MileStat.com\'s Brandon Miles interviews Footlocker South champion Ryan Hill of Hickory High School in North Carolina as Hill ran the fastest time ever at McAlpine by anyone from North Carolina and tied the four fastest overall with a 14:46 clocking to win as a junior.
MileStat.com: Ryan, what were your expectations coming in? You ran a pretty good time already earlier this season at the Wendy\'s meet and also were the state champion in North Carolina. How did you feel today went for you?
Ryan Hill: I knew that they had some predictions like I\'d come in fifth or seventh or somewhere in there. You know, I felt like the predictions were accurate, but I wasn\'t going to sit back and take fifth. Ben, Griff, and myself were reeling in Girma in the last mile there and so I just took advantage of him. It looked like he was kind of falling asleep in the last mile, so I was able to kick by him.
MileStat.com: Were you surprised in being able to run down Girma as coming in, he had been Hubers pretty convincingly at the Georgia State Meet? When he had gotten out so far and you were with the rest of the guys, what was your mindset during that point of the race?
Hill: Well I thought Girma was the man. When he got away from us that first time, I thought he was gone. But he just came back to us and we got him.
MileStat.com: What are your expectations two weeks from now in San Diego? You are the regional champion time and ran a pretty good time of 14:46.
Hill: I feel the South is kind of underrated and does not get a lot of respect, but I think we\'ve got a solid team. So I want the South to be competitive and try and win the team competition. For myself, I guess just get the best finish I can.
MileStat.com: Well best of luck in San Diego as well as representing the South region and the state of North Carolina
Hill: Thank you.