadn’t won a region title until now, so I wanted to work my butt off and do everything I could to get that done."

Ocean Lakes won the boys’ title with 38 points, while Gloucester had 130. Western Branch won the girls’ team title with 50 points. Gloucester, which has taken four straight Peninsula District titles, finished sixth with 175.

The top four teams in each division advance to the state meet, while the top 15 individual boys and girls also advance.

"We’re obviously very gratified and thankful that the boys made it (to state)," Dukes coach Heidi Overbay said. "We knew it would be a hard fight against some tough teams. … We’re disappointed the girls didn’t make it, but we have Hannah (Varnell) representing us now, so it’s her time."

Varnell, a junior, was the highest-finishing girl for the Dukes, coming home fifth in 19:00.05. Tallwood’s Octavia Rinehardt won the girls’ race in 18:18.10.

Hampton sophomore Kristina Woodard finished second, finishing in 18:43.80.

"I pretty much knew I was going (to state)," Varnell said. "But it’s about teamwork, and I thought we had a chance to go as a team."

Bethel’s Ariana Betts finished 15th in the girls’ race to advance to the state meet. On the boys’ side, Orlando Burton of Heritage (16:28.05) finished seventh, while Menchville’s David Gerlach (16:40.25) finished twelfth.


Boys
Team scores — Ocean Lakes 38, Western Branch 63, Hickory 111, Gloucester 130, Kellam 132, Landstown 152, Great Bridge 205, Menchville 214, Bayside 228, Grassfield 236, Kecoughtan 301, Granby 324, Maury 363, Bethel 373, Norview 352, Booker T. Washington 490.
NOTE: Deep Creek, Heritage, Kempsville, Lake Taylor, Norcom, Oscar Smith, Phoebus, Princess Anne, Salem and Tallwood also were represented.
Top 15 — 1. Fenstermacher (Glou) 15:50.60, 2. Peavey (Kellam) 15:56.30, 3. Paisley (O. Lakes) 16:01.40, 4. Theroux (W. Branch) 16:07.20, 5. Jacobs (W. Branch) 16:24.00, 6. Ca. Doan (O. Lakes) 16:24.80, 7. Burton (Heritage) 16:28.05, 8. Cunningham (O. Lakes) 16:30.80, 9. Dudley (D. Creek) 16:31.60, 10. Co. Doan (O. Lakes) 16:36.10, 11. Watkins (P. Anne) 16:39.65, 12. Gerlach (Mench) 16:40.25, 13. Werner (W. Branch) 16:41.85, 14. Matais (W. Branch) 16:42.15, 15. Galle (Hickory) 16:42.85.

Girls
Team scores — Western Branch 50, Ocean Lakes 74, Great Bridge 83, Hickory 138, Kellam 154, Gloucester 175, Tallwood 225, Cox 227, Grassfield 228, Bethel 231, Hampton 245, Booker T. Washington 308, Kecoughtan 316, Maury 316, Churchland 426.
NOTE: Bayside, First Colonial, Granby, Granby, Heritage, Lake Taylor, Landstown, Menchville, Norview and Oscar Smith also were represented.
Top 15 — 1. Rinehardt (Tall) 18:18.10, 2. Woodard (Hamp) 18:43.80, 3. Nobles (O. Lakes) 18:54.70, 4. Wynn (W. Branch) 18:58.00, 5. Varnell (Glou) 19:00.05, 6. Powers (W. Branch) 19:01.65, 7. Gresham (W. Branch) 19:08.95, 8. Kelley (O. Smith) 19:14.65, 9. Bowman (O. Lakes) 19:25.40, 10. McGehee (G. Bridge) 19:31.20, 11. Lockie (Kellam) 19:48.95, 12. Reiner (O. Lakes) 19:56.35, 13. Hawkins (G. Bridge) 19:57.00, 14. Lewellyn (W. Branch) 20:03.55, 15. Betts (Bethel) 20:06.20.

davidbaer
11-01-2007, 08:40 PM
You might want to do some editing....Douglas won in 15:50...and David Gerlach finished 12th...

Just in case you weren't there how about someone explains the race...
The boys race was very close the entire way with Doug just running away from a pack of 4 in the last mile including Peavy (kellam) in the final 100-200 meters. The top 15 was very close together and is the fastest group in recent years with 15th place coming in at 16:42.

On the girls side Rinehardt (Tallwood) ran away from the rest of the field after a mile and half and never looked back. Hampton's Woodward(18:43), Gloucester's Varnell (19:00), and Bethel's Ariana Betts (20:06) all were All-Region and advance to the state meet on Saturday November 10th.

jfmcgrath
11-02-2007, 10:28 PM
Looks like a good Peninsula District representation heading to Great Meadow. Congratulations to Douglas, Orlando, David, Kristina, Hannah, and Ariana. Best of luck next week, and get ready for the hills in horse country!

Dave Robicheaux
11-05-2007, 09:47 AM
I join Mr. McGrath in wishing our Peninsula District contingent success in the state meet. All of those young men and women should be congratulated on a terrific 2007 season!

I would ask the Daily Press to send someone to the meet to provide all of us back here with a good account of the event and, hopefully, some photos.