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Pirates' Plourde runs to 7th in Prestate event

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By LARRY BUGG

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 21, 2009

DADE CITY - Sometimes, it's just good to have a few miles to drive in order to run a high school cross country race.

Pasco High's Anthony Plourde found that out Saturday. He took seventh in the Prestate Small School boys race at Little Everglades Ranch, finishing with a time of 17:07.

The Pasco High boys were 15th overall with 366 points.

"I did pretty good," Plourde said. "I could have run faster. My legs kind of gave out."

"I told him he could come in top 10," Pasco coach Barry Grayling said. "Top 10 is good. If he gets in top 15 at state, that will be an improvement."

Josman Gomez finished 64th in what Grayling said was his best time, 19:27.

Katlyn Eble finished 66th in 22:21, leading the Pasco High girls to 16th place with 403 points.

Porsch places 43rd in Elite race

Land O' Lakes senior Renae Porsch wasn't feeling too good after her race Saturday in the girls Elite.

That likely led to her finishing 43rd with a time of 19:54. Teammate Brook Gonzalez had a personal-record 21:20, teammate Alyssa Lonsway was 115th with a time of 21:28 and Alea Basulto ran a 21:33.

"I didn't feel that good (Saturday)," Porsch said. "I was just very tired. ... I just didn't have a feel for it. I have definitely improved since last year.

"The coolness actually helps. With all the competition, it makes you go faster."

Land O' Lakes finished 20th with 521 points.

"Renae has a short stride," Gators coach Kris Keppel said. "She has more of a sprinter-type of body. She is going to have to work harder at this type of workout. She has to be a little longer with her arms and legs."

For the Gators boys, Matt Schwartz wasn't thrilled with his race, either, after finishing 31st with a time of 16:21. Zack Lonsway had a personal record of 16:49, teammate Hendrix Lafontant was 70th with a personal record of 16:52, Dillon Oergel was 134th with a time of 17:42 and Chris Dotson had a time of 18:03.

As a team, the Land O' Lakes boys were 17th with 432 points.

"I am a little dead right now," Schwartz said. "I was hoping for a sub-16-minute. I'm a little disappointed. I have never (earned a personal record) on this course. I think it's because of that hill.

"I have to work on my core and leg strength. I want to get back here for states. We had perfect conditions. It was cool and dry. I just didn't have the leg strength."

His coach had a different assessment.

"I don't think he had a good start," Keppel said. "He tried to get out with that group. Our team goal was 19th. ... I knew we could do well individually with times."

Anclote braves tough course

Anclote might be a first-year school, but it faced some major competition Saturday in the Small Boys and Girls races in the Prestate meet. The team finished 18th with 466 points.

Christopher Sorrick was 68th with a time 19:04, and freshman Michaela McCarthy rode the course's hills to 106th in 24:24.

"Just because we are a new school, our school is a little smaller than others," Anclote girls coach Zach Stoutimore said. "The competition was really good in this race. We had two girls who cut off about a minute-and-a-half in their times."

"There was a lot of competition," McCarthy said. "The hills were hard. That time is my PR. I like (the course) a lot."

Running against tougher competition motivated Anclote boys coach Alan Parmenter to come over to Little Everglades Ranch.

"We wanted to run on a course that was going to be run on at the state meet because that's where we want to be eventually," Parmenter said. "They did way better than they have before. The kids have been working on developing that finishing sprint. Coming out here, I wanted them to watch the elite races and see what it looks like to run in front. Coming out here is just top-notch."

Shah, Williams perform well

Wiregrass Ranch's Nikita Shah and Mitchell's Kelli Williams took fifth and sixth in Friday's girls Varsity race.

Shah, who is having a breakout year as a freshman, ran a 20:04. Williams, who is still recovering from the flu, was right behind her with a 20:05. Wiregrass Ranch's Taylor Hixson was 31st in 21:33.

Sunlake's Deena Dutkowski was 36th with a 22:11. Ridgewood's Karissa Bertling was 61st in 23:06.

Wiregrass ace runner Ariel Grey had cramps and had to drop out of the race.

"I'm a little disappointed because Ariel couldn't finish the race," Wiregrass Ranch girls coach Don Howard said. "We didn't score as a team. Some of the girls who ran did very well. Nikita ran very well. We will be OK."

The Mitchell girls finished eighth with 226 points. Ridgewood was 12th (307) and Sunlake was 15th (361).

In the boys Varsity race, Mitchell's Michael Irwin was 16th with a time of 17:42. Ridgewood's Tyler Camacho was 20th in 17:48 and teammate Mason Chilmonczyk was 23rd in 17:56. Sunlake's Kenneth Fessell was 24th in 17:58.

Wiregrass' Patrick Hill was 58th in 18:49. Wesley Chapel's Naphlim Olwe was 90th in 19:28.

Ridgewood's boys were sixth with 213 points. Sunlake was seventh (215), Mitchell was 17th (424) and Wiregrass Ranch was 21st (515).

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