MileStat.com has now visited the "Big 3" as far as the top three Group AA girls programs, which all are national caliber programs after checking in with the Western Albemarle girls on Wednesday afternoon in Crozet, Va following previous visits at Blacksburg and Hidden Valley. The Western Albemarle girls did their annual two mile time trial on the famous training grounds for current and past Western Albemarle runners at Dick Woods Road, a long gravel and dirt road with its share of hills and flat portions for training runners. The two mile time trial helps determine who will run on the varsity relays at the team's season opener every season at the Ragged Mountain Cup held at Panorama Farms next week.
Mattie Webb's high level of fitness had been lauded after the High Performance Distance Academy in early July, but MileStat.com got to witness potentially this year's breakthrough cross country star in the state in person with a eye opening performance. Webb, who struggled last fall running within the team's top five while battling an iron deficiency, nearly matched her track PR with a 11:03 two mile performance in Wednesday's time trial. Webb is pre-season #2 ranked in Group AA and her huge improvement gives the Western Albemarle girls the front runner which they lacked last fall racing against Blacksburg and Hidden Valley.
Also making a jump and running a very solid time trial performance of 11:56 as the second finisher for the Western Albemarle girls was senior Killian O'Connell. O'Connell has been able to stay close and run up with teammate Webb in workouts and runs this summer, which would indicate to Coach Katie Pugh that she may have another all-state cross country finisher in O'Connell.
Claire Johnson is one of four seniors among the team's top five returning runners and she was the lone individual on the team to earn All-State honors last fall in the team's third place state meet finish. Johnson along with the other seniors look to pull their tight pack from a year ago more closer to the front of the field in their quest to add another title to the Western Albemarle girls' rich tradition and past of state team champions. Johnson (12:27), senior Katie Farina (12:32), and Peri Bowser (12:36) rounded out the top five finishers for the Western girls in their time trial, while probable top five runner and senior Emily Moffett did a training run while easing her way back from an injury.
Coach Katie Pugh enters her sixth season as the head coach for the Western Albemarle girls and has continued on many of the traditions for the program, while adding her own wrinkles into the training and team atmosphere which her senior group has certainly bought into as the team is position to challenge for their first state title under Coach Pugh. With a veteran group, the Western girls figure to be well prepared for competing well against two well coached and talented teams in Blacksburg and Hidden Valley, while also ready to race in big meets such as Maymont and Great American to prepare for a likely post-season trip to the Nike Cross Southeast Regional.
Pre-Time Trial Interview w/ Coach Katie Pugh (Part 1)
Pre-Time Trial Interview w/ Coach Katie Pugh (Part 2)
Interview w/ Mattie Webb, Killian O'Connell, & Claire Johnson