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11-08-2007, 10:36 PM
Jamestown plan can lead to title
By LYNN BURKE | lburke@dailypress.com
In a perfect world, here’s how Jamestown’s cross country team will win the Group AA state championship Saturday.
The Eagles’ top two runners, Andrew Colley and John Holt, will finish ahead of Brentsville’s best runners, then the rest of Jamestown’s team will negate the Tigers’ depth.
That’s on paper. In reality ...
"We raced against them at Maymont and they put a hurting on us," Jamestown coach Howard Townsend said of a midseason meet in Richmond.
That came right after previous No. 5 runner Graham Schlickenmeyer was injured and the Eagles’ lineup was undergoing some changes.
Colley, Holt and Colin Mearns finished ahead of their counterparts from Brentsville, but the Tigers’ next three runners finished well ahead of Jamestown’s next three, and Brentsville easily outpointed the Eagles.
"To win a cross country meet, you need five guys who are together. That’s Brentsville’s strength," Townsend said.
"For us, Colin Mearns, Russell Hornsby and Jacob Martin have really risen to the task. Those three will be the key. If we get a trophy, it will be largely due to those three guys."
Joshua Schlickenmeyer, Graham’s younger brother, and Andrew Litterst round out Jamestown’s seven runners, who are all sophomores and juniors.
"When Graham dropped out, we needed Jacob to step up and he’s really done well," Colley said. "Russell and Colin have been closing the gaps really well.
They’re really looking good."
Colley is one of the favorites in the individual race, which was won last year by Abingdon’s returning Griff Graves.
Colley, who has the sixth-best 5K time in the state this year, finished third in the Region I meet behind Tabb’s Will Mulherin and Holt.
"Will is one of the most underrated runners in the state right now," Townsend said. "People think Andrew ran poorly in the regional. I would counter that Will and John ran well."
Said Colley: "I was a little disappointed, but my competition was really tough."
The six-race state meet will be run Saturday at Great Meadows Park near The Plains in Fauquier County.
Group AAA races start at 10:30 a.m., Group A races begin at 11:45, and Group AA races at 1 p.m. In each case, the girls races will be run before the boys.
The top four teams and any other individuals in the top 15 from each regional meet advanced to the state meet.
Area entries
Peninsula-area entries in the state cross country meet:
GROUP A BOYS
Mathews team
Otto Williams, King William
Dustin See, West Point
GROUP A GIRLS
King William team
West Point team
Lindsay Harrow, Middlesex
GROUP AA BOYS
Jamestown team
Grafton team
Will Mulherin, Tabb
David Burleson, Poquoson
Robert Webb, Lafayette
William Reinagel, Bruton
Deylan Smith, New Kent
GROUP AA GIRLS
Jamestown team
New Kent team
Haley Kopczynski, Grafton
Becky Dobosy, Lafayette
Amanda Jones, Tabb
Brianna Dow, Bruton
GROUP AAA BOYS
Gloucester team
Orlando Burton, Heritage
David Gerlach, Menchville
GROUP AAA GIRLS
Kristina Woodard, Hampton
Hannah Varnell, Gloucester
Arianna Betts, Bethel
By LYNN BURKE | lburke@dailypress.com
In a perfect world, here’s how Jamestown’s cross country team will win the Group AA state championship Saturday.
The Eagles’ top two runners, Andrew Colley and John Holt, will finish ahead of Brentsville’s best runners, then the rest of Jamestown’s team will negate the Tigers’ depth.
That’s on paper. In reality ...
"We raced against them at Maymont and they put a hurting on us," Jamestown coach Howard Townsend said of a midseason meet in Richmond.
That came right after previous No. 5 runner Graham Schlickenmeyer was injured and the Eagles’ lineup was undergoing some changes.
Colley, Holt and Colin Mearns finished ahead of their counterparts from Brentsville, but the Tigers’ next three runners finished well ahead of Jamestown’s next three, and Brentsville easily outpointed the Eagles.
"To win a cross country meet, you need five guys who are together. That’s Brentsville’s strength," Townsend said.
"For us, Colin Mearns, Russell Hornsby and Jacob Martin have really risen to the task. Those three will be the key. If we get a trophy, it will be largely due to those three guys."
Joshua Schlickenmeyer, Graham’s younger brother, and Andrew Litterst round out Jamestown’s seven runners, who are all sophomores and juniors.
"When Graham dropped out, we needed Jacob to step up and he’s really done well," Colley said. "Russell and Colin have been closing the gaps really well.
They’re really looking good."
Colley is one of the favorites in the individual race, which was won last year by Abingdon’s returning Griff Graves.
Colley, who has the sixth-best 5K time in the state this year, finished third in the Region I meet behind Tabb’s Will Mulherin and Holt.
"Will is one of the most underrated runners in the state right now," Townsend said. "People think Andrew ran poorly in the regional. I would counter that Will and John ran well."
Said Colley: "I was a little disappointed, but my competition was really tough."
The six-race state meet will be run Saturday at Great Meadows Park near The Plains in Fauquier County.
Group AAA races start at 10:30 a.m., Group A races begin at 11:45, and Group AA races at 1 p.m. In each case, the girls races will be run before the boys.
The top four teams and any other individuals in the top 15 from each regional meet advanced to the state meet.
Area entries
Peninsula-area entries in the state cross country meet:
GROUP A BOYS
Mathews team
Otto Williams, King William
Dustin See, West Point
GROUP A GIRLS
King William team
West Point team
Lindsay Harrow, Middlesex
GROUP AA BOYS
Jamestown team
Grafton team
Will Mulherin, Tabb
David Burleson, Poquoson
Robert Webb, Lafayette
William Reinagel, Bruton
Deylan Smith, New Kent
GROUP AA GIRLS
Jamestown team
New Kent team
Haley Kopczynski, Grafton
Becky Dobosy, Lafayette
Amanda Jones, Tabb
Brianna Dow, Bruton
GROUP AAA BOYS
Gloucester team
Orlando Burton, Heritage
David Gerlach, Menchville
GROUP AAA GIRLS
Kristina Woodard, Hampton
Hannah Varnell, Gloucester
Arianna Betts, Bethel