Boone Packs to Big 11 Cross Country Sweep
by STEVE WILMOTH
TriCitiesSports.com
October 18, 2018
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Daniel Boone’s day at the 2018 Big 11 Cross Country Championships was so good it left coach Len Jeffers without words.
Almost.
Both squads utilized pack running in overcoming strong finishes at the top by the Science Hill boys and Dobyns-Bennett girls to sweep to team titles Thursday afternoon at Steele Creek Park.
It was a third-straight team win for the ‘Blazer boys who were running without arguably their top runner and the first-ever in the conference for the Lady ‘Blazers.
For good measure Boone also swept the junior varsity races.
“I’m almost speechless,” said an elated Jeffers. “It’s been a great day. Our boys were without our top boy so we knew it was going to be a battle and it was that.
“Our girls ran phenomenal and found themselves in the mix and were able to finish and finish as a group. They were both very unified. Everybody came out and put their best foot forward. It just a great day.”
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2018 Big 11 Conference Boys Cross Country Champion Jeb Jones of Science Hill. TriCitiesSports.com photo by Earl Neikirk, TriCitiesCaptured.com. |
But Boone answered with the next four with Max Austin (17:00.2), Conner Wingfield (17:04.4), Matt Huff (17:19.8) and Mason Lewis (17:21.0) accounting for 22 points.
Evan Bruce’s 13th-place finish in 17:43.9 gave the ‘Blazers 35 points that was matched by Science Hill’s Jonah Harris (17:41.3) in 12th and Caleb Lee (18:14.8) in 17th.
With the teams deadlocked after the top five runners, the tie-breaker defaulted to the sixth runners where Graydon Hull’s 14th-place finish (17:56.9) gave Boone the title.
“It’s been close before, one or two points before,” added Jeffers. “First time i can remember it coming down to the actual tie-breaker and going to the sixth runner to decide the conference championship.”
“Depth speaks for itself when the JV teams and come in and duplicate and pull off the same team feat and it helps when you can pull guys up a spot and the sixth guy becomes a scoring runner and today the seventh guy determines the championship.”
Jones (Jeb) and Jones (Aaron) duplicated their first and second place finish from last year.
“We had a focus on pack running and knew that solid front pack could help bring up the guys,” said Jones. “On our long runs, we’re together like we were in the race. We will steadily speed up the pace, but Aaron made me try the whole time.”
The top 15 runners were all designated as all-conference which included a seventh Boone runner, Jameson Cline (18:06.2), in the 15th spot.
David Crockett’s three all-conference members Hank Lowe (17:23.0), Bryson Livesay (17:29.9) and Cameron Butler (17:31.2) finished 8th, 9th and 10th to help the Pioneers finish third with 72.
Dobyns-Bennett’s Tyler Mays (17:36.1) rounded out the all-conference team in 11th-place.
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2018 Big 11 Conference Girls Cross Country Champion Sasha Neglia of Dobyns-Bennett. TriCitiesSports.com photo by Earl Neikirk, TriCitiesCaptured.com. |
“It’s conference, but it’s still a small meet,” Neglia said. “I tried not to get too nervous and have the mindset of a workout. I just focused on my own race. Usually this course is pretty tough, but today was the best I’ve felt on this course.”
Emma Russum (19:37.4) was third for the Lady Indians, finishing in the top seven for a third straight time.
But the Lady Indians then saw Boone’s Judy Chellah (20:23.8) come home in fixth, followed by sister Patricia (20:33.1) in seventh and then Erin Bruce (20:41.7) in ninth and Gracie Murray (20:50.4) 11th.
When Gracie Allen (20:58.6) and Morgan Cordell (21:05.2) crossed in 11th and 12th, the Lady Indians led 27-29.
But Boone’s Marley McCoy (21:20.7) came home 15th and seventh place ahead of the next Lady Indian runner to hand the Lady ‘Blazers the 43-47 victory.
“Sasha was Sasha and Emma was really good,” said Dobyns-Bennett coach Bob Bingham. “Boone was just tremendously consistent.
“I’ve said for several weeks that we just aren’t hitting all cylinders yet. It’s time to start doing that. It gets down to money time next week we’ll see what we are made of.”
The Science Hill girls finished third with 62 points followed by David Crockett with 71.
The remaining all-conference team members included David Crockett’s Rachel Dulaney (4th, 20:01.0), Elizabethton’s Lauren Pilkton (5th, 20:08.7), Science Hill’s Abbi Rountree (8th, 20:33.9), Ashley Doyle (10th, 20:46.3) and Destiny Haller (14th, 21:12.9).
2018 Big 11 Conference Cross Country Championships
Steele Creek Park - Bristol, TN
Thursday, October 18
GIRLS
Steele Creek Park - Bristol, TN
Thursday, October 18
GIRLS
TEAM RESULTS -- 1. Daniel Boone 43, 2. Dobyns-Bennett 47, 3. Science Hill 62, 4. David Crockett 71, 5. Tennessee High 155, 6. Sullivan South 178, 7. Volunteer 198.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS -- 1. Sasha Neglia, Dobyns-Bennett, 17:59.3; 2. Taylor Roy, David Crockett, 19:20.2; 3. Emma Russum, Dobyns-Bennett, 19:37.4; 4. Rachel Dulaney, David Crockett, 20:01.0; 5. Lauren Pilkton, Elizabethton, 20:08.7; 6. Judy Chellah, Daniel Boone, 20:23.8; 7. Patricia Chellah, Daniel Boone, 20:33.1. 8. Abbi Rountree, Science Hill, 20:33.9; 9. Erin Bruce, Daniel Boone, 20:46.3; 10. Ashley Doyle, Science Hill, 20:46.3; 11. Gracie Murray, Daniel Boone, 20:50.4; 12. Gracie Allen, Dobyns-Bennett, 20:58.6; 13. Morgan Cordell, Dobyns-Bennett, 21:05.2; 14. Destiny Haller, Science Hill, 21:12.9; 15. Marley McCoy, Daniel Boone, 21:20.7.
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2018 All-Big 11 Girls Cross Country Team. TriCitiesSports.com photo by Earl Neikirk, TriCitiesCaptured.com |
BOYS
TEAM RESULTS -- 1. Daniel Boone 35, 2. Science Hill 35, 3. David Crockett 72, 4. Dobyns-Bennett 91, 5. Tennessee High 128, 6. Volunteer 185, 7. Sullivan South 205.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS -- 1. Jeb Jones, Science Hill, 16:38.0; 2. Aaron Jones, Science Hill, 16:39.0; 3. Ray Richardson, Science Hill, 16:52.0; 4. Max Austin, Daniel Boone, 17:00.2; 5. Conner Wingfield, Daniel Boone, 17:04.4; 6. Matt Huff, Daniel Boone, 17:18.8; 7. Mason Lewis, Daniel Boone, 17:21.0; 8. Hank Lowe, David Crockett, 17:23.0; 9. Bryson Livesay, David Crockett, 17:29.9; 10. Cameron Butler, David Crockett, 17:31.2; 11. Tyler Mays, Dobyns-Bennett, 17:36.1; 12. Jonah Harris, Science Hill, 17:41.3; 13. Evan Bruce, Daniel Boone, 17:43.9; 14. Graydon Hull, Daniel Boone, 17:56.9; 15. Jameson Cline, Daniel Boone, 18:06.2.
Steele Creek Park - BRISTOL, TN
October 18, 2018
Photographer: Earl Neikirk
©2018 TriCitiesSports.com, Tri-Cities Captured Photography. All rights reserved. Illegal use and distribution are prohibited by United States and International copyright laws.
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2018 All-Big 11 Boys Cross Country Team. TriCitiesSports.com photo by Earl Neikirk, TriCitiesCaptured.com |
Steele Creek Park - BRISTOL, TN
October 18, 2018
Photographer: Earl Neikirk
©2018 TriCitiesSports.com, Tri-Cities Captured Photography. All rights reserved. Illegal use and distribution are prohibited by United States and International copyright laws.