Preps

Injury to keep Pasco's Eble from SAC meet

By Izzy Gould
Published October 18, 2007

DADE CITY - When the gun fires to signal the start of today's Sunshine Athletic Conference cross country meet, Leeann Eble won't move an inch. The Pasco County star likely won't run the remainder of the season after suffering a severe ankle sprain Sunday during a club soccer game.

"She made a play on the ball and the girl got her ankle," said Bill Eble, Leeann's father. "She played the rest of the game and when they took her shoe off her foot ballooned."

Eble will wear a cast until Nov. 6 as a precaution. There's an outside chance she could run at region if her team were to advance. Individually, she would need to run and advance at the district meet.

"I'm kind of bummed out about it," Eble said. "I knew I'd miss conference. That made me depressed and sad knowing I couldn't defend my (SAC title)."

Eble is expected to return in time for the winter soccer season.

Eble had the fastest time on the North Suncoast this season, running 20 minutes, 5 seconds at the Disney Invitational. She finished fifth Saturday at the Without Walls Invitational in Lakeland (20:16).

Eble has suffered some sort of injury in each of her first three seasons, including a heart condition that caused her to collapse twice last season.

SAC cross country

When: Today, first race at 8 a.m.

Where: Starkey Park

Who: Pasco County public schools

[Last modified October 17, 2007, 23:16:18]