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November 3, 2008

Ward, Tigers second at state meet

By TRAVIS METCALF

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — The Tahlequah High School boys’ cross country team has been second behind Bishop Kelley in three straight meets.

Make that four, only this time THS boys’ coach Jason Proctor isn’t too disheartened by it.

The Tigers finished second to Bishop Kelley at the 5A state cross country meet in Edmond on Saturday with 103 total points, behind first-place Bishop Kelley with 65.

The Tigers beat third-place Guthrie with 112 and fourth-place Deer Creek with 114 points.

“Today, we’ll take it to stand on the podium and represent our school,” Proctor said. “They ran very well. We were confident that we could finish in the top 2.”

Ethan Ward also finished in the top 2. Overall, he finished second with a time of 16:39, just five seconds behind overall winner Dakota Buck of Deer Creek with a time of 16:34.

Rusty Fowler was 18th with a time of 17:37 followed by Christian Hooper at 32nd and 17:54, Michael Nichols at 36th and 18:00, Julio Gonzalez at 37th and 18:01, Cameron Marshall at 71st and 19:16 and Derrick Young at 79th and 19:33.

There were 107 overall runners.

“I’ve never had five guys run 18 minutes or better and we did that today,” Proctor said. “We’ve had three but never five. We were definitely fired up and ready to go. We definitely reaped the benefits of all the work we put in.”

On the girls’ side, Sarah Hix all-stated for the Lady Tigers. She finished sixth with a time of 12:10.

“She ran solid from the start,” THS girls’ coach Elzy Miller said. “In the last eight or 900 meters, there is a slight incline and we talked about how to get tough right there and hold your own and she did that.”

Diana Garcia was 61st followed by sister Griselda Garcia at 65th. Madison Carey finished 70th with Amanda Wood 76th, Kaelyn Grant 88th and Melanie Paris 89th.

The Lady Tigers finished 10th overall.

“We ran probably as good as we have all year in most parts,” Miller said. “We talked earlier that one thing I wanted to make sure we didn’t do is finish in the cellar, anything above 13th or 14th and we were good. We beat some teams that beat us at regionals.”

Bishop McGuinness won the meet with a total of 61 points followed by Metro Lakes Conference rival Coweta at 84 points and Harrah at 107.

Bishop Kelley’s Andrea Lewis won the overall state championship.

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