Photo by Joseph Bond
Blacksburg's Bonnie Angermeier and Nick Link ran the state's fastest 5K times so far this season at the weekend at the adidas XC Challenge in Cary, North Carolina with the sophomore Angermeier leading the Blacksburg girls to a runner-up team finish with her 18:27 sixth place individual effort, while Link was the top finisher for the team champions from Blacksburg with a eventh place run of 15:38. The state of Virginia went 1-2 in the boys' team standings between Blacksburg (1st, 57 pts) and Midlothian (2nd, 147 pts). With the first race of the season for Matthew Paiser, the Blacksburg boys at full strength had an impressive first five with a time spread of only 30 seconds separating Nick Link from fifth runner Matthew Borny (21st, 16:08). The Midlothian boys were paced by seniors Sean Willard (11th, 15:56) and Andrew Gorsuch (18th, 16:04).
The Blacksburg girls were 19 points behind the first place squad from Cardinal Gibbons of North Carolina. Meanwhile, the Cosby girls had a great team race to leap frog two much higher ranked state squads in Ocean Lakes (7th) and Midlothian (12th) to finish sixth overall. The Midlothian girls raced without their top returning runner in sub 11 minute two miler Kara Dickerson as well as the Johnston sisters, Marie and Kari.
adidas Cross Country Challenge Meet Page on NCRunners.com w/ Results & Photo Gallery