Tri State
McBride, Macklen, Biser, Frankfort girls going to states
Kevin Spradlin
Times-News Staff Writer
NEW CREEK, W.Va. - Frankfort junior cross country runner Rebekah McBride
felt pain on Thursday after crossing the finish line first at the Class AA/A
Region II championship meet at Keyser High School.
Unfortunately for her, she also felt pain at the starting line. But winning
made it all worthwhile.
The Falconsıstandout harrier started at the front and never relinquished
the lead in a field of 58 runners, finishing in 20 minutes, 27 seconds and
being the first runner to qualify for the state championship meet on Nov. 1
in Ona, W.Va.
McBride will have plenty of support at the race, hosted at Cabell Midland
High School. She paced Frankfortıs girls team to a third-place, state
meet-qualifying finish.
McBride will be joined at the state meet by teammates Brittany Armentrout,
who placed ninth overall in 21:54 and qualified as an individual, along with
fellow Falcons Victoria McBride (19th, 23:03), Allison Tappe (20th, 23:16),
Michelle Pyles (21st, 23:17), Sarah Messenger (25th, 23:52) and Jordan
VonHagel (40th, 25:47).
Keyser sophomore Hannah Biser was the lone Tornado to qualify, finishing
eighth overall in 21:46.
Frankfortıs Johnny Macklen was the top local finisher in the boys race,
placing seventh among 59 runners in 17:55 on the course that measures out at
about 40 meters beyond the traditional 5,000-meter distance.
McBride said she had strained her back during the season and only in the
past two races had she felt her old self again.
Iım back to where I was supposed to be,said a sweat-soaked McBride
shortly after exiting the chute. Her goal on Thursday, she said, was ³just
to run my hardest.
The strategy paid off early. She crossed the one-mile mark in 6:07, just
three seconds ahead of Philip Barbour sophomore Sarah McCauley. Five seconds
behind were three more runners. But McBride didnıt waste time by looking
over her shoulder.
I listened to their feet behind,she said. I listen to the noise to see
where they area.
Early in the third mile, McBride had increased her lead over McCauley to a
full 10 seconds and furthered that gap in the final 200 meters with a strong
push to the finish line.
Frankfort coach Nathan Hayes said McBride is ³finally back where she
belongs and, regardless of what happens next week, ³thereıs no one with
more talent.
McBride, tough, isnıt settling just yet.
Hopefully, Iıll win, she said.
For Macklen, it was more of a story of redemption rather than a comeback.
Macklen placed 11th last year at the region meet, the first runner not to
qualify for the state meet.
It was a bad race in 2007, he said. It was a better day on Thursday. Hayes
said the senior had put in a solid summer of training and entered early
August with a high level of anticipation.
He couldnıt wait to race,Hayes said.
But that fire faded during the season as the miles took their tool. Hayes
said it appeared Thursday he was back on track.
Biser,in her second year of cross country, had called her father, Dan
Biser, seconds after crossing the finish to earn her first trip to Cabell
Midland.Biser said her father was in Georgia for a prayer conference but
sheıd left a request for him to call.
It didnıt take long for the elder Biser to return her message and her the
good news.
I wanted to make him proud,Biser said.
And her goal for the state meet? I havenıt thought that far ahead yet,she
said.
Grafton won the girls team title with 45 points. Berkeley Springs was second
with 49 points, followed by Frankfort (67), Keyser (107), Tucker County
(130), Liberty-Harrison (147), Philip Barbour (159) and Lincoln (212).
Lenny Roach, a Berkeley Springs senior, won the boys title in 17:08 and led
the Indians to the team title with 40 points. Philip Barbour was second with
53 points. Grafton, with 76 points, was third while Tucker County (101),
Keyser (105), Frankfort (154), Lincoln (154) and Pendleton County (211)
rounded out the eight-team field.
Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com.
Kevin Spradlin
Times-News Staff Writer
NEW CREEK, W.Va. - Frankfort junior cross country runner Rebekah McBride
felt pain on Thursday after crossing the finish line first at the Class AA/A
Region II championship meet at Keyser High School.
Unfortunately for her, she also felt pain at the starting line. But winning
made it all worthwhile.
The Falconsıstandout harrier started at the front and never relinquished
the lead in a field of 58 runners, finishing in 20 minutes, 27 seconds and
being the first runner to qualify for the state championship meet on Nov. 1
in Ona, W.Va.
McBride will have plenty of support at the race, hosted at Cabell Midland
High School. She paced Frankfortıs girls team to a third-place, state
meet-qualifying finish.
McBride will be joined at the state meet by teammates Brittany Armentrout,
who placed ninth overall in 21:54 and qualified as an individual, along with
fellow Falcons Victoria McBride (19th, 23:03), Allison Tappe (20th, 23:16),
Michelle Pyles (21st, 23:17), Sarah Messenger (25th, 23:52) and Jordan
VonHagel (40th, 25:47).
Keyser sophomore Hannah Biser was the lone Tornado to qualify, finishing
eighth overall in 21:46.
Frankfortıs Johnny Macklen was the top local finisher in the boys race,
placing seventh among 59 runners in 17:55 on the course that measures out at
about 40 meters beyond the traditional 5,000-meter distance.
McBride said she had strained her back during the season and only in the
past two races had she felt her old self again.
Iım back to where I was supposed to be,said a sweat-soaked McBride
shortly after exiting the chute. Her goal on Thursday, she said, was ³just
to run my hardest.
The strategy paid off early. She crossed the one-mile mark in 6:07, just
three seconds ahead of Philip Barbour sophomore Sarah McCauley. Five seconds
behind were three more runners. But McBride didnıt waste time by looking
over her shoulder.
I listened to their feet behind,she said. I listen to the noise to see
where they area.
Early in the third mile, McBride had increased her lead over McCauley to a
full 10 seconds and furthered that gap in the final 200 meters with a strong
push to the finish line.
Frankfort coach Nathan Hayes said McBride is ³finally back where she
belongs and, regardless of what happens next week, ³thereıs no one with
more talent.
McBride, tough, isnıt settling just yet.
Hopefully, Iıll win, she said.
For Macklen, it was more of a story of redemption rather than a comeback.
Macklen placed 11th last year at the region meet, the first runner not to
qualify for the state meet.
It was a bad race in 2007, he said. It was a better day on Thursday. Hayes
said the senior had put in a solid summer of training and entered early
August with a high level of anticipation.
He couldnıt wait to race,Hayes said.
But that fire faded during the season as the miles took their tool. Hayes
said it appeared Thursday he was back on track.
Biser,in her second year of cross country, had called her father, Dan
Biser, seconds after crossing the finish to earn her first trip to Cabell
Midland.Biser said her father was in Georgia for a prayer conference but
sheıd left a request for him to call.
It didnıt take long for the elder Biser to return her message and her the
good news.
I wanted to make him proud,Biser said.
And her goal for the state meet? I havenıt thought that far ahead yet,she
said.
Grafton won the girls team title with 45 points. Berkeley Springs was second
with 49 points, followed by Frankfort (67), Keyser (107), Tucker County
(130), Liberty-Harrison (147), Philip Barbour (159) and Lincoln (212).
Lenny Roach, a Berkeley Springs senior, won the boys title in 17:08 and led
the Indians to the team title with 40 points. Philip Barbour was second with
53 points. Grafton, with 76 points, was third while Tucker County (101),
Keyser (105), Frankfort (154), Lincoln (154) and Pendleton County (211)
rounded out the eight-team field.
Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com.
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