Brian Phillips always knew Margaret Richards (pictured right by Scott Rigler) would be a perfect fit for cross country. The Broadway High School senior was good enough in outdoor track, qualifying for the Group AA meet in both the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters as a sophomore, but she was one of those runners that just seemed to be built for longer races. She didn’t have the blow-you-away kick that true 800-meter runners have, but she was the type that seemed to be able to keep the same pace forever. All Phillips, the BHS cross country coach, needed to do was get her away from the marching band. “I pretty much had to keep bugging her and bugging her and bugging her,” Phillips said. In her senior year, he was finally successful, and – after quitting the band – Richards proved him right, winning the Massanutten District girls’ cross country individual title.Read full story...
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Alex Ott did not move or change schools, but his school at Turner Ashby moved into a new district to allow him to add a Massanutten District cross country title to his now defunct Valley District individual title from last year. The Turner Ashby junior was challenged by Harrisonburg's Bryant Clopper, but able to pull away for the win in a battle between two All-State Group AA caliber runners. Clopper had beaten Ott at the Runnin' With The Wolves Rocktoberfest two Saturdays ago just as the Harrisonburg and Turner Ashby boys had beaten the Spotswood boys in the same race. Despite being the third finishing team in the district in their last invitational race, the Spotswood boys (pictured right by Tom Hoerner) used the power of their tight pack to claim the district championship on Tuesday afternoon at New Market Battlefield. Girls team champions from Massanutten were Broadway's Margaret Richards and the Turner Ashby girls. As a senior, Richards was competing in her first district cross country championships although has had past success on the track including a 11:35 3200 meter time as a freshmen. Complete results to come soon (Please email to milestat@gmail.com).
Remnants of the old Valley District will be competing today in the first of the many district championships to be held this week across Virginia at in the first ever Massanutten District Cross Country Meet. A returning Valley District champion will be looking to win his first Masanutten title at the New Market Battlefield 5K course in Turner Ashby's Alex Ott. However, as Harrisonburg senior Bryant Clopper (pictured left by Scott Rigler) showed two weeks ago at Wolf Branch Farm, a title in the new district is not in the bag for Ott as it should be a great race between the two.
Photos taken by Tom Hoerner at the 2007 Massanutten District Cross Country Meet held at New Market Battlefield in New Market, Virginia on Tuesday, October 23rd.