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Best girls runner hasn't emerged

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By BILL WARD

wward@tampatrib.com

Published: October 20, 2009

If one thing was clearly emphasized at last weekend's Pre-State Invitational in Dade City, it's the fact there is a lot of uncertainty as to who is the best girls runner in Hillsborough County.

You could make a case for Newsome freshman Brianna Jackson, who posted the area's top performance in any of the six girls races on Little Everglades Ranch's 5-kilometer course. She ran a respectable 19 minutes, 44 seconds, which is her personal best. But that effort didn't put her in the top 30 of a race in which Community School of Naples twins Kathryn and Erika Fluehr both posted 17-minute times.

The county's established veteran runners - past all-county or all-conference performers like Abby Ritter and Erin Bailey of Wharton, Newsome's Sydney Coates, Dayna Cline and Hilary White of King and Plant's Lizzie Goodwin - are still there. But most in this group have been plagued by injury or illness or have been inconsistent - or both.

Along with Jackson, there are other promising newcomers, like Sickles freshman Sarah Hartman and Plant freshmen Julia Rodriguez and Caroline Gibson and their sophomore teammate, Molly Harry. But for the most part, they, too, have experienced their ups and downs this season. One particularly difficult problem for teams this season has been the flu bug.

Of the county's top girls runners, Ritter might have the best argument to be No. 1. She has been fairly consistent, winning the season-opening Central Hillsborough Invitational, cracking the top 15 at the FSU Invitational, running a personal best of 19:38 at the flrunners.com meet and breaking 20 minutes again and taking first at the North Port Invitational.

As usual, times can only account for so much when determining who the best cross country runner is because courses and conditions vary so widely. What's important is who beats who on the same day on the same course. And we'll finally get to see that scenario at next week's Hillsborough County Championships at Lake Park.

Maybe then we'll know for certain who is No. 1 - at least for one week.

Freshman-sophomore race

The county's annual Western Conference Freshman-Sophomore race will be held today at Al Lopez Park, just north of Raymond James Stadium.

Considering the county's numerous talented young girls runners, this is by no means a junior varsity event. But with many of them having just raced at the Pre-State meet, it will be interesting to see who turns up and gives an all-out effort.

The girls race is slated for 5 p.m., followed by the boys at 5:30.

Back in their running shoes

Plant's Kayla Kennedy and Trenor Wilkins, two all-county runners who have battled a serious injury this fall, were on hand for Saturday's Pre-State Invitational.

Kennedy, who 12 days ago underwent arthroscopic knee surgery for a torn meniscus, showed she can at least jog slowly on the knee. She is hoping to compete at next week's county championships and earn a spot on the Panthers' varsity roster in time for the district meet.

Wilkins has battled back from stress fractures in both of his lower legs. During the recovery, he stayed in shape by swimming and deep-water running with a flotation vest. He did not race at Pre-State but already has a medical waiver and is back running every other day.

Reporter Bill Ward can be reached at (813) 259-7456.

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