Leela Hadsock captures a prestigious flrunners.com title, winning in 20 minutes, 29.33 seconds.
By DON JENSEN
Published September 26, 2004
TAMPA - Hernando's Leela Hadsock will never forget her first cross country victory.
Hadsock captured the girls small school race Saturday in the flrunners.com Invitational at Ed Radice Sports Complex. She was the lone North Suncoast runner to win one of the eight races over the 5K course.
Hernando also won the team championship, defeating Lake Highland 53-65.
"This is really nice," Hadsock said. "It's my first cross country win ever and there was a lot of good competition here. I was very happy with the race I ran."
Hadsock's time of 20 minutes, 29.33 seconds was 10 seconds better than Lake Highland's Jessica Prendergas. Crystal River's Holly Van Sicklen was fourth, Kaela Fitzpatrick of Citrus sixth and Hernando's Danielle Coopman seventh.
Hernando nearly pulled off a team sweep as the boys finished second to Jacksonville Bolles 95-98 thanks to top-10 performances by Ben Martucci (third) and Bret Chapman (10th).
A record-breaking 4,150 runners participated in 16 races over the two-day event.
In the featured Race of Champions, Flagler Palm Coast's Justin Harbor (15:36.74) and Oviedo's Jenny Barringer (17:54.81) were winners. The Winter Park boys and Miami Our Lady of Lourdes girls took team titles.
In the Race of Champions, Mitchell's Jeff Masterson placed fifth at 15:54.31.
"It was a little disappointing," Masterson said. "When the group in front of me took off, I didn't go with them and they pulled away. That's something I've got to learn from in the future."
Steven Bell of Land O'Lakes was second in the boys invitational to Scott Mackley of Kathleen. Bell finished 19 seconds behind, in 16:32.86.
The Lecanto girls finished third in the Invitational race behind champion Lake Brantley. Lecanto was led by Taylor Cooke's ninth-place effort. Wesley Chapel's Stephanie Amerman was seventh.
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
FLRUNNERS.COM MEET, AT ED RADICE PARK, TAMPA
BOYS OVERALL
Race of Champions: Individual - Justin Harbor (Flagler Palm Coast) 15:36.74; Team - Winter Park 104. Invitational: Individual - Scott Mackley (Kathleen) 16:13.56; Team - Warwick Valley 81. Large School: Individual - Zach DeVeau (Sarasota Riverview) 17:00.28; Team - Warwick Valley 84. Small School: Individual - Josh Elam (John Carroll) 17:00.43; Team - Jacksonville Bolles 95.
AREA RUNNERS
Race of Champions: Individual - 5. Jeff Masterson (Mitchell) 15:54.31. 33. John Tuccio (Mitchell) 16:55.73. Team - 18. Mitchell 391. Invitational: Individual - 2. Steven Bell (Land O'Lakes) 16:32.86. 47. Dustin Elder (Lecanto) 17:49.71. Team - 18. Lecanto 376. Large School: Individual - 13. Jacob Bess (Central) 17:56.61. 16. Dhanlal Murally (Wesley Chapel) 18:05.05. Team - 10. Wesley Chapel 291. 19. Ridgewood 440. Small School: Individual - 3. Ben Martucci (Hernando) 17:18.30. 7. Nick Farrington (Citrus) 17:44.33. 9. Joe Silvestro (Citrus) 17:46.37. 10. Bret Chapman (Hernando) 17:48.00. Team - 2. Hernando 98. 7. Citrus 195.
GIRLS OVERALL
Race of Champions: Individual - Jenny Barringer (Oviedo) 17:54.81; Team - Miami Our Lady of Lourdes 113. Invitational: Individual - Amanda Hintze (Lake Brantley) 19:20.31; Team - Lake Brantley 99. Large School: Individual - Kerry Allen (St. Petersburg) 19:37.17; Team - Seminole 131. Small School: Individual - Leela Hadsock (Hernando) 20:29.33; Team - Hernando 53.
AREA RUNNERS
Invitational: Individual - 7. Stephanie Amerman (Wesley Chapel) 20:20.00. 9. Taylor Cooke (Lecanto) 20:27.24. Team - 3. Lecanto 165. Large School: Individual - 15. Amanda Perez (Ridgewood) 22:26.16. Team - 9. Ridgewood 259. Small School: Individual - 1. Leela Hadsock (Hernando) 20:29.33. 4. Holly Van Sicklen (Crystal River) 21:;18.79. 6. Kaela Fitzpatrick (Citrus) 21:52.93. 7. Danielle Coopman (Hernando) 21:53.23. Team - 1. Hernando 53. 9. Citrus 218. 13. Hudson 327.
