CROSS COUNTRY: Battle boys, girls win Region D titles

BY LLOYD COMBS
Sports Correspondent
BREAKS, Va. – No one had that deer in the headlights look at the Region D Cross Country Championships Wednesday, but John Battle’s Mariah Arnold had two deer in her line of sight just seconds after the start of the race.

Those two animals were the only runners in front of Arnold, who won her second straight regional crown and helped John Battle sweep the girls and boys team titles on a chilly Wednesday afternoon at Breaks Interstate Park.

Virginia High’s Brian Brillhart was also a repeat champion. Brillhart pulled away early and finished 61 seconds ahead of a crowded boys field to take individual honors on the challenging Breaks course.

It was a particularly satisfying finish for the John Battle girls, who placed three runners in the top 12, and won the Region D championship after fielding an incomplete team at the event just one year ago. The Trojans topped Gate City, 51-75, in the team standings. Pound (79) was third and Castlewood (100) finished fourth.

“I’m just tickled to death; I’m so excited for our boys and girls teams,” John Battle coach Whitney Ball said. “This year was really special for our girls because of what happened last year, [when] we only had three girls who were able to compete. To come back with a complete team, and to win, was great.
“All the girls ran well. Mariah Arnold, she’s one of the strongest, hardest-working girls I’ve ever seen. She’s an excellent runner and just an all-around, good person.”

Arnold finished some 48 seconds ahead of Lebanon’s Tabby Arwood. Arnold posted a solid time of 20-minutes-43 seconds, despite being startled at the start.

Seconds after the race began, two deer jumped a fence and crossed directly in front of Arnold as she ran ahead of the 71-girl field. Neither animal, however, was around at the finish.

“When I first saw the two deer jump out in front of me, my first thought was, ‘Is there going to be another one?’ ” Arnold said. “Otherwise, I felt pretty good the whole race.
“It’s a tough course. You have to watch out for some rocks and roots sticking out, but I’ve run here before, and I was satisfied with the way I ran today.”

John Battle placed three runners in the top 12, with Laura Ball (22:35) finishing 10th and Hollyn Page (23:52) taking the 12th spot. Pound’s Samantha Balthis (22:18) ran a strong third. She was followed in the top five by Gate City’s Blair Vaughn (22:32) and Virginia High’s Megan Hilliard (22:35).

It was good news/bad news in the boys meet. It was good news for Brian Brillhart that he’s back at 100 percent strength after a leg injury. That was bad news for the rest of the
region, which trailed the Virginia High champion start to finish. Brillhart ran the course in 17:08, more than a minute ahead of the number two runner, Clintwood’s Tyler Vanover (18:09).

“I had an IT-Band injury,” said Brillhart, who flashed the form that won him last year’s Region D championship. “I’m pretty much 100 percent now. I’ve got my times back to where they were [at this point] last year.”

Brillhart started in front and stayed there in his second time around the hilly Breaks course, despite the cool, cloudy weather.

“I got off to a pretty good start,” Brillhart said. “I pulled away about four minutes in.
“I feel like I ran pretty well. I was 30 seconds faster than I was the first time I ran here.”

No team could match the depth displayed by John Battle, which placed five runners in the top 13. Leading the way was Matthew Fleenor, who was fifth on his own team in the Clinch Mountain District finals.

Fleenor placed third, overall, Wednesday with a time of 18:14, just five seconds off Tyler Vanover’s second-place pace. Teammates Ryan Hoss (5th, 18:30), Ben Haderer (7th, 18:45) and Brandon Browning (8th, 18:54) ran right on Fleenor’s heels. Battle’s Brent Swiney (19:19) finished in the 13th spot.

“I thought the boys would do well, but five in the top 13, that was amazing,” Ball said. “Matt Fleenor has been close, but for him to finish third, that was a surprise. All the boys did a good job.”

The Trojans (30 team points) topped second-place Lebanon (55) by 25 points. Virginia High (99) was third, followed by Castlewood (111).

The top four teams and top 15 individuals qualify for the Group A meet Nov. 14 in Warrenton.