A PV sweep?
- Updated: October 27, 2016
Pleasant Valley favored to win both races at this morning’s Calhoun County Cross Country Meet at Oxford Lake
By East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — Pleasant Valley is favored to become the first team since Oxford’s long dominance in the event to sweep team titles at today’s Calhoun County Cross Country Meet, while the individual races are expected to be a toss-up among multiple contenders.
The Pleasant Valley boys and girls are both picked to finish first in the virtual meet based on the runners’ best times of the year. The PV girls haven’t lost a scored meet this season and the boys only one. Both teams are expected to run in a tight pack.
The girls have three of the top six times among county runners, while the boys have four of the top nine.
“We haven’t run a fast course (like Oxford Lake) since six weeks ago as a team,” PV coach Brad Hood said. “Those times on (the virtual meet), we should smash those. We’re looking for season-best times across the board.
“We had our best practice of the year (Monday). It was the first time three weeks I’ve actually been positive. It was a complete, consistent team workout. I told them it couldn’t have been better timing.”
Jacksonville’s Rebecca Hearn will be aiming for a three-peat as county champion in the girls race, but she’s expected to face a stiff challenge from Alexandria’s Abby Nunnelly and Pleasant Valley’s Trinity Roberts. Nunnelly is pushing to win this race she hasn’t won since a seventh-grader and Roberts won on this course earlier this year.
The boys race is expected to be a wide open, with any of a half-dozen potential winners. Ohatchee’s Gabe Hammonds has run the fastest time in the county, but he faces any number of challengers. Pleasant Valley’s Matisse Miller is expected to be among them.
Miller suffered a scary leg injury during the Terrortorium on the Creekbank race two weeks ago. An MRI showed no serious injury. He is expecting to run and above all help the Raiders have a good day.
“I think I will be just fine for the race and I may win, just depending on how I feel,” he said. “One thing for sure is that this is a humbling experience and I want everyone to know that through this whole injury experience I have been supported by my team.
“They saw me go down and … they didn’t get down on themselves about me getting hurt; they just stepped up and did what is necessary to pick it up. I’m not worried as much about winning this race (individually) as long as my team wins. I am going to do what’s necessary to help it win. Our team has enough talent to do it and the best coach around to push us.”
Here are the results of the virtual meet:
BOYS RACE
Team scores: Pleasant Valley 38, Oxford 85, Ohatchee 89, White Plains 118, Alexandria 122, Jacksonville 126, Saks 184, Donoho 238, Faith Christian 239, Sacred Heart 270
Individual Top 12
Gabe Hammonds, Ohatchee 17:27.66
Reed Robinson, Oxford 17:46.50
Chase Crandall, White Plains 17:52.80
Daniel Gladen, Pleasant Valley 18:00.41
Jacob Gladen, Pleasant Valley 18:07.46
Matisse Miller, Pleasant Valley 18:07.55
Luis Rodriguez, Alexandria 18:18.06
Blake Noah, Ohatchee 18:20.87
Coleman Haynes, Pleasant Valley 18:34.79
Gannon Womack, Alexandria 18:35.14
Kevin Barajas, Jacksonville 18:47.93
Caden Hendrickson, Jacksonville 18:52.89
GIRLS RACE
Team scores: Pleasant Valley 43, Alexandria 54, Ohatchee 79, Oxford 106, White Plains 116, Jacksonville 153, Donoho 222, Saks 231, Faith Christian 243
Individual Top 12
Abby Nunnelly, Alexandria 19:52.83
Trinity Roberts, Pleasant Valley 20:08.62
Rebecca Hearn, Jacksonville 20:10.90
Rachel Faucett, Pleasant Valley 21:05.21
Madison Reeder, Oxford 21:44.35
Emma Hood, Pleasant Valley 21:52.79
Toni Coley, Oxford 21:55.32
Briar Poyress, White Plains 22:06.57
Jayda Fair, Ohatchee 22:12.34
Sarah Kilgore, Alexandria 22:12.69
Destiny Heathcock, Alexandria 22:14.93
Elizabeth Hall, Pleasant Valley 22:17.29
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