Handley boys, Wood girls win district XC titles

WINCHESTER — The Handley boys’ cross country team wasn’t able to avoid a second straight year of heartbreak on Saturday at the Class 4 Northwestern District meet, but this time, its disappointment was short-lived on the Third Battle of Winchester course.

On a day in which Millbrook senior Nick Hayden outsprinted James Wood junior Ethan Pratt-Perez in a finish so close neither was sure who won until the results were revealed and the Colonel girls repeated as team champions, no one experienced as many emotions as the Handley boys.

Millbrook was announced as the winner during the awards ceremony with a total of 63 points to the Judges’ 65. But when the top 15 individual placers came forward to receive their medals, Handley realized a mistake had been made.

Runners were announced in descending order from 15th to first, and Millbrook senior Austin Conley was the first person to have his name called out. But Handley junior Elliott Redcay knew he had beaten Conley.

After the completion of the awards ceremony, it was discovered that Redcay’s finish had been omitted from the results due to a malfunctioning timing chip. Video confirmed the correct order of individual finishers, and Redcay’s name was inserted into 15th place for the final All-District spot. He wound up being Handley’s No. 4 runner and recorded a time of 17:12.4, five seconds faster than Conley’s 17:17.9.

Judges coach Mark Stickley punched the air with his right arm and exclaimed “Yes!” when it became evident that Redcay’s inclusion in the results would produce a title for his team. It would be several more minutes before results were official — coaches wanted to make sure no other runner was omitted from the results.

The change improved Handley’s team score by 10 points for a total of 55, dropped Millbrook’s to 65, and provided much-needed joy on a day that had already produced anguish before the awards ceremony began.

The reason why the boys’ race was so close was that Handley’s No. 1 runner, Will Pardue, had to drop out of the race 2.25 miles in after stepping on a rock and hurting his ankle. Stickley lost track of what his other runners had done because of his concern for Pardue, so he wasn’t sure what to expect prior to the announcement of the team results. (Pardue, who was examined on an athletic training table at the meet, suffered a sprained ankle. Stickley said the Judges will see if he can run at the Nov. 2 Region 4C meet at Morven Park in Leesburg.)

Ultimately, Stickley was just glad to leave the meet with a team title after thinking his team had again finished second under difficult circumstances. Last year, Pierce Francis struggled at districts because of an illness, and James Wood won the team title because while both teams scored the same amount of points, the Colonels had the faster No. 6 runner. This year, it briefly looked like Pardue’s injury had prevented them from winning.

“Millbrook ran great today, I have to say,” Stickley said. “I would not have picked them for second.

“It seemed like we were a little bit flat, but we still ran well. Some tough running by these guys, because when Will goes down, that’s a different ballgame. Our focus has been on states all along, but it was nice to win this.”

Stickley’s junior son Garrett (third in 15:44.7) and Pardue are usually pretty close together. Garrett was ahead of Pardue when he fell, so it wasn’t until he looked back later in the race that he realized Pardue was no longer there. Garrett said he could have used Pardue from a personal standpoint, because at that point he had no one else around him to push him.

Garrett was glad his team was able to pull together to win though despite Pardue’s injury, even if the Judges didn’t get to scream in celebration immediately. Those screams could be heard 100 yards away when they did realize their achievement.

“Winning without our No. 1 definitely shows how competitive we are,” said Garrett, adding that the team goal is to win a state title. “It felt like revenge [after not winning the district title last year].”

The Judges were also led by the senior Francis (fifth in 16:10.2), senior Max Ware (eighth in 16:29.6) and freshman Will Thomas, who became the No. 5 runner and finished 24th in 17:45.7.

The top four teams and any individual who placed in the top 15 not on those teams will compete in the Region 4C meet.

Millbrook was followed by James Wood (third with 71 points), Fauquier (77), Sherando (94), Kettle Run (145) and Liberty (196). The Warriors will send junior Dylan McGraw (sixth in 16:16.9) and senior Ben Freilich (11th in 16:54.4) to the region meet.

In the boys’ individual competition, Hayden edged out Pratt-Perez at the finish line after a neck-and-neck battle in the finishing chute. Both ran personal records of 15:24.9, with Hayden breaking the Millbrook school 5K record of 15:27.

In the girls’ meet, freshman Kate Konyar placed second in a PR of 18:43.9 to lead James Wood to 36 points. Sherando was second with 58 points and the Warriors were followed by Fauquier (63), Handley (105), Kettle Run (119) and Millbrook (152). Liberty only had one runner compete. Pioneers senior Madison Murphy qualified for regionals individually by placing fourth in 19:13.1.

Fauquier junior Cassidy Scott defended her title in 18:11.5.

The Colonel girls were more focused on performing well at the district meet than at Third Battle, and the times reflected that. Konyar didn’t run at Third Battle because of illness, but the other six girls’ in the Colonels ‘ top seven had massive time drops from Third Battle.

Senior Quetzali Angel-Perez placed fifth (20:09.1, improvement of 1:13), sophomore Ruby Ostrander took eighth (20:21.0, 1:05 improvement), senior Sarah Moss was 10th (20:21.7, 0:13 improvement) and senior Lillian Lovelace took 12th (20:23, 0:38 improvement). Junior Carrie Schneider didn’t score but earned All-District honors by taking 13th (20:24.9, 1:00 improvement).

The Colonels lost three girls who are now running in college from last year’s team, so to repeat was a major achievement.

“The girls were ready to run fast, and we looked great,” James Wood coach Matthew Lofton said. “I’m very happy with them. The girls just work really hard and have amazing depth. Six girls in the top 13 really says a lot about how hard those girls work.”

Konyar said the team works well together.

“We’re all very close,” she said. “I’m excited about this team.”

Other Millbrook boys’ scorers: 10. Carter Luden 16:43.1; 12. Tyler Mallen 16:57.7; 26. Teague Mendez 17:49.3.

Other James Wood boys’ scorers: 7. Jacob Oliver 16:17.1; 9. Eli Clark 16:30.2; 25. Samuel Jackson 17:47.2; 28. Landon Burdock 18:00.

Other Sherando boys’ scorers: 20. Ryan Maki 17:38.7; 23. Brock Smith 17:44.9; 34. Julean Mendez 18:08.3.

Sherando girls’ scorers: 3. Emma Ahrens 18:58.9; 9. Cassidy Crittenden 20:21.2; 14. Eva Winston 20:29; 17. Addy Wallin 20:56.3, 18. Gracie Defibaugh 20:58.3.

Handley girls’ scorers: 6. Stephanie Truban 20:14; 23: Emma Fout 21:42.6; 28. Mia Kern 21:47.3; 29. Ellie Bessette 21:49; 32. Kadan Jones 21:59.6.

Other Millbrook girls’ scorers: 36. Caroline McCurry 22:37.2, 44. Emma Gressly 24:10; 47. Layne Mendez 24:55.2; 48. Allie Murphy 25:00.2.

For more coverage of Saturday’s meet, see Tuesday’s edition of The Winchester Star.

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