Bloodied Vikings take title

By JOE SMITH
Published October 13, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Northeast junior Matt Adkins limped off the Crescent Lake course as if he had just left a prize fight.

While trying to pass a runner in Thursday's City Meet, Adkins ran into a pole and said he separated his left shoulder. After popping it back into place mid-race, he tripped up in the last mile, lacerating his left shin before rumbling to an uncharacteristic 34th-place finish (19:14).

But it was Adkins, Northeast's sixth finisher, who served as the critical tiebreaker to lift the Vikings (66) to a victory over St. Petersburg (66) for the boys team title. "It was a rough race," Adkins said. "When I hurt my shoulder, it was the weirdest feeling in the world.."

St. Petersburg star Garrett Mackey won the individual title in a school-record 16:22. Northeast senior Russell Snyder set a school record of his own, finishing second at 16:27.

Lakewood senior Ali Crabb won the girls race in a personal-best 18:57. But Shorecrest (33) claimed the team title by placing five in the top 15, with eighth-grade twins Lindsey (20:18) and Sarah Evans (20:19) finishing 2-3 behind Crabb.

[Last modified October 13, 2006, 01:43:06]