Lady Indians, Neglia Three-Peat at 46th Trailblazer Invitational; Boone, U-High’s Porter Boys’ Winners
by STEVE WILMOTH
TriCitiesSports.com
October 13, 2018
GRAY, Tenn. -- The Daniel Boone boys held serve on their home course while the Lady Indians of Dobyns-Bennett won a tight three-team battle to take home team titles at the 46th Annual Trailblazer Invitational Saturday morning.
Paced by overall winner Sasha Neglia, the Lady Indians won for a third consecutive year, slipping past Myers Park out of Asheville, North Carolina, 42-46, and finishing just ahead of third-place Daniel Boone’s 57 points.
After Myers Park ended the Boone boy’s six-year run last year, the ‘Blazers, despite running without two top runners, easily returned to the winners’ circle with 52 points, well clear of runner-up Morristown West’s 88 points.
Neglia also won for the third straight year and for the third consecutive time won in record-breaking fashion, crossing in 18:09.30 to beat her time of 18:18.20 a year ago.
When Neglia initially broke the meet record with an 18:20.50 as a freshman two years ago, it erased the 18:31.6 time set by Science Hill’s Whitney Spannuth in 1991.
“Sasha is ahead of where she’s been the last two years,” said Dobyns-Bennett coach Bob Bingham. “We’ve been pushing it pretty good.”
With cool conditions for the first time all season and a week removed from running in smothering heat and humidity in Alabama, Neglia blitzed to a 5:23 first mile.
“I went out a little too fast, but I felt really good,” Neglia said. “The cooler weather was great and made a big difference today.”
With the win, Neglia becomes just the third female runner to win the Trailblazer Invitational three times. She’ll have a chance to join four-time winners Lesley Whitehead (Sullivan South, 1981-84) and Angie Culbertson (Sullivan Central, 1987-1990) next year.
The two-time defending state champion says she is right on schedule in going for a third title in November.
“I’m pretty much where I want to be,” added Neglia. “I’ve been using these early races so I can be faster for the races later in the season.”
Neglia finished well over a minute ahead of runner-up Cora Cooke (19:20.90) of Myers Park. Dobyns-Bennett’s Emma Russum (19:38.20) placed third for a second straight year.
“Emma Russum is running really well,” noted Bingham. “That time for her is a PR on a course with hills.”
15 of the top 20 runners came from the top three teams.
Freshman Macee Pickup (20:24.60) placed ninth for Dobyns-Bennett followed by Gracie Allen (20:46.20) in 15th and Ashtyn Hagood (21:25.70) in 24th.
“Our kids love this meet and love this course, it’s kind of become our home course as well,” said Bingham. “Macee has really picked up the last two weeks. We got Gracie back about a month ago and she’s running phenomenally well.
“Hagood is also coming off an injury and she’s making progress. I think we have enough time to get her up there to where she was running before she got hurt.”
Bingham added the Lady Indians still aren’t haven’t hit their stride.
“We are still not running on all cylinders yet,” Bingham said. “I sure hope we do before the end of the season.”
In addition to Cooke, Myers Park runners placed tenth, 11th, 16th and 17th. Judy Chellah (20:18.80) led Boone with a sixth place finish followed by sister Patricia (20:31.40) in 12th. Erin Bruce (20:42.70) came across 13th, with Alanna Cloud (21:04.60) 19th and Grace Sheldon (21:15.40) 20th.
The Lady Pioneers placed fourth with 97 points paced by the top ten finishes of Taylor Roy and Rachel Dulaney. Roy (20:00.70) was fifth and finishing fourth a year ago while Dulaney (20:24.00) was eighth.
Elizabethton’s Lauren Pilkton (20:20.30) came home seventh and Cherokee’s Harper Russell (20:43.40) 14th.
Freshman Conner Wingfield was the top Boone finisher, crossing fifth in 17:09.20 followed by Matt Huff in sixth at 17:11.00 and Max Austin (17:20.50) in eighth. The other scorers with Graydon Hull (17:48.70) in 17th and Mason Lewis (17:51.60) in 18th.
“We were short-handed with essentially just five of our top seven varsity runners,” said Boone coach Len Jeffers. “But they came together, packed it in there and ran a great race. It was a gutsy performance, I can’t say enough about how they ran today.”
University High senior Porter Bradley took control of the boys race early and led the rest of the way in finishing at 16:47.10. Blake Ryan (17:27.80) added an 11th-place finish to help the Junior Bucs to place fourth with 131 points.
Defending champs Myers Park finished third with 107 points. Dobyns-Bennett placed fifth with 133 points. Indian senior Tyler Mays was runner-up overall in 16:57.30.
Other top finishers were David Crockett’s Hank Lowe (17:14.00) in 7th and Cherokee’s Austin Kirkpatrick (17:38.80) in 14th.
The cross country calendar moves to the Big 11 Conference Championships Thursday at Steele Creek Park in Bristol.
46th Trailblazer Invitational
Daniel Boone High School
October 13, 2018
GIRLS RESULTS
TEAM -- 1. Dobyns-Bennett 42, 2. Myers Park 46, 3. Daniel Boone 57, 4. David Crockett 95, 5. University High 157, 6. Morristown West 201, 7. Sullivan East 204, 8. Polk County 232, 9. Morristown East 236, 10. Jefferson County 245, 11. Greeneville 300, 12. Avery County 361, 13. Volunteer 370.
INDIVIDUAL -- 1. Sasha Neglia, Dobyns-Bennett, 18:09.30; 2. Cora Cooke, Myers Park, 19:20.90; 3. Emma Russum, Dobyns-Bennett, 19:38.20; 4. Morgan Dalton, George Wythe, 19:50.50; 5. Taylor Roy, David Crockett, 20:00.70; 6. Judy Chellah, Daniel Boone, 20:18.80; 7. Lauren Pilkton, Elizabethton, 20:20.30; 8. Rachel Dulaney, David Crockett, 20:24.00; 9. Macee Pickup, Dobyns-Bennett, 20:24.60; 10. Joelle Ryan, Myers Park, 20:25.20; 11. Tyler Brading, Myers Park, 20:31.00; 12. Patricia Chellah, Daniel Boone, 20:31.40; 13. Erin Bruce, Daniel Boone, 20:42.70; 14. Harper Russell, Cherokee, 20:43.40; 15. Gracie Allen, Dobyns-Bennett, 20:46.20; 16. Clara Richards, Myers Park, 20:47.80; 17. Brenda Gray, Myers Park, 20:51.20; 18. Catherine Grossman, Patrick Henry, 21:02.60; 19. Alanna Cloud, Daniel Boone, 21:04.60; 20. Grace Sheldon, Daniel Boone, 21:15.40; 21. Marissa Soulier, Unicoi County, 21:16.30; 22. Grace Murray, Daniel Boone, 21:19.40; 23. Ali Burns, University High, 21:24.70; 24. Ashtyn Hagood, Dobyns-Bennett, 21:25.70; 25. Mandy Lowery, Sullivan East, 21:26.90.
BOYS RESULTS
TEAM - 1. Daniel Boone 52, 2. Morristown West 88, 3. Myers Park 107, 4. University High 131, 5. Dobyns-Bennett 133, 6. David Crockett 136, 7. George Wythe 177, 8. Sevier County 236, 9. Morristown East 243, 10. Jefferson County 258, 11. Sullivan East 264, 12. Sullivan Central 322, 13. Polk County 326, 14. Greeneville 390, 15. West Greene 423, 16. Volunteer 424, 17. Sullivan North 474, 18. Happy Valley 555.
INDIVIDUAL -- 1. Porter Bradley, University High, 16:47.10; 2. Tyler Mays, Dobyns-Bennett, 16:57.30; 3. Jesus Pacheco, Morristown West, 17:07.40; 4. Caleb Potter, Polk County, 17:08.40; 5. Conner Wingfield, Daniel Boone, 17:09.20; 6. Matt Huff, Daniel Boone, 17:11.00; 7. Hank Lowe, David Crockett, 17:14.00; 8. Max Austin, Daniel Boone, 17:20.50; 9. Tristan Wick, Myers Park, 17:23.00; 10. Mason Johns, Morristown East, 17:24.80; 11. Blake Ryan, University High, 17:27.80; 12. Christian Henry, Morristown West, 17:31.50; 13. Holden Robinson, George Wythe, 17:37.70; 14. Austin Kirkpatrick, Cherokee, 17:38.80; 15. Nathan Sia, Morristown West, 17:40.40; 16. Jared Tinker, Sevier County, 17:42.90; 17. Graydon Hull, Daniel Boone, 17:48.70; 18. Mason Lewis, Daniel Boone, 17:51.60; 19. Ryland Jones, Greeneville, 17:52.60; 20. Henry Brooks, Cherokee, 17:53.60; 21. Josh Tomiak, George Wythe, 17:54.90; 22. Cameron Butler, David Crockett, 17:56.90; 23. Dylan Canine, Myers Park, 17:57.90; 24. David Foard, Myers Park, 17:58.50; 25. Kade Minton, George Wythe, 17:59.80.