Sports

Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Area runners eye cross country titles

The high school cross country season reaches its peak today with the Mississippi High School Activities Association state meet at Mississippi College in Clinton.

Six classes, in boys and girls, will be competing. The Class 6A girls run at 10:30 a.m. followed by the 6A boys at 11 a.m. The 5A girls run at 11:30 a.m. followed by the boys at noon. The 4A girls run at 12:30 p.m. with the 4A boys at 1 p.m. The 3A girls run at 1:30 p.m. followed by the boys at 2 p.m.

The Coast figures prominently in the state championship picture.

Pass Christian’s Cory McGee will be running in the 4A meet, and she has won four state titles and finished second the other time. She is the favorite to get her fifth state title in cross country, and is coming off a solid Division 8-4A title showing at Poplarville.

Long Beach, led by Brandon Troub, is taking aim on the Class 5A state title and is one of the favorites. The Bearcats are coming off a dominating district performance in Lucedale, one in which Troub ran a 18:08.51 winning time. Darren Koenenn finished second for Long Beach at the division meet.

Ocean Springs, Harrison Central and Hancock are taking aim on the Class 6A state title. Derek Westbrook of Hancock ran at 17:26.18 to win the 6A division meet in Lucedale. Daniel Carter leads Ocean Springs. Hancock’s Evie Savage won the 6A girls division title with a time of 16:29.76 on the 4K course.

In Class 3A, St. Patrick is led by the Bodin twins — Emily and Katie. St. Patrick won the 2007 state title and before the consolidation of St. John and Mercy Cross, Mercy Cross swept the 2006 boys and girls state cross country titles.