Never too late
Rams鈥� Everley holds on for victory in Division I Section 2 race
The only issue Ringgold coach Jennifer McMichael has with senior Dravin Everley is that he just started running cross country.
Everley played football for the Rams the last three seasons, but after competing in track & field this past spring in distance races, McMichael urged Everley to give cross country a shot.
Everley has taken advantage of the opportunity, and the first-year senior continued to shine Tuesday afternoon at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, in winning the Division I Section 2 race in 17:25.
鈥淗e (Everley) has my heart,鈥� McMichael said. 鈥淗e is such a hard worker and has the greatest attitude. He is a coach鈥檚 dream. Since March, I have been nothing but excited to have him as a part of this.鈥�
Ringgold also won the meet as a team in defeating Albert Gallatin (15-48), Connellsville (25-34), Laurel Highlands (15-42) and Uniontown (23-32) to finish 7-1 in the section. Thomas Jefferson won the section with a record of 8-0.
Everley used his speed in the final straightaway to top Red Raider senior Ethan Syner by four seconds. Connellsville freshman Ellic Pritts was third in 17:36.
鈥淭his is the third race in a row that I鈥檝e won,鈥� Everley said. 鈥淚 tried to pace myself with the person in front and kicked it in the last 800. I actually quit football to do cross country. Coach Jen had me do track, and I just took it from there.鈥�
Syner wasn鈥檛 pleased with his start to Tuesday鈥檚 race, but he hopes to replicate last season鈥檚 final stretch by running his best in the postseason races. Syner hopes for a stronger showing on Saturday at the A.J. Everhart Uniontown Invitational.
鈥淚 put myself behind by not getting out fast enough in the start,鈥� Syner said. 鈥淗is (Everley) kick was better than mine. There will be a lot of competition on Saturday, so I hope to be able to stay with the top guys and have a solid race.鈥�
Pritts has been right with the top runners this season, and pointed to the Red, White and Blue Invitational on Sept. 6 as a confidence booster. Pritts finished the course at White Oak Park in 16:40.80 to place 27th in the Class 3A race on what will be the course for the WPIAL Championships.
鈥淭hat race was good, and it was nice to know that I could hang with those top guys,鈥� Pritts said. 鈥淚n today鈥檚 race, we were close the first two miles before they started to pull away a little bit. I am excited to come back here and race on Saturday.鈥�
Uniontown鈥檚 Logan Davis was fourth in 18:14 and the Rams鈥� Andrew Bruce rounded out the top five with a time of 18:18.
The Falcons鈥� Jake Pritts was sixth in 18:48 before Ringgold鈥檚 Lucian Delsanero (18:54), Rider Kuch (19:06) and Lawson Martik (19:10) clinched the team portion of the race.
The Mustangs鈥� Noah Hvdock was 10th in 19:10.
The Red Raiders鈥� Matthew Page was 11th in 19:17 and Laurel Highlands鈥� Ryan Filcheck finished 12th at 19:23.
The Uniontown duo of Ezra Batovsky (19:32) and Chase King (19:49) were 13th and 14th before Albert Gallatin鈥檚 Brock Mace came in 15th at 20:02.
The Red Raiders defeated Albert Gallatin (15-48), Connellsville (22-37) and Laurel Highlands (20-38). The Falcons topped the Mustangs (26-29) and Colonials (18-43). LH downed Albert Gallatin, 19-39.