Two Records Fall in Elementary CC Races

Fort Defiance— Wind-driven rain early may have dampened the competitors, but not their spirits at the “Elementary Cross Country Run for Fun” hosted by the Blue Ridge Road Runners Saturday morning at Clymore Elementary School. By race time, the skies had lightened and the rain had stopped for the 39 competitors from eight local elementary schools who braved the inclement weather for the event for runners in kindergarten through 5th grades.

Two of the eleven total grade-level races featured record-setting performances. In the girls’ fourth-grade race, Mary Beth Strickler of North River Elementary shattered her division’s record by 41 seconds. Strickler completed the one-mile race in 7:45, 37 seconds ahead of runner-up Lindsay Simmons of Clymore Elementary, who was also under the old record in 8:22. Strickler’s win also made her a three-time champion at the annual late-October event, now in its sixth year.

In the boys’ fourth-grade race, Clay Schilling of Clymore not only won by the largest margin of the day, but also set a new grade-level record by 30 seconds, clocking 6:42 for the one-mile race. He finished 41 seconds ahead of silver medalist Alex Hulleman of Spotswood Elementary. Schilling’s record-setting performance was his second consecutive one, as he also established the boys’ third grade half-mile record a year ago.

The boys’ second-grade race was the most tightly contested of the day. Tyler Wilmer of Cassell Elementary won in a virtual photo finish, edging Jonas Fike of Clymore at the line. Both clocked a time of 3:49 for the half-mile distance. In fact, the five medalists in the race sprinted to the finish within three seconds of each other as Tucker Kiracofe outdueled Cameron Lyle, both of Churchville Elementary, for the bronze medal in 3:51, while Andrew Swortzel of Clymore was just one second behind them.

Other noteworthy performances were turned in by several of the gold medalists. Addison Stevens of Westwood Hills Elementary recorded the second-fastest time ever run in the girls’ second-grade race, winning the half-mile run in 4:01. The boys’ kindergarten race winner, Sam Tindall of Clymore, ran the third-fastest time recorded for his grade level (4:42) for a half mile. And first-grade girls’ champion Emma Riddle of Verona Elementary, who clocked 4:35 for the half-mile distance, was also the third-fastest ever at her grade level.

The top five finishers at each grade level were awarded medals, while each competitor received a commemorative race t-shirt.

Elementary Cross Country “Run for Fun”

at Clymore Elementary School, Fort Defiance, VA

Saturday, October 24, 2009

1st Grade Girls Race (1/2 mile)

1 Riddle, Emma Verona ES 4:35

2 Hodges, Kristen Churchville ES 5:11

2nd Grade Girls Race (1/2 mile)

1 Stevens, Addison Westwood Hills ES 4:01

2 Garvey, Carrie Cassell ES 4:30

3rd Grade Girls Race (1/2 mile)

1 Micallef, Caroline Clymore ES 4:16

2 Palaskey, Madison North River ES 4:18

3 Brule, Anna Cassell ES 4:22

4 Mohler, Caroline North River ES 4:55

5 Tindall, Mattie Clymore ES 4:56

4th Grade Girls Race (1 mile)

1 Strickler, Mary Beth North River ES 7:45 — meet record

2 Simmons, Lindsay Clymore ES 8:22

3 Humphreys, Amanda Verona ES 9:43

4 Taylor, Brittany Verona ES 11:24

5 Hepler, Lizzie Clymore ES 11:28

5th Grade Girls’ Race (1 mile)

1 O'Malley, Alisa Clymore ES 7:58

2 Barone, Kira Stump ES 10:09

3 Hulleman, Kathryn Spotswood ES 11:16

4 Hepler, Catherine Mae Clymore ES 11:44

Kindergarten Boys Race (1/2 mile)

1 Tindall, Sam Clymore ES 4:42

2 Smith, Braxton Clymore ES 5:03

1st Grade Boys Race (1/2 mile)

1 Shreckhise, Drew Clymore ES 4:15

2 Sandridge, Aden Grace Christian ES 5:26

3 East, Jeffrey Clymore ES 5:39

2nd Grade Boys Race (1/2 mile)

1 Wilmer, Tyler Cassell ES 3:49

2 Fike, Jonas Clymore ES 3:49

3 Kiracofe, Tucker Churchville ES 3:51

4 Lyle, Cameron Churchville ES 3:51

5 Swortzel, Andrew Clymore ES 3:52

6 Brooks, Dylan Clymore ES 4:05

7 Nance, Myles Clymore ES 4:12

3rd Grade Boys Race (1/2 mile)

1 Leo, Vincent Clymore ES 3:30

2 Cash, Blake Cassell ES 4:03

4th Grade Boys’ Race (1 mile)

1 Schilling, Clay Clymore ES 6:42 — meet record

2 Hulleman, Alex Spotswood ES 7:23

3 Bell, Dylan Clymore ES 7:40

4 Hulleman, Michael Spotswood ES 7:50

5 Brule, John Cassell ES 8:03

6 Flora, Jacob Clymore ES 11:40

5th Grade Boys’ Race (1 mile)

1 Fitzwater, Austin Clymore ES 9:11