Millbrook XC Finishes First In 4A North Region

Posted: November 7, 2013
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

FREDERICKSBURG — It’s safe to say that this is a banner year for Millbrook High School’s boys’ cross country team.

Coming off a Conference 21 championship last Wednesday at Oatlands in Leesburg, the next step for Millbrook was the 16-team 4A North Region Meet on Wednesday, and the Pioneers put their depth on display once again.

Led by freshman Alec Schrank’s runner-up performance, the Pioneers placed five runners in the top 25 overall to easily defeat runner-up Dominion by 29 points on a hilly course at Loriella Park.

Millbrook claimed its first boys’ regional crown with 63 points, followed by Dominion (92) and Fauquier (95). E.C. Glass (135), Woodgrove (163) and Handley (163) rounded out the top six teams who advance to next Friday’s 4A State Meet at Great Meadow in The Plains.

Heading into the postseason, the Pioneer boys’ team had never finished higher than second at a district meet, but now they’ve added back-to-back first place trophies with convincing wins at both the conference and regional meets to earn the team’s second state berth — and first since 2003.

“It’s amazing for the team, and we always talk about the banners that hang in the gym and cross country had been blank for 10 years,” Millbrook coach Kevin Shirk said. “We wanted to be the first team to put some numbers up on those banners. We got the conference championship and now we talked about how we wanted to add another number to it. I think they’re thrilled to be the first team. It’s a really big accomplishment.”

Millbrook’s low cards started with a strong performance from Schrank, who surged from fifth place just past the opening mile and kept moving forward during the final mile of the 5K race.

Schrank finished with a time of 16 minutes, 48 seconds to cross the finish line two seconds ahead of E.C. Glass’ Peter Seufer and eight seconds behind Dominion’s Trent Lancaster, who also won the Conference 21 title last week.

Schrank said the Pioneers ran a strong race, but he thinks the team can put together a stronger performance next week at state.

“I think we could have done a little bit better with getting a few more people in the top 15,” Schrank said. “But overall I think everybody had a pretty good day.”

Only sophomore Tyler Cox-Philyaw joined Schrank in the top 15 (earning all-region honors), but a trio of Millbrook runners followed from there.

Cox-Philyaw, who pushed the pace early and was second after the opening mile, faded a bit from there but still finished 15th in 17:14. Senior Israel Lockhart came in 17th (17:16), senior Nathan Burgreen followed in 19th (17:24) and junior Max Bader rounded out the team scoring in 22nd (17:28).

Wednesday’s win ranks as the high point for a program that finished last in the Northwestern District when the current group of seniors were freshmen.

“I think it’s a good accomplishment for what our team has become over the last few years,” Bader said. “It’s been a lot of hard work and dedication just building up to it.”

Lockhart might epitomize just what hard work and dedication can do. He’s shaved more than four minutes off his time as a sophomore when he ran 21- or 22-minute 5Ks and was the Pioneers’ No. 3 runner Wednesday (in 17:16).

“This is what we’ve been after for the longest time,” said Lockhart, smiling as he looked down at the regional championship trophy in his hands. “Since last year we’ve been working at this every day. We have a [banner] at school that’s blank so to have this [trophy] and last week is just the greatest thing in the world for us.”

Only five runners factor in the team scoring, but the Pioneers placed six runners in the top 30 overall as junior Garrett Bloodworth came in 29th (17:39).

“It was a great team race,” Shirk said. “Not everybody was perfect but as a team we ran really, really well. Everybody did what we wanted them to do and they all did a great job today.”

Only Handley’s boys joined Millbrook as state-qualifying teams.

The Judges, led by Cole Talton in fifth place (16:55), grabbed the final state berth in sixth (on criteria after finishing tied with Woodgrove for fifth). Handley finished comfortably in sixth, coming in 49 points ahead of seventh-place Jefferson Forest.

Talton and Aaron Arslan (seventh, 17:01) gave the Judges a pair of runners in the top 10. Adam Arslan (44th, 18:01), Garrett Patnode (58th, 18:21) and Noah Vogler (67th, 18:32) completed the Judges’ scoring five.

“It’s definitely the toughest race I’ve ever run,” said Talton, who had never run at Loriella Park prior to Wednesday’s race. “As a team Aaron and I worked very well together.”

Handley coach Mark Stickley hoped his team could get one of the six state-qualifying spots.

“I figured we could be anywhere from third to sixth watching the race unfold,” Stickley said. “Having the two low cards [Cole and Aaron] was very helpful.

“I think we can run better than we did today. We need to move our three, four and five [runners] up. Aaron and Cole just ran unbelievably well. Aaron was 57 seconds faster here than he was in August. That’s huge and that speaks volumes. We’ve come a long way.”

James Wood senior Luke Farinholt earned all-region honors, placing 10th (17:06) as the area’s only other state qualifier. Sherando, led by Thomas Shea (42nd, 17:59), placed ninth and 70 points behind Handley for the final team state berth.

Three area girls’ teams — Millbrook, Handley and James Wood — qualified for Wednesday’s race, but all three finished out of the top six and failed to advance.

Millbrook, led by sophomore Nadia Dahimene (sixth, 19:57), came in seventh with 183 points, and Handley, led by senior Ashden Personius (12th, 20:14), followed in eighth with 184. James Wood, led by freshman Sophia Dorsey (27th, 21:17) came in eight points behind Handley in ninth.

Dahimene was fifth after the opening mile and only dropped one spot the rest of the way. Millbrook’s Hannah Croyle came in 21st (20:45) and earned an individual state berth to give the Pioneers a pair of qualifiers.

“I definitely was pushing it,” Dahimene said. “I think we were so close but I think we did really well today. I was happy with my time because last time I ran here I didn’t run quite as well. I’m so happy that Hannah made it to states as well.”

Personius, who earned all-region honors with Dahimene, said the long hills made it a difficult race.

“This course was very challenging and I’ve been working through some injuries [chronic calf injuries since her sophomore year] but I’m really excited to be moving on to states again,” said Personius, who earned her second consecutive state berth. “My goal at state is to run as hard as I can and hopefully place decently. I know the course so that should help.”

Handley only had six runners finish the race after Nicole King — who typically fills the Judges’ No. 2 spot — fell during the race. Personius said King was alright after the race and her fall appeared to be caused by overexertion.

Although Dorsey didn’t earn all-region honors, the Colonels standout freshman grabbed one of the final individual state berths, joining Farinholt as Wood’s only state qualifiers.

“Obviously we would have liked a better race [team-wise], but it’s a young team,” said James Wood coach Mike Onda of the girls’ team that features four freshmen in the top five. “It’s looking good for the future.”

Jefferson Forest, led by overall winner Erin Saunders (18:54), won the girls’ team title with 59 points. E.C. Glass finished as the runner-up with 83 points, and Loudoun County (95) came in third. Woodgrove (104), King George (136) and Fluvanna (145) rounded out the top six.

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