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CCC uses its plan to perfection

The Marauders wall off Lake Wales to grab the team championship.

By MIKE READLING, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 8, 2002

TAMPA -- Apryl Wall's plan was simple as she and her Clearwater Central Catholic teammates approached the starting line in the Class 2A, District 5 cross country meet at Al Lopez Park.

If you see an orange shirt, pass it. Don't let anything orange finish before you. It doesn't get any easier than that.

The plan paid off for the Marauders, as the only orange shirt that finished ahead of Wall was worn by Lake Wales' Kontessa Knauer. And that was by less than a second as the CCC junior took third place. The rest of her teammates successfully blocked the other orange shirts, finishing fourth, sixth, 11th and 19th to earn CCC the team title with 42 points.

Lake Wales, the orange-clad rival, was second with 47 points followed by Lakeland Kathleen, Sebring, Osceola and Bartow.

Wall was cold before the race, so she broke out knee-high soccer socks in an effort to keep her legs warm. Once the 5-kilometer race began, however, Wall was blazing hot.

She reached the mile mark in 6:04, which is right where she has wanted to be all season. As usual, teammate Danielle Harms was running alongside her, which comforted both runners.

"I was glad she was there because we were pushing each other," Wall said.

It helped so much that Wall found herself in a tight battle for second place with Knauer as they reached the final tenth of a mile. Both runners broke into a sprint and were neck-and-neck as they reached the chute.

Officials gave Knauer the place, but Wall managed a time of 20:06, 7 seconds faster than her personal best.

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