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State title is Benton's to lose

By PETE YOUNG

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 16, 2000

Saturday in Bradenton, Keswick Christian's Christa Benton outdid herself.

Which is really saying something, considering the astronomical standards and expectations the two-time state cross country champion has created.

In the Class A, Region 3 meet at G.T. Bray Park, Benton left onlookers agape once more, breaking her own state-best time of 17 minutes, 13 seconds by 18 seconds, clocking an it-must-be-a-typo 16:55.

Benton, a senior who will be running for another state title Saturday at Brevard Community College-Titusville, is believed to be the first Florida girl to run a sub-17:00 3-mile cross country race.

"She had been wanting to break 17 all season," Keswick Christian coach Lance Lipham said. "Thursday they had a real nice rain and (the course) was beautifully packed. We said, "Oh yeah, this is looking good."'

Benton averaged 5:38 a mile and she passed the 2-mile mark in 11:14 -- one second faster than her Class A state record for the 2-mile in track. According to dyestat.com, a Web site devoted to high school track and cross country, Benton has the third-best 3-mile time in the nation this year. Many states run 5K (3.1 miles) races, and including those adjusted times, Benton has approximately the sixth-best time in America.

Barring the unforeseen, she will win easily Saturday. If the course is in good shape and the weather holds, Benton could break the state meet record of 17:25 set by Hilary White of Gainesville Eastside on a different course (Florida Community College-Jacksonville) in 1998.

Benton also hopes to carry her team to a top-10 finish, and the Indian Rocks Christian and Shorecrest girls have high hopes as well. IRC was the surprise winner of the Region 3 meet, and the Golden Eagles vaulted to No. 4 in the Class A rankings on coachnet.net.

"I guess we peaked at the right time," IRC coach Kris Williams said. "I told them in practice, "Anything can happen in cross country, and if you believe it, you can do it.' I guess they believed it."

The Shorecrest girls, after capturing the district, were beset by various ailments and dropped to fourth at the region meet. Chargers coach Jeff Raab thinks the team will rebound, though it likely will be without No. 2 runner Kristin McLain (knee injury).

"Last week was not a good week, but most of the girls should be pretty close (to 100 percent) on Saturday," Raab said.

The Shorecrest boys, fresh off their first-ever region title, are hoping for a top-5 result. A few weeks ago, Raab was hoping his girls would contend for the top 5 and the boys for the top 10, but injuries to the girls and marked improvement by the boys transposed those expectations.

"I'd like to see the boys on the top 5. I really think they can do it," Raab said.

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