Halverson, St. George’S Are Threepeat Winners

1A/B

Freeman’s Laura Halverson and St. George’s team members placed themselves in august company at the State 1A/B Cross Country Championships Saturday.

The Scotties senior became only the sixth runner, boys or girls in any classification, to win three individual state championships.

And by winning its third straight team title, St. George’s became the winningest girls program in state history. With five total wins, the Dragons moved ahead of Eisenhower, winner of its fourth team championship a few races later, and East Valley which won four in a row between 1994-97.

Freeman’s Reid Carrell, runner-up in the boys race, wasn’t as fortunate. He took a wrong turn 2 miles into the race while leading by 40 meters and it might have cost him first place.

The Scotties boys repeated their third-place finish of last year and Valley Christian’s girls were fourth.

Girls

Halverson has continued to improve throughout her career, her 19:41 time nearly equal to last year’s 19:30 run in better conditions.

“Whenever I won something I was happy, but never satisfied,” said Halverson. “I judged myself by 4A times and wanted to be faster.”

She blew open the day’s opening race practically before it got started, leading at the mile by 19 seconds. By the 2-mile mark the lead was 36 seconds and remained there.

“It was pretty windy,” Halverson said. “On one stretch against the wind the leaves were going one way and I was trying to go the other.”

St. George’s packed four runners - Samantha Clarke, Kelly Crimmins, Bailley Robinson and Hannah Beren - between fifth and 13th places for cushion. But it wasn’t until Mari Bingham came in 43 places later that the Dragons had their fifth team championship since 1993.

It ended the career of Clarke, who won individually as a freshman and was on all three title teams.

“She’s arguably as good a runner as we’ve had in our history,” said coach Ross Thomas.

Valley Christian had three runners among the top 27 and earned a trophy.

Boys

Winner Adam Roe admitted that Carrell’s wrong turn was to his benefit.

“I was way behind him and gained 10 meters,” said Roe. “I started to kick after that.”

Roe finished 2 seconds in front of the Freeman junior to help King’s win the team championship.

Carrell said he wasn’t told he was going the wrong way until halfway around a marker cone. But he didn’t know if it ultimately affected the race outcome.

“I stopped and didn’t know what to do,” he said. “I lost momentum, but who knows what he had left?”

It certainly didn’t affect Freeman’s team results, the team placing well behind King’s and Liberty Bell.

“We’ll take it,” said Carrell. “We were hoping to get higher, but things don’t always go the way you want.”

Cooper Golden placed fifth as St. George’s tied for fifth. Wellpinit’s William Smallwood was sixth.