PC runners 2nd at Genoa meet
TEXARKANA - Parkers Chapel finished second in senior boys, senior girls and junior boys at the Genoa Central Dragon Cross Country Invitational Saturday. Genoa Central won each of the divisions.
"I thought we ran very competitively today. It seemed like before the race they were a little more excited about running today," said PC coach Justin Welch. "I think the cooler weather helped out. Obviously, it helps get some better run times, at least. They were a little more excited today and I was glad to see that."
The Trojans had two top-10 runners and all six finished in the top 20. Spencer Frisby led the way, finishing seventh with a time of 22:06 followed by Korbin McAuliffe, who was 10th in 22:44. Thomas Hardy (13th), Mason Dougan (15th), Wyatt New (16th) and Payten Thompkins (17th) rounded out the PC runners.
Jana Avery and Ali Looney led PC's senior girls, finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. Avery ran 23:58 with Looney at 24:04. Kenlee McAuliffe (19th), Madison Sullivan (20th) and Taylor Fortune (23rd) rounded out the Lady Trojans.
PC's junior boys were led by Patrick Copes, who finished 15th followed by Brody Goodwin (17th), Dalton Roden (18th), Clay Evers (21st), Will Hardy (22nd) and Cameron Garcias (23rd).
Seventh grader Bella Frisby led PC's junior girls, finishing 10th with a time of 14:58. Franzi Kahlert (16th), Makenzie Morgan (17th), Reaux McAuliffe (19th), Kallie Martin (24th), Zellie McNabb (25th), Lexi Killingsworth (26th), Faye Whitaker (31st), Rebekah Hardy (33rd), Alyssa Purifoy (34th), Destiny Defee (37th), Bo Keaster (38th), McKenzie Rainwater (39th) and Emery New (40th) rounded out PC's junior girls.
Perhaps the story of the day was told by Kahlert, a seventh grader from Germany, who refuted the notion that cross country was not a contact sport.
"In that back part of the course where you couldn't see it in the woods, evidently a girl right behind her fell. Franzi heard her fall and she just reacted by looking back. When
she turned around, she ran into a tree. I'm talking about hard," said Welch. "She was top-5 at the time. She's a really good runner. She got back up. When she came out of those woods, there was already blood just pouring down her face. I was like, 'Franzi, are you O.K.?' She was like, 'I hit a tree.' She has an accent but she speaks really good English. But, she said she hit a tree. I'm running beside her and I said, 'Do you need to get out?'
She said, 'No, I can finish this race.' She finished that race and it happened within the first half-mile of the race. She finished the last mile-and-a-half in that condition. When she crossed that finish line, there was just blood everywhere. But, she wanted to finish. She would not come off that course. I thought that was a valiant effort by her."
Overall, Welch had positive things to say about all of his runners.
"I was really happy with the results and the enthusiasm with the kids," he said. "We're looking forward to building on it."