Battlefield District Meet 2001

FREDRICKSBURG, VA -- Caroline's Matt Gutridge and Massaponax's
Stacy Potter were able to cruise to district titles at the Battlefield
District meet. Both runners have high aspirations for this year's
championship season.

Gutridge, who has dominated the district for the past two or three years,
continued that reign by winning the boys' race nearly a minute ahead of
the second place finisher, Andy Kavina of Courtland who finished with
a time of 17:34. Gutridge's time is impressive when considering the Loriella
Park course record is just under 16:20. Gutridge will have his hands
full next Thursday though at the Region I Meet with two-time Region
I champion, Jamestown senior Bryce Ruiz, and 4:19 miler Guy Alton
of New Kent.

The Massaponax boys won the team title as they placed 4 runners in the
top 12 with Chris White (3rd, 17:47), Mike Disilvestro (10th, 18:35),
Matt Phlegar (11th, 18:36), and Jad Rutherford (12th, 18:38). Finishing
out the four squads which will be advancing onto the Region I Meet
are Chancellor (63 pts), King George (73 pts), and Courtland (78 pts).
Massaponax will be looking to break a drought of the Battlefield District.
For the past two years, the sole state representatives for boys' teams
from Region I have been from the Bay Rivers District. Massaponax has
a strong shot at breaking this spell.

Stacy Potter of Massaponax made easy work of her competition in the girls
race as she won by 25 seconds over Chancellor's Beth Mahalak (20:50).
Potter will be one of the favorites in the Region I Meet with New Kent's
Eileen Wicker and Nottoway's Ann Lee Cole being her biggest challengers.
Potter finished runner-up to Cole in last year's race.

Potter crossed the line in 20:25 to help her squad squeak out a district
title from Chancellor as Massaponax finished with 36 points and Chancellor
with 39 points. Massaponax placed five runners in the top 16 to help
key the win. Also advancing onto the Region I Meet are Courtland (70 points) and
and King George (107 points). The girls' team race will be very
interesting at the Region I Meet with quality squads such as Bay Rivers
District champ Jamestown
and runner-up Grafton fighting it out along with Battlefield District squads
Massaponax and Chancellor.