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Hillsborough Runners Are Starting To Bark

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By BILL WARD | TBO.com

Published: September 18, 2008

Typically, the start of the cross country season in Hillsborough County brings out the usual contenders. Wharton, Plant, Jesuit, Sickles, Berkeley Prep, Gaither, Newsome and Chamberlain have boasted some of the state's top performers for several years now.

What's great to see is how teams and individuals from those schools can help seed the development of the sport at other schools. For example, look no further than the results of Tuesday's season-opening West Hillsborough Invitational at Al Lopez Park.

There we witnessed the emergence of a new player in the county - Hillsborough High. Under second-year boys coach Andy Wood and girls coach Hassan Wajd, the Terriers were highly visible. And it wasn't from their sheer numbers.

Hillsborough, which in recent years has been fortunate to field the team minimum of five runners, had front-runners in both boys and girls races. In the boys meet, the Terriers placed two runners in the top five - senior Michael Bettin (fourth) and junior Kyle McKay (fifth). Another Hillsborough runner, sophomore Fabian Woodard, cracked the top 15. As a team, 20-man-strong Hillsborough finished second behind Class 4A power Sickles.

In the girls meet, Terriers freshman Katherine Lutton grabbed sixth place. Had the school not been holding an International Baccalaureate ceremony Tuesday night, Lutton probably would have been joined by more of her teammates among the race leaders.

True, the meet didn't boast sizzling times (only three boys broke 18 minutes, and just two girls went less than 21 minutes for the pancake-flat 5-kilometer course), but the fact Hillsborough was there in force speaks volumes of how far the program has come.

If they can make more progress this fall, qualification for the 3A-Regional 2 meet as a team is not out of the question for the Terriers - maybe even the state finals. Wood and Wajd can't recall the last time any Hillsborough cross country team has reached that stage.

"I think we're all expecting more of ourselves this season," said Bettin. "I really think we can get to state. This meet showed where we are and where we need to be to get there."

KNIGHTS RISING: Class 2A Robinson High, which for the past several years has been one of the county's smallest public high schools, also made itself heard at Tuesday's West Hillsborough Invitational. Under Coach Mark Altimari, a former Leto star runner, the Knights have been regulars in postseason meets. But graduation has taken a toll on the program, and it is fair to say it is rebuilding time for the program.

From the looks of Tuesday's race, the reconstruction is going fine. Robinson High had three runners in the top 15 - returners Bryan Garcia (eighth), Josh Epperson (10th) and Riley Parks (11th) - and finished fourth as a team.

PLAYING IT SAFE: The county's top-ranked girls runner, sophomore Grace VanDeGrift, sat out Tuesday's East Hillsborough Invitational at Newsome. According to her father, Ty VanDeGrift, Grace is suffering pain in her right tibia, apparently due to some calcification of the bone in that leg. The good news is it's not shin splints.

Her father said Grace is expected to return to running this weekend. That will end two weeks of cross-training in the pool, on a bike and on an elliptical trainer.

GIMME A DEW: Sickles senior Derek Wehunt says Saturday's Mountain Dew Invitational in Gainesville is starting to look like a Hillsborough County invitational. Several of the county's major players are expected to attend, including Wehunt's Gryphons, Jesuit and senior stars Connor Revord and Jordan Schilit, Plant's boys, which are led by Trenor Wilkins, Berkeley Prep's boys and girls, paced by Tyler Greathouse and Olivia D'Angelo, and Durant and standout John Mitchell.

But there are other big meets Saturday, including the Don Bishop Invitational in Brandon. The bulk of the county's squads will head there, while others are headed to either the Zak Lucas Invitational at Brooksville or the Elite Running Invitational at Winter Haven.

Boys

TOP 5 TEAMS

1. Plant: Panthers will get first major test of the season at Mountain Dew meet Saturday in Gainesville.

2. Chamberlain: Chiefs come out smoking to win Central Hillsborough meet with a near-perfect score.

3. Jesuit: Tigers have two varsity runners out of action due to injuries and will not be full strength for a few more weeks.

4. Sickles: Gryphons show they have rebuilt by winning West Hillsborough Invitational.

5. Newsome: Wolves tie Brandon for first place at East Hillsborough meet but take title based on the finish of their sixth man.

TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS

1. Derek Wehunt, Sr., Sickles: Jogged to an easy win at West Hillsborough meet. Looks very fit.

2. Connor Revord, Sr., Jesuit: Will uncork his speed Saturday at Mountain Dew meet in Gainesville.

3. Mark Parrish, Jr., Chamberlain: Like Wehunt, was barely out of breath Tuesday when he won the Central Hillsborough Invitational.

4. Jordan Schilit, Sr., Jesuit: Will join Revord in Gainesville to help lead the Tigers in their season opener.

5. John Mitchell, Sr., Durant: Fit and looking like a mini-Hercules after an easy win at East Hillsborough Invitational.

Girls

TOP 5 TEAMS

1. Wharton: Won Central Hillsborough Invitational without using top three runners.

2. Newsome: Posted near-perfect score to win East Hillsborough Invitational.

3. Plant: Panthers' top three looked sharp in winning West Hillsborough Invitational.

4. Berkeley Prep: Buccaneers will make debut Saturday at Mountain Dew meet in Gainesville.

5. Sickles: Gryphons show strength and numbers by taking second to Plant at West Hillsborough meet.

TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS

1. Grace VanDeGrift, So., Durant: After two weeks of cross-training, expected to return to running Saturday.

2. Alyssa Franks, Sr., Wharton: Will make season debut Saturday at Zak Lucas meet in Brooksville.

3. Olivia D'Angelo, Sr., Berkeley Prep: Opens her season Saturday in Gainesville at Mountain Dew meet.

4. Kayla Kennedy, Jr., Plant: Looked comfortable winning Tuesday's West Hillsborough meet.

5. Erin Bailey, Jr., Wharton: Expected to push Franks for No. 1 spot at Wharton.

Reporter Bill Ward can be reached at (813) 259-7456 or wward@tampatrib.com.

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