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2004 Sumner County All County Team


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News Examiner All-County Cross Country Team Boys Runner of the Year: Ryne Sexton

Station Camp's Ryne Sexton won the Runner of the Year award for the second consecutive season.

Station Camp senior Ryne Sexton had no idea he would ever be this good at cross country when he first started running.

After all it was just a way of getting in shape for the upcoming basketball season.

Two years later, Sexton finds himself with a state title ring, a long list of accolades and a scholarship waiting for him at Austin Peay State University after he graduates.

In signing with Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Sexton became the first Bison athlete to garner a collegiate scholarship.

To cap off his senior year Sexton was named the Boys Runner of the Year on the News Examiner’s 2004 All-County Cross Country Team.

Last year the Station Camp standout shared the honor, but this year it was all his.

“This honor is a lot better than it was last year, especially since I had to share it last year,” Sexton said.

“To tell you the truth I never dreamed that I would ever have this type of success. To win this award two years in a row is very special to me.”

Sexton won his third straight individual Region 5 A-AA title this season and in the process led his team to a runner-up finish.

After capturing the A-AA state title as a junior, Sexton finished fifth this year with a time of 16:08 in the state meet.

“He was disappointed a bit in his performance this year at the state meet,” said head coach Bob Frech.

“He really wasn’t that far behind the winner, but it just wasn’t his day. He still ran really well.”

Sexton had his best day of the year at Macon County on Oct. 12. He ran a 15:37, which broke his previous school record.

The time was the fastest three-mile time by any Sumner County runner all season long.

Frech and his Bison squad will certainly miss Sexton next season.

“We are going to miss Ryne,” said Frech.

“He showed our new school that we could have success and compete and he showed us that we could win.

“Ryne was a great leader and we won’t be able to replace him. We will just have to move on without him.”

Sexton’s rise to the cream of the crop in the cross-country world is even more impressive when you consider that he has only been doing it for a few years.

Most athletes could play a particular sport their entire life and still not achieve or enjoy success comparable to that of Sexton.

That is one of the reasons why athletes like Sexton on this level are rare.

“Cross County in Sumner County will definitely miss Squeaky,” said Frech, calling Sexton by his popular nickname.

“Ryne ran 35 races for us all year. Some were better than others, but he honestly never had a bad race and not many runners can say that.”

Like all good athletes, Sexton had a rival or someone that he always competed with on the top level.

That rival for Sexton was fellow Sumner County runner Kyle Lee.

Lee also advanced to the state tournament this past year and was the top runner for the Hendersonville Commandos.

In head to head matchups, Sexton came out on top seven of eight times.

“Kyle and I were always neck and neck,” said Sexton.

I always liked racing against Kyle because I knew he was such a great runner and he really pushed me to do my best.”

Speaking of pushing others to do their best that is exactly what Sexton did for his Bison teammates.

That is what helped Sexton become one of the top runners in the state.

That is why the Bison have laid the foundation for a cross country program that is likely to enjoy a very bright future.

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News Examiner All-County Cross Country Team Girls Runner of the Year: Brittany Wey

Although just a freshman, Station Camp's Brittany Wey earned the top Cross Country award on the News Examiner's All-County squad. (Photo by Ethan Greer).

When you meet Station Camp freshman Brittany Wey she may come off a bit quiet and reserved.

 

But that is only until you see her run cross country.

 

Whoever said that freshman can’t contribute right away toward a team’s success would take exception with Wey.

 

In her first year with the Lady Bison varsity squad, Wey earned a trip to the state tournament.

 

In doing so Wey has been named the Girls Runner of the Year on the News Examiner’s 2004 All-County Cross Country Team.

 

Not bad for someone who has only run for two years.

 

“When I first started I thought I would be horrible,” said Wey with a smile.

 

“It feels good to succeed and do well. I sure never thought I would ever be in the newspaper.

 

“I think I improved a lot from my first year to my second and I was glad we had a great year as a team and did really well.”

 

Wey ran last season for Knox Doss Middle School. The step up from middle school to varsity was quite a big difference for the freshman.

 

The difference was about a mile and a half to be exact.

 

As an eighth grader, the Knox Doss cross-country team only ran 1.5 miles. At Station Camp the course is three miles long.

 

“Running in high school was a bit different than running at Knox Doss,” Wey said.

 

“I remember the first time that I ran was so nerve wracking.”

 

Her best time of the season was at Macon County back in October where she posted a time of 21:00. Her time was the fastest posted by a Sumner County girls runner anywhere this year.

 

“She really enjoys competition,” said Station Camp head coach Bob Frech.

 

“I remember at the first meet of the season off in the distance we could tell a Station Camp runner was running with the lead pack and it turned out to be Brit.”

 

Wey helped lead her team to a Region 5 A-AA Runner-up finish and also a ninth place finish in the TSSAA state tournament.

 

Her time of 21:46 was also the best of any female Sumner County runner that was participating.

 

Wey also competed well against another of the top runners in the county, Maggie Bracy of Hendersonville.

 

In head-to-head competition at the MidState Championships on Oct. 20, she beat Bracy 22:07 to 22:31.

 

At the region meet at Moss Wright Park Wey finished with a time of 22:10, closely followed by Bracy at 22:15.

 

Wey also finished 54 seconds ahead of Merroll Hyde’s Christina England in the state meet.

 

For someone who has achieved so much success so soon you may ask what could she do to get better to top her freshman year.

 

“I would love to be able to get my time down,” said Wey.

 

“I think it would be neat to be able to get back to state tournament.”

 

One of the attributes that Wey possessed was her desire to improve.

 

That quality was easy for coach Frech to spot all season long.

 

“You could tell all year that she wanted to improve and get better,” Frech added.

 

“We have a very solid team and Brittany competed and led us back to the state meet.

 

“She just improved all year long and I was really proud of her.”

 

With runners like Wey at Station Camp it is no surprise why the Station Camp Lady Bison cross country team has advanced to the state meet for two straight years.

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