Catholic junior Jake Renfree surges to Top 5 finish at Foot Locker Cross Country Championship

There was a surprise top finisher Saturday among three Knoxville runners entered in Saturday’s Foot Locker Cross Country Championship in California.

Catholic junior Jake Renfree earned first-team All-American honors by finishing fifth in 15 minutes, 38.7 seconds at Balboa Park’s Morley Field in San Diego.

The meet featured the top 40 girls and top 40 boys distance runners in the nation.
Webb senior Carter Coughlin placed 15th in 15:52.3 to garner third-team All-American honors.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t the cap to her stellar career that Rebecca Story was hoping for.
The Christian Academy senior and Stanford signee finished a disappointing 34th in 19:03.3 after placing third in the race last year.

Renfree, who entered the South regional on a lark and placed in the top 10 to qualify for nationals, seemed stunned by his finish.

“It’s just unbelievable,” said Renfree, who picked up the pace after a slow start. “I looked around and realized I was in last place after about 800 meters. The second loop I had no regrets. I think I was about 13th in the last mile before I picked off five or six runners going up the last hill.”

Coughlin, who will run for Wake Forest, said he was pleased with the final chapter of his high school career.

“I feel pretty good about it,” he said. “I could have gone out a little faster, but I left it all out there.”

Story had designs on challenging for the top prize, but she quickly realized it just wasn’t her day.

“I think all runners have days like today,” said Story, who was undefeated this season coming into the race.

“Going into it I thought I was a little nervous and I let it affect me. I could have handled it better. I just have to deal with it, take a step back and look at my race preparation.”

Story finished exactly two minutes off the winning time of junior Claudia Lane of Malibu, Calif.

Lane, who put a punctuation mark on an undefeated season and successfully defended her Foot Locker crown.

Lane led from start to finish and posted a nearly 20-second win in 17:03.4. Story was able to quickly put her disappointment behind her as she turned into a cheerleader for Renfree and Coughlin during the boys’ race.

“I asked Jake what happened after the race and he said ‘I don’t really know,’” she said with a laugh.

“I’m really proud of Jake and Carter.”
 
Mike Blackerby is a freelance contributor