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Durant's Mitchell Takes 8th

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By SCOTT PURKS

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 23, 2008

DADE CITY - They both have had their issues, these two runners from Hillsborough county, Sickles' Derek Wehunt and Durant's John Mitchell.

For Wehunt it's been a flu bug the past week. For Mitchell it's been stomach cramps during races throughout the season.

Before Saturday's Class 4A state final at Dade City's Little Everglades Ranch, both said they felt "ready to go," but only one, Mitchell, finished with a race to remember.

The senior finished highest among Hillsborough County participants, placing eighth in 15 minutes, 59 seconds.

"It wasn't a personal record for me, but it was a good race," said a beaming Mitchell, the defending Class 4A state track 1,600-meter champion. "Yes, I did have some stomach cramps, but they weren't so bad that it ruined anything."

Wehunt, meantime, looked rather stunned.

"I've never had anything like that ever happen to me before," said Wehunt, a pre-race top-10 if not top-five finisher, who ultimately placed 100th in 17:27. "I mean it was like a full body cramp. It was like my chest and arms and everything above my waist cramped up." Sickles, the only Hillsborough county school that fielded a full boys' team, placed ninth.

On the girls' side, it was Gaither once again representing Hillsborough county, this time to a 17th-place finish, led by junior Julissa Lopez, who placed 38th overall in a personal-best 19:58.

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