Sickles runners dominate meet

The cross country girls take the top five spots among individuals and four of the boys place in the top 10.

By ROD GIPSON
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 6, 2002

PREP NOTEBOOK

TAMPA -- The Millard Shumate Invitational on Thursday might as well have been the Sickles Invitational. The Gryphons boys and girls cross country squads dominated their races.

The Sickles girls grabbed the top five spots among individuals to outrun second-place Plant by 57 points. Lauren Ophaug led Sickles with a 21:41 finish at the 5K course at Picnic Island. She was followed by teammates Shannon Kelly (22:00), Sarah Hatcher (22:07), Jenny Snyder (22:35) and Marissa Hatcher (22:35). Gaither's Heather Dickson, sixth at 22:49, helped the Cowboys to a fifth-place team showing.

On the boy's side, Sickles had four runners in the top 10 while running to a 46-80 edge against second-place Bloomingdale. Dan Buethe placed second overall but was the top Gryphons runner at 17:48. The other Sickles runners to place: Dan Gollins (fourth at 18:35), Pablo Aguirre (fifth at 18:58) and Brock Gavin (seventh at 19:19). Gaither's Joe Roberts ran to an eighth-place finish to help his team finish sixth in the 10-squad race.

Across town at the Wharton Invitational, the host squads won the girls race and their boys placed second. Jesuit won the race, as the Wildcats boys narrowly captured second place with a two-point edge against King. Jose Rodriguez ran to a third-place finish at 17:30 to lead Wharton, while teammate Ryan Kniery ran to a ninth place 17:58 time.

The Wharton girls had three top 10 finishers: Nicole Stanley (third), Erica Garrish (fourth) and Maria Gevallos (seventh). Leto's Deborah Stroupe placed ninth.

GIRLS GOLF: Ashley Kemp led Gaither to a narrow win in a tri-match Thursday at the Country Club of Carrollwood. Kemp fired a nine-hole score of 41 as the Cowboys finished at 221, nine strokes ahead of Wharton with 230. Alonso placed third at 251. Gaither, 6-1, plays Plant at MacDill Golf Course Monday afternoon. Leto and Jefferson face off Monday at Rocky Point, Freedom plays at Riverview at Sun City and Blake and Sickles tee off at Heritage Harbor.

BOYS GOLF: Freshman Brad Brunner shot 37 to lead Chamberlain to a 155-163-244 tri-match win against Sickles and Tampa Bay Tech. Kennedy Fisher added a 38 for the Chiefs, who improved to 5-3.

In other action, Gaither defeated Leto 181-259, Alonso beat Blake 171-193 behind Brian Powe's 37 nine-hole score, Sickles lost to Hillsborough 167-170, and Gaither fell to King in sudden death overtime after the squads tied at 177. The loss dropped the Cowboys to 7-4 on the season.

In upcoming action, Wharton plays at Saddlebrook Tuesday, Alonso and Tampa Bay Tech face off at Rogers Park, Freedom and Gaither play at Carrollwood and Chamberlain has a tri-match with Hillsborough and Plant on Wednesday at MacDill.

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