Challenger

Although the frigid weather and icy streets have caused frustration among many athletes for the spring, it hasn’t proved to be an issue with either the boy’s or girl’s track teams this season. In fact, the weather is used as a fun challenge for these tough runners who endure the below-freezing temperatures on a day-to-day basis.

A few girls qualified to compete in the prestigous UK indoor meet in Lexingoton, Ky. The 4 x 8 relay team, which placed second at region last year and eighth in the state meet, was invited to run among some of the most talented teams in the nation and state. Also, Senior Beth Ewing was chosen to run the individual 800 meter run while Sophomore Ashlee Brown was invited to run the 400 meter dash.

The 4 x 8 team, made up of Seniors Ewing and Christina Stodghill and Sophomores Ashlee Brown and Katie Pickens, along with alternate runner Junior Carrie Gentry, traveled to UK’s campus to run in the indoor facility there.

The boys team has also has been in steep conditioning for the past several months. The guys distance team has been steadily practicing since before Christmas Break, and are ready to finally compete in the outdoor season. At the Mason Dixon Games, held in Louisville, Kentucky on March 5, several runners made the trip up.

The 4 x 8 relay team, composed of Senior MItch Sharber, freshmen Tyler Dickinson, Chris Stodghill, and Todd Dickinson, placed thirteenth out of thirty-seven teams overall, with a time of 9:21.31.

The 4 x 4 relay team made up of Sharber, Stodghill, freshman Owen Lee and sophomore Jeremy Taylor placed thirty-first in the tough competion with a time of 4:05.87.
The guys fielded a 4 x 2 relay team as well for the meet, placing 22nd overall out of thirty-eight teams, with a team time of 1:44. 26. This team consisted of sophomores Damian Washington and Jeremy Taylor and freshmen Owen Lee and Phillip Evans.
Individually, several runners on the guys’ team had peak performances and placed very well among the unbelievably strenuos atmosphere. In the distance events, Tyler Dickinson placed 18th in the 3000 meter run, one of the toughest races of the meet, and finished with a time of 10:26. In the 1500 meter run, Sharber came in tenth place with an impressive time of 4:34. In the 800 meter run, Stodghill placed fifteenth and ran a 2:15. Senior Justin Shwartz rounded out the distance events, with a thirty-fourth place in the 400 meter dash, finishing with a 1:03.

In the 55 meter dash, Washington placed 20th with a time of 7.12 seconds. David Jarvis jumped for 15-11 feet, and came in 29th for the long jump. Owen Lee placed 19th with a jump of 34-.04 feet in the triple jump. Senior Brandon Washington placed 13th with a throw of 39-10.50 feet in the shot put.

For the girls, the 4 x 8 team of Ewing, Stodghill, Pickens, and Brown placed tenth overall and ran a time of 11:05. The 4 x 4 relay team came in 8th place with a 4:53 time, and was made up of Ewing, Brown, Carrie Gentry, and Bailey Goebel. Stodghill placed eighth in the mile, with a time of 5:31. Ewing came in 8th place with a 2:39 time in the 800 meter run. The 4 x 200 meter relay team, made of Senior Paris Kidd, Sophomore Rachael O’Bryan, and freshmen Kasey Pergerson and Cortney Turner, came in 29th place overall. Ashlee Brown ran for a seventh place in the 400 meter dash, in a competitive field of 33 runners.

Overall, the girls’ team placed 25th at the Mason Dixon Games.

Senior Christina Stodghill just recently earned and signed a scholarship to run for Cumberland College after her senior year. Ranked second in her class, and one of the hardest-working athletes on the team, she is sure to do great things there and the rest of her senior year as well.