Webb cruises to win

BURKE LAKE, VA -- Only South Lakes senior Alan Webb can make a 14:57 on Burke Lake Park 2.98 mile course look easy. After last week shattering the Burke Lake Park course record at the Concorde District Meet with a sizzling 13:57, Webb just put into cruise control at the Northern Region Meet which was held on the same Burke Lake Park course. Webb took out easy as he was in the middle of pack by the 800 mark as James Robinson senior LA Snead lead the field at the point with a 2:25 first half mile. Webb then moved up into the front pack by the mile mark which was covered in 5:10. Webb then left the pack after the first mile to go through the 2 mile mark at 9:55 with Oakton senior Matt Maline, the only one able to stay close to Webb. Webb then dusted off Maline for the victory. Maline came in second with a time of 15:06.

Maline's Oakton squad though was the one cruising in the team race, while Webb's South Lakes had to sweat it out to advance onto the state meet. Led by Maline and junior Phil Gaeta, who took 3rd with a time of 15:20, the Cougars were able to beat favorites Lake Braddock and James Robinson with their score of 63 points. With Lake Braddock (2nd, 74 pts) and James Robinson (3rd, 118 pts) taking the next 2 spots, South Lakes just squeaked into the state meet as they took 4th with a score of 137 points. The Jefferson boys just missed out on a trip to states with 140 points.

After suffering a defeat last week at the Concorde District Meet to rival Keira Carlstrom of Oakton, Thomas Jefferson senior Kelley Otstott returned the favor, beating Carlstrom and winning the girls region crown en route to her time of 17:38. Carlstrom finished 11 ticks behind Otstott (17:49) for runner up honors.

Otstott knocking off Carlstrom made a huge difference in the team battle since Jefferson was able to upset the James Robinson girls by 1 point, 82-83.

The toughest region to get out of has undoubtedly have to be the Northern Region.