CROSS COUNTRY: Sullivan Central's Williams keeps impressing

Cheerleading’s loss has become cross country’s gain.

Erstwhile pompon-waver Emily Williams of Sullivan Central claimed the girls varsity Bristol Cross race Saturday at Steele Creek Park, breaking out of a pack of four runners to earn a seven-second victory in 19:08.37.

Williams, a junior, has been unstoppable in 2011 – winning six races in six tries – after splitting time between cheerleading and running last fall during her first season competing in cross country.

“My attitude has definitely changed,” she said. “My idea of a pace has changed.”

Central teammate Leslie Ecklund, who finished 23rd in 21:39.44, said training with Williams only helps the Cougars.

“It’s not aggravating at all,” said Ecklund, a senior. “It’s just like every day I’m trying to get up there with her. I may not make it, but she’s my goal. It pushes me a lot harder.”

Two years ago, Central’s cross country team was virtually non-existent – “It was me,” Ecklund said – but the Cougars now have a deep squad with the most dominant individual in the area.

Williams made the state AAA meet in 2010, finishing 54th, and said she’s been pleased with her progress this fall.

“You’ve got to accept the fact that there are definitely girls out there that are faster than I am, but I’m hoping to narrow that group down some,” she said.

Unlike in past years, the 20th annual Bristol Cross featured just one varsity race for each gender with large- and small-school team standings broken down out of the single competition.

A total of 33 schools had runners in the varsity races with 186 girls and 225 boys completing the undulating 5k course.

“A lot of the races that we’ve been running lately haven’t had as much hills,” Ecklund said. “My calves were definitely burning and I’m sure everyone else’s were as well.”

The Cougars finished fourth as a team in the girls large-school division, behind Christiansburg, Science Hill and Dobyns-Bennett.

Host Tennessee High finished sixth in the same category, led by sophomore Macy Carrier (13th, 20:40.35) and state champion hurdler Jennifer Cannon (25th, 21:50.55).

“It was a PR so that made me happy,” said Carrier, who got 73rd at the 2010 state meet.

Greeneville claimed the girls small-school team title followed by Grainger and Lebanon.

The Pioneers got a sixth-place individual finish from senior Tabby Arwood (19:49.54) and freshman teammate Mary Eston (19:50.26) crossed the finish line next.

Other top finishers from local schools included Abingdon senior Maggie Knox (eighth, 20:25.04) and Virginia High’s Megan Grayson (20th, 21:19.23).

On the boys side, Dobyns-Bennett senior Chris McElroy topped second-place finisher Wesley Pectol of Greeneville by 14 seconds to earn the individual victory in 16:22.44.

Abingdon junior Tanner Cook finished fastest among locals, coming in fifth with a 16:53.95 run followed just behind by Lebanon junior Jon Ulrich in 17:06.09.

Daniel Boone won the boys large-school team competition with 48 points, but the Falcons, who had five individuals in the top 45, grabbed second with 55 points.

In the small-school category, the Greeneville boys matched their female counterparts with a comfortable victory over John Battle and Sullivan East.

Junior Ben Haderer (20th, 17:33.28) led the Trojans, while Dalton Hudlow (29th, 17:46.74) was the top finisher for the Patriots.

Tennessee High was fifth as team in the boys large-school division with junior Evan Huvane (24th, 17:39.43) leading the charge for the Vikings.

Huvane set a quicker pace than he intended in the beginning, but he said he still enjoyed running in the large field.

“At the starting line I saw all those people and I thought that this is definitely the biggest race I’ve been in,” he said. “I think it probably helped me because I thought, I’ve got to get out of here. I don’t need to get bunched up in it.”

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