Boys’ Cross Country Outlook

Posted: September 2, 2014
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Coming off a runner-up performance at last year’s VHSL 4A state cross country meet, Millbrook appeared poised to take another run at the podium with five of its top seven runners returning this season.

But the Pioneers lost Israel Lockhart and Nathan Burgreen, both 24th and 25th, respectively, at the 4A state meet last season to graduation, and Millbrook must also fill the void left by seniors Max Bader and Cal Lockley, who both elected not to run cross country this year.

That doesn’t mean the state runner-up Pioneers won’t still be formidable with sophomore Alec Schrank and junior Tyler Cox-Philyaw leading the way once again, but the challenge will be for some of the team’s younger runners to step up and provide the type of depth that propelled the team to its best postseason in school history that included sweeping both the Conference 21 and 4A North Region titles a season ago.

“We lost more than we had expected when a few varsity members decided not to participate this year despite last year’s success,” said Millbrook coach Kevin Shirk. “We view this year as a chance to prove we are strong in the truest sense of ‘team’ in what we view as a rebuilding year. We are focusing on developing our younger talent and showing that we are strong as a team and as a program, and not defined by last year’s team only.”

The Pioneers still return three All-Conference 21 runners in Schrank (runner-up, 16 minutes, 39 seconds), Cox-Philyaw (sixth, 16:56), and senior Garrett Bloodworth (12th, 17:28), who were part of Millbrook’s top seven that all placed in the top 15 at the conference meet at Oatlands last year.

Although the Pioneers only return three of their top seven, the addition of freshman Patrick Northrup, who won the Kids’ Bloomin’ Mile last May, and senior Miguel Aguilar could keep the Pioneers in the running for another spot on the podium at the 4A state meet at Great Meadow on Nov. 15.

The local teams won’t have to worry about traveling very far to qualify for Great Meadow this year, considering both the Conference 21 and Conference 23 meets (on Oct. 29) as well as the 4A North Region meet (on Nov. 6) will be held at Handley’s home course at Kernstown Battlefield.

Handley coach Mark Stickley said the Kernstown course can be tricky but it should help the area teams because there’s some familiarity with the 5K course.

“We didn’t have many meets last year [at Kernstown] but we’ve been out there and we’ll be out there more [this year] so I think it will be an advantage,” said Stickley, who returns three of his top seven from last year’s team that won the Conference 23 championship. “We’ll be very comfortable there, so hopefully that will be to our advantage.”

The Judges return junior Aaron Arslan (runner-up in Conf. 23) and seniors Cole Talton (third in Conf. 23) and Garrett Patnode (10th in Conf. 23), and Stickley believes his team can duplicate last year’s success.

“I’d like to think we can repeat in the conference based on last year,”Stickley said. “I think we’re in good shape in our conference.”

Sherando returns four of its top seven from last year’s team that placed fourth in Conference 21 and ninth in the 4A North Region.

Warriors coach Jamie McCarty said the team must replace both Daniel Snapp and Ryan Hindle, who both rotated back and forth in the team’s No. 1 spot last season.

“We’ve got a good mix of experience,” McCarty said. “If we can stay healthy, the top six [at regionals] is a goal.”

With six of its top seven runners returning, Clarke County aims to improve upon last year’s postseason that saw the team place third in Conference 35, fifth in the 2A East Region and eighth at the 2A state meet.

“We’ve increased our numbers and established depth and certainly have established some dedication and work ethic,” said Clarke County coach Jamie Symons, whose teams swept Page County in last Wednesday’s season-opening dual meet. “The kids were buying into it and they saw some success and want more and other kids are finding out about [the program]. We’d like to get Clarke County back on the map. We’ve been down for a few years.”

The top four teams in the conference meets plus the top 10 finishers not on those top four teams advance to regionals, and the top six teams at regionals plus the top 10 finishers not on those top six teams advance to state.

Great Meadow will host the two-day state meet once again. The 1A, 2A and 3A state meets will be Nov. 14, and the 4A, 5A and 6A state meets will be on Nov. 15.

The following is a glance at the area teams:

Millbrook

Coach: Kevin Shirk, fifth year

Last year: Conference 21 and 4A North Region champions; 4A state runner-up.

Key losses: Nathan Burgreen, Israel Lockhart, Max Bader, Cal Lockley.

Top returnees: Garrett Bloodworth, Sr. (All-Conference 21, 12th); Tyler Cox-Philyaw, Jr. (All-Conference 21, sixth, All-4A North Region, 15th, All-4A state, 11th; Alec Schrank, Soph. (All-Conference 21, runner-up, All-4A North Region runner-up, All-4A state, sixth).

Top newcomers: Miguel Aguilar, Sr.; Patrick Northrup, Fr.

Shirk’s outlook: “Our rebuilding is an opportunity for many of our guys to prove themselves, and they are working hard to do that. We are looking to impact the conference and region even with a young team. We will be led up front by a fantastic trio in Bloodworth, Cox-Philyaw and Schrank, all of whom were all-conference last year.”

First meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

Handley

Coach: Mark Stickley, 11th year

Last year: Conference 23 champions; sixth in 4A North Region; eighth at 4A state meet.

Key losses: Adam Arslan, Noah Vogler, Sylas Mason, Eli Bell.

Top returnees: Aaron Arslan, Jr. (All-Conference 23, runner-up, All-4A North Region, seventh; Cole Talton, Sr. (All-Conference 23, third, All-4A North Region, fifth; Garrett Patnode, Sr. (All-Conference 23, 10th); Casey Marchant, Soph.; Zach Foote, Sr.

Top newcomers: John Delaney, Fr.; Bennett Crow, Soph.; Noah Johnstone, Jr.

Stickley’s outlook: I’m very pleased with the dynamics and the make-up of the team. It’s a good mix and that bodes well for this year and beyond. I feel really good about this year’s team and our top five collectively should be faster than last year. We’re ahead of where we were last year by leaps and bounds.”

First meet: Sept. 10, at Northwestern District meet at Millbrook, 5 p.m.

Sherando

Coach: Jamie McCarty, second year

Last year: Fourth in Conference 21 and ninth in 4A North Region.

Key losses: Daniel Snapp, Ryan Hindle, and Brendan Dougherty.

Top returnees: Tom Powars, Jr.; Thomas Shea, Jr.; Trevor Whiteside, Jr.; Justin Hammer, Sr.

Top newcomers: James Kelly, Jr.; Garrett Allegra, Jr.; Hayden Williams, Soph.

McCarty’s outlook: “We were fourth last year in the conference, and I think we’d like to see if we could break into the top three. We’d like to get back to the state meet. It’s been a few years since we’ve been there, so that’s something we’ve talked about. It’s tough [in Conference 21 and the 4A North Region] but that challenge is what’s going to make us a better program.”

Next meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

James Wood

Coach: Mike Onda, 11th year

Last year: Seventh in Conference 21

Key losses: Luke Farinholt, Mark Bohler, Jesse Evans, Ben Marsh and Austin Branham.

Top returnees: Andrew Shade, Sr.; Kieran Orndorff, Sr.; Max Lindquist, Soph.; Joey Costello, Soph.; Josh Dansie, Jr.

Top newcomers: Jacksen Costa, Fr.; Kevin Konyar, Fr.; Bryce Ratlief, Fr.; Aaron Curd, Fr.; Dawson Ray, Fr.

Onda’s outlook: “We’ve got a couple guys way out in front and then we have a huge pack so we just need to get that pack up closer to our top guys,” Onda said. “All of the guys are working hard and putting in the mileage. I think the big one for them is to get out of the conference because we have a very tough conference, but I think it’s doable.”

First meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

Clarke County

Coach: Jamie Symons, second year

Last year: Third in Conference 35, fifth in 2A East Region, eighth at 2A state meet.

Key losses: Matt Dietz

Top returnees: Michael Dietz, Jr.; Ian Dors, Jr. (All-Conference 35, seventh, All-2A East Region, 14th); Travis Fairman, Sr.; Sean Hubbard, Soph.; Graham Smith, Jr.; Isaac Weintz, Jr.

Top newcomers: Cameron Shipman, Fr.; Chase Ervin, Fr.

Symons’ outlook: “We had pretty solid numbers last year, but we’ve actually increased that and we’re just under 30 boys now [in the program],” Symons said. “We have a lot of returning runners and with that depth we hope it’s going to carry us this year. We’d like to get back to Great Meadow.”

Nex meet: Wednesday, vs. Luray, 5 p.m.

— Contact Robert Stocks at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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