A tight race

By Robert Stocks

Even though the Northwestern District has four fewer teams, it’s still going to be a competitive district cross country meet Oct. 28 at Kernstown Battlefield.

Last year, the top four teams earned regional berths in the nine-team district, but now only the top three will advance from the five-team field.

Fewer teams means the chance of moving on is increased, and the competition should heat up with perennial district power Brentsville gone from the district.

“Now three out of the five move on,” Sherando coach Tim Ritter said. “It’s 60 percent [of the teams], so it’s easier to advance. I like the bigger district myself, but I don’t really see it changing the dynamics that much. Brentsville being out as the perennial district champs is the only difference.”

Brentsville, which won the boys’ and girls’ championships last year, is now a member of the new Evergreen District, so Millbrook, Handley, Sherando, James Wood and Skyline will compete for the vacant title and the three regional berths. In the girls’ race, Millbrook appears to have the edge, with senior Tammy Cheung and sophomore Crystal Nelson — a pair of all-state runners a season ago — leading the way.

The Pioneers already wrapped up the regular-season district title going 4-0, and they appear to be getting over the flu bug just in time.

Cheung returned at last weekend’s Albemarle Invitational after missing time because of food poisoning and then a bout with the flu.

“She hadn’t run a real competitive race since the Judges Classic [on Sept. 10],” Millbrook coach Greg West said. “We hadn’t had our top five run together in over two weeks, so it was nice to have all five run.”

The Pioneers, coming off back-to-back third-place performances in Group AA, hope to make it back to the state meet at Great Meadow.

“We’re looking at the postseason,” West said. “Winning the regular season championship was big for us. Our goal is to get back to the state meet, and we have a couple weeks to round into shape for that.”

The Pioneers will likely face a challenge from Frederick County rival Sherando.

The Warriors, with five of their top seven back from last year, might have the deepest team in the district.

“We have a good pack with good depth from one through six or seven,” Ritter said. “In a five-team district with only 35 runners, that depth may pay off a little.”

Handley sophomore Britani Myers returns as the lone defending individual district champion. Myers, Nelson and Cheung should make for an interesting race.

“Britani Myers is definitely in the mix, but if it’s one of our two girls we’ll be extremely happy with that,” West said. “If it’s one of them and the other finishes second or third, then they’d be extremely happy for our team’s sake.”

On the boys’ side, Handley owns a 2-0 record in the regular season with dual meets remaining against Sherando today and Skyline next week.

The Judges, who finished third in the district a season ago, host the district meet and could be the team to beat.

Handley junior Tom Delaney, who posted a personal record time of 16 minutes, seven seconds at the Octoberfest Invitational at Great Meadow on Oct. 3, could make a run at the district title after finishing fifth last year.

“As of last week, [Tom] had the fourth fastest Group AA time in the state,” Judges boys coach Mark Stickley said. “He’s running extremely well. He’s a little ahead of where I thought he’d be, and I wouldn’t rule him out anywhere. ...

  “I’m hoping we can finish the regular season undefeated. With Tom running well, it really lifts the whole team.”

— Robert Stocks is the assistant sports editor at The Winchester Star