Weekend of September 14 - Big Wins: Paladino (Spiked Shoe), Brafford (Knights Crossing)

09/09

Woodward Relays

Georgetown Preparatory School

Bethesda, MD

09/10

Frankfort Invitational R

Frankfort

Short Gap, WV

09/10

Oak Hill Invitational

Oak Hill

Oak Hill, WV

09/13

Coastal Carolina Invitational

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, SC

09/13

Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational R

Penn State University

Amelia Paladino of University defended her individual title at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State. The senior cruised to victory in 17 minutes, 38 seconds, leading the Hawks to a fourth-place finish in the 23-team field.

Mt. Lebanon (PA) was first with 61 points, while hometown State College was second at 114. Daniel Boone (PA) and University each scored 163, with Daniel Boone claiming third on the strength of a higher-placing No. 6 runner.

Fellow University senior Abbey Harrison was fifth in 18:55, while sophomore Sarah Wills placed 20th in 19:47. A year ago, Paladino was first in 18:18, while Harrison placed sixth.

With her effort, Paladino is now No. 4 on the all-time list on the 5,000-meter course, just two seconds out of the No. 2 spot. The course record of 17:24 was set in 2006 by Hannah Davidson of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

In the boys’ race, University was third with 111 points, finishing behind State College (57) and Carlisle (64). Sophomore Seth Edwards led University in fifth at 16:22, while senior Andrew Paladino was eighth in 16:27 and sophomore Alex Minor was 13th in 16:39. Edwards and Paladino were 11^th and 12^th in 2012.

University Park, PA

09/14

Boardman Spartan Invitational

Boardman

Youngstown, OH

09/14

EZtoUse Colt Stampede

Philip Barbour

Philipi, WV

09/14

Forest Festival Invitational

Elkins

Elkins, WV

09/14

Forest Hills Cross Country Invitational

Forest Hills

Sidman, PA

09/14

Interstate Classic

Clear Spring High School

Clear Spring, md

09/14

Judges Classic

John Handley

Andrew Milliron of Jeffferson took first in 16:01 on the Kernstown Battlefield course followed in second by teammate Jackson Jacobs in second in 16:30. Rhett Zillinger also was in the medals in 12th in 17:11. In the girls race, Jefferson's Abby Colbert was the winner in 19:21, while teammate Emma Lindberg was 13th in 21:02. Jefferson's boys finished third, while the girls were fifth.

Winchester, VA

09/14

Knights Crossing XC Invitational R

Cave Spring High School

Meet Story by Mike McMillion:

Matthew Brafford of George Washington High School cruised to the individual boys’ title, while the Broughton High School of Raleigh, N.C., took team honors at Saturday’s Knights Crossing Invitational at Green Hill Park in Salem, Va.

Brafford was the fastest in the 202-runner field, winning in 15:21.80 and cutting 16 seconds off the previous meet record set by Blacksburg’s Peter Dorrell in 2007.

In so doing, he continued a remarkable winning streak. In his first three meets of this fall cross country season, the George Washington High School senior is undefeated and nationally ranked and has set a course record on two occasions.

In his opening race of the season at the Saturday Night Lights in Centerville, Ohio, he ran a 15:23.39 on the 5,000-meter course, just missing the course record by two seconds set by Fairborn’s Jordan Redd in 2010.

Then two weeks later, he blazed his way to a then US#5 clocking at the Chick-Fil-A Invitational in Mineral Wells, WV, posting a time of 15:17.4 for the 5K course.

In his latest win, he dominated the boys’ Red Race from start to finish. Brafford took the field out fast by running his first mile in 4:45, and he then reached two miles in 9:36. He beat his nearest competitor, William Roberson of Broughton, by a margin of 18 seconds. Broughton’s top six runners placed in the top 13 with a 1-6 split of 34.7 seconds.

Broughton ranked 18th in the preseason national team rankings on the strength of their ninth-place finish at the 2012 NXN-SE Regional and by being the North Carolina 4A champions.

“I felt amazing,” Brafford proclaimed. “To be able to break that finish line tape and know that I broke the record, I felt like I had accomplished something. I couldn’t believe that eight guys ran sub-16 minutes. It really gave me a push for the rest of the season and know that all the training is paying off.”

Encouraged by his success this fall, Brafford looks ahead to some ambitious goals. He wants to break Jacob Burcham’s course record of 14:58 at the West Virginia High School State Cross Country Championships on Nov. 2 at Cabell Midland High School in Ona, earn a Division I scholarship to a college out west and study petroleum or chemical engineering, and qualify for the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.

To achieve these goals, he put a lot of work in over the summer. Brafford would rise early in the morning for a run and another run later in the day after work.

“To be a champion you have to dream, believe and achieve,” he said.

Matthew works for Robert’s Running & Walking Specialty Shop in Charleston. Who would have ever guessed that?

Keeping his goals in mind, Brafford intends to work harder leading up to the state meet and the Foot Locker South Regional qualifier at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, N.C. His training will get more intense as the cross country season progresses, with his next competition this Saturday (Sept. 21) at the Trinity/Valkyrie High School Invitational at Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville.

Other West Virginians competing in the Red Race were Ritchie County’s Johnny Hogue (22^nd, 16:33.80) and Brafford’s George Washington teammates Cai Carena (78^th, 17:47.70), Connor McKinney (122^nd, 18:31), Connor Aucremanne (170^th, 19:48.90) and Brent Horswell (177^th, 20:07.70).

2013 Knights Crossing Invite - Red Boys Race Video

2013 Knights Crossing Invite - Matthew Brafford Interview

Salem, VA

09/14

Wendy's PikeView Invitational

Pikeview

Princeton, WV

09/14

Wheeling Park Fall Classic

Wheeling Park

Wheeling, WV

09/09	Woodward Relays Georgetown Preparatory School	Bethesda, MD
09/10	Frankfort Invitational R Frankfort	Short Gap, WV
09/10	Oak Hill Invitational Oak Hill	Oak Hill, WV
09/13	Coastal Carolina Invitational Coastal Carolina University	Conway, SC
09/13	Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational R Penn State University Amelia Paladino of University defended her individual title at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State. The senior cruised to victory in 17 minutes, 38 seconds, leading the Hawks to a fourth-place finish in the 23-team field. Mt. Lebanon (PA) was first with 61 points, while hometown State College was second at 114. Daniel Boone (PA) and University each scored 163, with Daniel Boone claiming third on the strength of a higher-placing No. 6 runner. Fellow University senior Abbey Harrison was fifth in 18:55, while sophomore Sarah Wills placed 20th in 19:47. A year ago, Paladino was first in 18:18, while Harrison placed sixth. With her effort, Paladino is now No. 4 on the all-time list on the 5,000-meter course, just two seconds out of the No. 2 spot. The course record of 17:24 was set in 2006 by Hannah Davidson of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. In the boys’ race, University was third with 111 points, finishing behind State College (57) and Carlisle (64). Sophomore Seth Edwards led University in fifth at 16:22, while senior Andrew Paladino was eighth in 16:27 and sophomore Alex Minor was 13th in 16:39. Edwards and Paladino were 11^th and 12^th in 2012.	University Park, PA
09/14	Boardman Spartan Invitational Boardman	Youngstown, OH
09/14	EZtoUse Colt Stampede Philip Barbour	Philipi, WV
09/14	Forest Festival Invitational Elkins	Elkins, WV
09/14	Forest Hills Cross Country Invitational Forest Hills	Sidman, PA
09/14	Interstate Classic Clear Spring High School	Clear Spring, md
09/14	Judges Classic John Handley Andrew Milliron of Jeffferson took first in 16:01 on the Kernstown Battlefield course followed in second by teammate Jackson Jacobs in second in 16:30. Rhett Zillinger also was in the medals in 12th in 17:11. In the girls race, Jefferson's Abby Colbert was the winner in 19:21, while teammate Emma Lindberg was 13th in 21:02. Jefferson's boys finished third, while the girls were fifth.	Winchester, VA
09/14	Knights Crossing XC Invitational R Cave Spring High School Meet Story by Mike McMillion: Matthew Brafford of George Washington High School cruised to the individual boys’ title, while the Broughton High School of Raleigh, N.C., took team honors at Saturday’s Knights Crossing Invitational at Green Hill Park in Salem, Va. Brafford was the fastest in the 202-runner field, winning in 15:21.80 and cutting 16 seconds off the previous meet record set by Blacksburg’s Peter Dorrell in 2007. In so doing, he continued a remarkable winning streak. In his first three meets of this fall cross country season, the George Washington High School senior is undefeated and nationally ranked and has set a course record on two occasions. In his opening race of the season at the Saturday Night Lights in Centerville, Ohio, he ran a 15:23.39 on the 5,000-meter course, just missing the course record by two seconds set by Fairborn’s Jordan Redd in 2010. Then two weeks later, he blazed his way to a then US#5 clocking at the Chick-Fil-A Invitational in Mineral Wells, WV, posting a time of 15:17.4 for the 5K course. In his latest win, he dominated the boys’ Red Race from start to finish. Brafford took the field out fast by running his first mile in 4:45, and he then reached two miles in 9:36. He beat his nearest competitor, William Roberson of Broughton, by a margin of 18 seconds. Broughton’s top six runners placed in the top 13 with a 1-6 split of 34.7 seconds. Broughton ranked 18th in the preseason national team rankings on the strength of their ninth-place finish at the 2012 NXN-SE Regional and by being the North Carolina 4A champions. “I felt amazing,” Brafford proclaimed. “To be able to break that finish line tape and know that I broke the record, I felt like I had accomplished something. I couldn’t believe that eight guys ran sub-16 minutes. It really gave me a push for the rest of the season and know that all the training is paying off.” Encouraged by his success this fall, Brafford looks ahead to some ambitious goals. He wants to break Jacob Burcham’s course record of 14:58 at the West Virginia High School State Cross Country Championships on Nov. 2 at Cabell Midland High School in Ona, earn a Division I scholarship to a college out west and study petroleum or chemical engineering, and qualify for the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego. To achieve these goals, he put a lot of work in over the summer. Brafford would rise early in the morning for a run and another run later in the day after work. “To be a champion you have to dream, believe and achieve,” he said. Matthew works for Robert’s Running & Walking Specialty Shop in Charleston. Who would have ever guessed that? Keeping his goals in mind, Brafford intends to work harder leading up to the state meet and the Foot Locker South Regional qualifier at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, N.C. His training will get more intense as the cross country season progresses, with his next competition this Saturday (Sept. 21) at the Trinity/Valkyrie High School Invitational at Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville. Other West Virginians competing in the Red Race were Ritchie County’s Johnny Hogue (22^nd, 16:33.80) and Brafford’s George Washington teammates Cai Carena (78^th, 17:47.70), Connor McKinney (122^nd, 18:31), Connor Aucremanne (170^th, 19:48.90) and Brent Horswell (177^th, 20:07.70). 2013 Knights Crossing Invite - Red Boys Race Video 2013 Knights Crossing Invite - Matthew Brafford Interview	Salem, VA
09/14	Wendy's PikeView Invitational Pikeview	Princeton, WV
09/14	Wheeling Park Fall Classic Wheeling Park	Wheeling, WV