Cross Country Runners Beginning To Peak

With just nine days to the County Cross Country Championships, runners are starting to get close to their peaks. It was very apparent today with some of the county's best runners breaking the men's and women's course records at Southern High School's home course. The course literally start's and finishes in the Lothian back yard of Southern's Coach Doug Ellmore, Sr. and Mrs. Ellmore’s (a Southern HS science teacher). Shortly after runner's take off, they head out on Coach Ellmore's father-in-law's farm owned by James Parks. A former tobacco farm that now supports soybean and many other crops. Coaches from around the county noted the challenging course should be the home of the County Championships. "It would prepare our kids for regionals and ultimately the state championships said "Daniel Masterson" a coach of Annapolis HS cross country. Coach Ellmore's only concern is the concurrent black powder hunting season, which they can not control from nearby farms.

County runners are strong for sure noted Coach Ellmore, with both the women's and men's runners taking the lead very early by the 1/2 mile mark and holding it to the end. Hillary Lee from South River smashed the women's course record with a time of 20:09. Luke Gilman from Broadneck also ran a very strong 17:11. Both records dropped by more than a minute and a half. Southern's own runners set new school records with Josh Moore ’09 running a 19:47 and Kerry Kramer ’09 running 23:29. This just 3 days off a fast race by the entire team at Meade’s Autumn Classic.

Coach Ellmore is very pleased with the team. “Everyone is setting personal bests these few days,” says Coach Ellmore. Coach Ellmore noted “the ultimate goal is to train hard through the rest of this week, and then start a modest taper of reduced length workouts to allow the runners to begin to absorb all their hard work leading into the County Championship at South River HS on Thursday October 23, 2008. The team will continue the taper after County Championships, which will allow them to peak for the 2A South Regional Championships at Centennial HS on October 30, 2008.”

If the team finishes in the top half of the 2A Regional’s scored teams, they will advance to the State Championships. Looking at last year’s results as a baseline, the men’s team’s performance is very close and the women’s team also has a chance. It comes down to how many schools can field a full team and if Southern continues to run with the desire they showed this past week.

Southern HS Home Meet 10-14/2008
Teams: Annapolis, Broadneck, Severna Park, South River, Southern
(Complete official results to be posted.)

Southern Team Finishing Times - Women's Race

1 Kramer, Kerry - 23:29 (new Southern student coarse record)
2 Rooney-Rabdau, Khyber - 24:39
3 Steele, Michelle - 27:05
4 Ellmore, Meredith - 27:07
5 Schwartz, Kaitlyn - 32:08
6 Reynolds, Breana - 33:31
7 Kelley, Lauren - 33:35


Southern Team Finishing Times - Men's Race

1 Moore, Josh - 19:47 (new Southern student coarse record)
2 Harens-Walgren, Terry - 19:55
3 Gollup, Eric - 20:22
4 Spiers, Max - 20:58
5 Hardesty, Robbie - 21:43
6 Dennis, Jamie - 22:04
7 Cottrell, Ben - 22:11
8 Carrier, Kyle - 22:25
9 Henninger, Tyler - 22:30
10 Frattino, Louis - 22:50
11 Morrisey, Trevor - 23:06
12 Van Engen, Henry - 23:10
13 Heller, Russel - 27:45
14 Pickart, William - 27:54
15 Tasker, Cole - 29:17