Lady Lions again earn state berth

Posted: Friday, October 26, 2012 12:02 pm

By KEVIN WEAKS
Press Sports
Dresden has suddenly become a state meet veteran.
The Lady Lions’ cross country program earned its second consecutive spot among Tennessee’s elites by finishing third overall at the Region 7A-AA meet Tuesday at Troy.
Dresden will join region runner-up South Gibson County and champion Obion Central as the local teams joining the field at the Class A-AA State Meet on Nov. 3 in Nashville. The state finals will begin 2:30 p.m. at the Percy Warner State Park Steeplechase Course.
“They did a really good job and have worked hard to get where they’re at,” Dresden head coach Todd Maxey said. “They’ve been motivated since last year, and Sarah (Hatler) came in last night and gave them a pep talk. So, they were ready to go today.”
Hatler was a member of last season’s Lady Lion team and was a state meet veteran as an individual runner during standout prep career. She is now a member of the Bethel cross country team.
The Lions’ boys, meanwhile, just missed out on a state berth, finishing fourth behind Obion Central. Crockett County was the regional champion, followed by South Gibson.
Dresden won’t be shut out of the boys’ state meet, however, as Donavan Davis finished sixth in the field of 79 runners to earn an individual spot. Teammate Austin Maxey just missed an individual berth, placing 11th overall.
“He’s done an awesome job for us,” Maxey said of Davis. “This is his first year running in high school after running for us three years in middle school. He’s taken that experience, worked hard and grown stronger all season.”
The Lady Lions, one year after their historic first-ever state meet berth, looked like a veteran team by placing four runners in the top 20 in qualifying for the season finale.
Catey Delaney was the third-best runner in the region, trailing only region champ Samantha Jelinek of South Gibson and Rachel Jones of Obion Central, with a time of 22:25.
Theresa Minisquero placed 14th overall with a time of 24:54, while Even Woodson checked in at 16th in 25:16 and Katelin Brown was 19th in a time of 26:19.
Alyssa Lilly rounded out Dresden’s point producers by finishing 41st in a time of 29:17. Laura Bell clocked a 32:08 to finish 58th overall.
The Lion boys had four runners in the top 20 as well but just missed out on the state berth because the Rebels were able to cluster all five of their runners in the top 30.
Davis finished sixth overall, while Maxey was 11th, Colten Delaney was 15th and Tim Hustis was 16th.
Jon Goodlow, who has been running for just two months, placed 49th for the Lions’ fifth point-producing runner, and Justin Heathley also ran for Dresden.
“We had a couple of guys to PR (set their personal best times), so we’re very proud of them,” Maxey said.
Daniel Williamson of Union City won the meet, while Crockett County had three runners in the top 15 to earn medals. South Gibson also put three among the top 15, and Obion Central had two in that group.
The A-AA state meets will close out a full day of cross country running at the Steeplechase Course.
The Class AAA and Division II (private schools) meets will be held earlier, action beginning at 10 a.m.   Published in The WCP 10.25.12