RESULTS l PHOTOS l VIDEO + INTERVIEW
The Green Hope boys posted an impressive performance Saturday in the Nike Race of Champions at Great American. The Falcons were up against the best squads in the Southeast, including the nation's top team, Loudoun Valley (Virginia), and nationally ranked St. Xavier.
After a disappointing performance against Loudoun Valley previously at the Oatlands Invitational, Green Hope was seeking redemption.
Unquestionably, Loudoun Valley has proven to be the definitive No. 1 team in the country this fall after posting seven boys under 16 minutes at its county meet a few weeks back, but Green Hope gave the Vikings a scare at Great American, scoring 87 points to Loudoun's winning 62.
Green Hope's second-place finish in the Race of Champions was the best ever by a North Carolina school.
And Green Hope took down St. Xavier, which qualified for NXN out of the Southeast region last fall.
Ideally, this gives the Falcons a ton of confidence going forward against their regional rival.
Green Hope were paced by Peyton Barish, who posted a ninth-place finish in a PR of 15:18, the third-fastest time in North Carolina this year.
Ian Delgado and Finn McBride also cracked 16 minutes, running season bests of 15:51 for 28th and 29th place, respectively. Ares Epps and Ryan Kemper rounded out Green Hope's top five in 40th and 44th, clocking season bests of 16:00 and 16:02.
The scary thing is, I still don't think that's Green Hope at their absolute best. Either way, they proved that they were worthy of their top 10 national rankings in a battle between the clock with the top team in the U.S.
Green Hope will travel to the Manhattan Invitational next weekend to take on some of the top XC programs in the Northeast and square off with today's Wendy's champions Mt. Tabor over 4000m.
