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© St. Petersburg Times, published November 26, 2002
Another year, another top-10 finish for Citrus.
The Hurricanes capped an up-and-down and injury-riddled season with a solid eighth-place showing Saturday in the Class 2A state meet in Tampa. Citrus was seventh last year and fourth in 1999 and 2000.
The 'Canes are a model for consistency.
Saturday's state appearance was their eighth straight. More impressive was that Citrus finished ahead of Hernando, the District 3 champion, and Dunnellon, the Region 2 winner.
"We're just thrilled with a top-10 finish," Hurricanes coach Bruce Nelson said. "We went in thinking if we could get top 10 we'd do well, and we got eighth so we're very happy with that outcome."
Senior Tony Lyons capped a memorable career by placing 11th, averaging 5 minutes, 26 seconds per mile. He was sixth at state in 2001.
Citrus will have a new look next year. Lyons, Matt Baum and Justin MacDonald, the Hurricanes' top three at state, graduate.
THEY WILL BE BACK: As successful as the Lecanto and Crystal River girls were this season, both teams have the potential to improve in 2003.
Each returns four of its top five runners from state, where Lecanto was 15th and Crystal River 16th.
Lecanto's success was expected.
Crystal River's was not. The Pirates were a non-factor last year and expected to be too inexperienced this fall to compete at a high level.
But the addition of all-area runner Denise Jay, a Citrus transfer, the emergence of ninth-grader Holly Van Sicklen and the improvement from Crystal River's other runners helped the Pirates win a district title and reach state for the first time since the mid 1980s.
"It was a great building-block season," Pirates coach Laura Shirley said.
"I think Crystal River will be a force to be reckoned with in cross country. We've got a lot of girls who are very dedicated and ready to come back next year."
Van Sicklen, who placed 51st Saturday, was the Pirates' top performer. Crystal River had no personal bests, but its times were solid.
"They had a great time and were thrilled to be there," Shirley said of her athletes.
"The first thing out of Holly's mouth was, 'Oh my God.' I think she panicked a little bit, but once she got out there was fine."
The Pirates arrived in Tampa on Friday to get a better look at the course. The girls ran about half the course in a warm-up.
"I think the times could have been better," Shirley said. "But the overall experience of the whole thing outweighs that part of it."
Lecanto, as usual, was keyed by juniors Deirdra Witherspoon (27th) and Nicole Mailloux (64th). Among the Panthers' top-five finishers, only Santana Huggett graduates.
PREVIEW: Being a new coach in 2001, Shirley attended last year's state meet just to see how things were run.
That experience, she said, helped when she was readying her current squad for state.
"I think I was able to prepare them a little bit," Shirley said. "Until you actually go and see the course, see how it's run and see how many people run in it, you're not ready for it."