SPORTS

September 28, 2010

2010 South Ripley Raider boys and Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagle HS cross country runners continue to merit recognition

Gary Franklin
Sports Editor

Though the fall school sports season is a shortened one, the evidenced desire and determination of many athletes proves it is no less important than any other in the school sports year.
Cross country runners representing the JCD Lady Eagles and Raider boys runners from South Ripley have progressed steadily with their recent running performances.
South Ripley Raider XC Coach Jim Cole and members of the boys high school team have continued to give their all this fall include: Zach Raab, Ethan Back, Austin Allen, Brytton Rogers, Brandon Sizemore, Josh Huntington and Alex Young.
An expected boost to the Raider XC team was senior Zack Grossman. His dropping off the team meant an unexpected void, however, the remaining members of the team have tightened their shoe laces so it seems and have built from it.
SR Raider boys XC team
The Raider boys followed a most impressive Big Blue Invitational (Jennings County HS Meet) fourth place team finish on Tuesday, September 14, with a second place team finish at the South Dearborn XC Invite held on Saturday, September 18.
Impressively adding to their season's accomplishments, on Thursday, September 23, the Raider boys team ran to a second place finish in the SRHS hosted "Great Pumpkin" race with a point count of 66.
Claiming team first place was Franklin County @ 53 points. The 3rd spot was earned by South Dearborn @ 74, 4th - Switzerland County @ 100, 5th - Rising Sun @ 109, 6th - Lawrencburg @ 160, 7th - Milan @ 164 and Jac-Cen-Del 8th @ 187.
Shawe failed to field enough runners for the meet to earn a boys team score.
First and second to cross the finish line in the boys' race was South Dearborn Knight John Houchens @ :17:45.6.
Switzerland County Lady Pacer Bre Hinman was first to cross the finish line in the girls' run. Her winning time was :21:08.3.
SR Raider boys finish
Individual Raider finishes at the home hosted "Great Pumpkin XC" included: Zach Raab 9th @ :18:40,.5, Ethan Back 12th @ :19:03.7, Brytton Rogers 14th @ :19:26.6, Austin Allen 15th @ :19:32.1, Brandon Sizemore 16th @ :19:36.0, Josh Huntington 26th @:20:26.5 and Alex Young 34th @ :21:37.4.
JCD Lady Eagle XC team
The Lady Eagles team earned a fourth place finish at the South Dearborn XC Invitational held on Saturday, September 18 with a 98 point count.
The Lady Eagles season accomplishments advanced with their Thursday, September 23 participation in the SRHS hosted "Great Pumpkin" race with a second place team finish @ 43 points.
Claiming 1st place was the South Dearborn Lady Knights with 28 points. JCD Lady Eagles captured 2nd place @ 43 points. The Shawe Lady Hilltoppers finished 3rd @ 65 with the South Ripley Lady Raider team finishing 4th @ 88 points.
Schools not earning a team score included: Franklin County, Milan, Lawrenceburg and Switzerland County.
JCD individual finish
Individual Lady Eagle finishes at the "Great Pumpkin XC" included: Sydney Keene 4th @ :25:22.0, Kara Wagner 7th @ :25:49.3, Ashley Hammond 9th @ :26:20, Brooklyn Ronsheim 10th @ :26:27.9, Kathleen Maloney 13th @ :28:30.2, and Jennifer Roberts 18th @ 31:33.5.
Milan Indian
"Great Pumpkin"
finishes
A 5th place "Great Pumpkin" individual finish was earned by Lady Indian runner Kaitlin Dickey @ :23:34.4, with teammate Samantha Stabile finishing 28th @ :32:05.9.
The Indian boys team finished 7th overall. Individual Indian boy runners and times included: Nick Walter 7th @ :18:29.9, Zach Meyer 37th @ :22:12.4, Russell Pitts 39th @ :22:20.0, Nathan Thompson 40th @ :22:36.2 and Elijah Seithel 45th @ :24:15.5.