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Sebring Cross Country Girls Win Rotary Invite

Mark Pinson/Highlands Today

From left, Sebring sophomore Daniel Lee and Avon Park senior Damyan Byrd strain for the finish line during the Rotary Invitational on Thursday at Highlands Hammock State Park.

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By Mark  Pinson | Highlands Today

Published: October 13, 2007

SEBRING — A determined effort.
That's what the Sebring High School cross country team put together in Thursday's 36th annual Avon Park Rotary Invitational at Highlands Hammock State Park.

The Blue Streak girls won the six-team meet with a five-person team score of 45 points, while Walker Memorial Academy placed second with 54, and Hardee had 63.
Admiral Farragut, Avon Park and DeSoto did not record team scores.

Walker Memorial's Jessica Ewing won the girls competition with a time of 21 minutes, 44 seconds, while Hardee's Edith Leon finished second in 22:05.
Sebring was led by Heather McIntyre, who finished fourth in a personal-best time of 22:28, and Maxine Copley, who came in fifth with a personal-best time of 23:34.

"I'm real pleased with the girls' effort," Blue Streak coach Jeff Shoemaker said. "Our times were outstanding, especially considering how warm and humid it was. "Having two girls run personal best times in those kind of conditions is great.
"We need to stay focused, continue to work hard and be running our best at districts in three weeks."

Sebring senior Sydney Ruble came in seventh with a 24:08, while Amanda Kennedy ran a 28:40 and Nicole Helms rounded out the Blue Streak scoring with a 29:07.
Avon Park's Rachelle Roman ran a 36:56.

In the boys meet, Admiral Farragut won with 31 points, Hardee placed second with 54, Avon Park had 89, Sebring finished fourth with 94, Walker Memorial had 120 and DeSoto scored 131.
Admiral Farragut's Alex Banks finished first with 16:48, while Sebring sophomore Connor Bauer placed second with a personal course-best time of 17:08.

Blue Streak runners Alex Kennedy (19:47) and Daniel Lee (21:18) had season-best times, while Alex Wheaton (21:56) and Kurtis Ast (22:28) rounded out the team scoring.

"Connor is doing great and way ahead of last year," Shoemaker said. "The boys team has improved over the course of the season, but we have to get down to our top seven for districts.
"Some of the boys need to work on their consistency for us to do well at districts."

Bauer, who ran a personal-best time of 17:00 at a meet at Disney World last week, is determined to lower his times.
"Running against this kind of competition is what I need to get ready for districts," the Blue Streak flash said. "I want to run in the 16s and I think I can do that."

UP NEXT
Avon Park and Sebring will compete in the Class 2A-District 6 meet in Tampa on Nov. 1.

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