Shannon Smyth qualified for the 2009 state cross country meet as a sophomore for T.C. Williams. After competing in her first meet as a junior, it appears Smyth has her sights set on getting back.
Smyth placed sixth with a time of 18 minutes, 51 seconds at the Monroe Parker Invitational on Sept. 11 at Burke Lake Park.
Smyth’s personal best time on the 2.98-mile course is 18:28, but TC head coach Michael Hughes said Smyth put forth a quality effort for her first meet of the season.
"It’s kind of hard to say you’re expecting something, but I believe she can perform at the same level she performed at last year," Hughes said. "It’s a very competitive girls field right now. If she can continue to do this in the field, that’s going to be a pretty good performance for her."
Smyth said she has a different outlook entering her junior year.
"It feels like it matters a little bit more," she said. "There’s more pressure, but also you focus a little more on what you’re going to do for the season."
TC senior Adugna Desalegn finished 27th with a time of 19:39. Junior Kathryn Hendley finished 90th (21:15), junior Hannah Clark was 97th (21:26) and senior Lisa Toledo finished 103rd (21:35).
Lake Braddock sophomore Sophie Chase was the individual champion with a time of 17:32, followed by Edison’s Myah Hicks (18:04), Thomas Jefferson’s Lisa Junta (18;12) and Sarah Stites (18:26) and West Potomac’s Sara Underwood (18:26).
The TC girls finished ninth out of 23 teams with 285 points. Thomas Jefferson won the meet with 44 points, followed by West Potomac (86), Lake Braddock (122), Langley (137) and West Springfield (10).
"I’m pretty pleased with how we ran as a team," Hughes said. "We had a top-10 performance and that was our goal. [A] finish in the top 10 says you’ve got some place to go and you’re not too far out of it."
The TC boys finished 22nd out of 30 teams with 565 points. The Titans’ top finisher was senior Darren Foreman, who took 22nd with a time of 16:21.
"This is really his first cross country effort at this level," Hughes said. "He’s a good half-miler. He’s run for me for awhile but this is going to be his first year that he’s actually figured out how to run cross country."
TC junior Jacob Whitacre finished 123rd (17:49) and sophomores Jonathan Forbes (17:55) and Adugna G Mariam (17:56) finished134th and 135th, respectively. Sophomore Grant Raycroft finished 211th (18:53).
Chantilly sophomore Sean McGorty won the event with a time of 15:17, followed by Lake Braddock’s Sam Rubenking (15:26), Annandale’s Ahmed Bile (15:28), Woodson’s Paul Gates (15:30) and Lake Braddock’s Luke Sohl (15:37).
West Potomac defended its team title with 84 points. South Lakes finished second with 116 points, followed by Lake Braddock (141), Thomas Jefferson (175) and Hayfield (206).
— Jon Roetman
<b>High School Football Coaches Night</b>
The Alexandria Sportsman’s Club will host its annual High School Football Coaches Night on Sept. 21at the Old Dominion Boat Club on King Street. The head football coach of each Alexandria City high school (T.C. Williams’ Dennis Randolph, Bishop Ireton’s Anthony Verducci, St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes’ David Holm and Episcopal’s Mark Gowin) will speak at the meeting, which has also been opened to head football coaches of Alexandria schools in Fairfax County.
Social hour begins at 7 p.m. and the meeting begins at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and free food and refreshments will be served.
<b>Bishop Ireton Football Loses Late Lead</b>
The Bishop Ireton football team led 10-6 entering the fourth quarter of its Sept. 11 meeting with Benedictine, but was outscored 22-7 in the final period en route to a 28-17 loss. The Cardinals fell to 0-2.
Ireton sophomore quarterback P.J. Zingler completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals. He was intercepted once.
Tom Gallinaro caught 10 passe for 109 yards and a touchdown for Ireton and Moses Webb caught three passes for 102 yards and a score. Webb also rushed for 56 yards in eight carries.
Richard Walker led the Ireton defense with 13 tackles.
Ireton will travel to face Woodberry Forest at 2 p.m. on Sept. 18.
<b>SSSAS Football Loses Opener</b>
The St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes football team opened its season with a 27-17 road loss to St. Christopher’s on Sept. 11. The Saints will travel to face St. Anne’s Belfield at 6 p.m. on Sept. 16. The Saints’ home opener is on Sept. 25 against Bishop Ireton.
<b>Episcopal Football to Open Season</b>
The Episcopal football team will open its season with a home game against Flint Hill at 4 p.m. on Sept. 17.
<b>Episcopal Boys Soccer Starts 3-0</b>
The Episcopal boys soccer team won its first three games, defeating Paul VI (2-1), Eastern Mennonite (3-0) and Potomac (9-2) during the two-day Maroon & Black Cup on Sept. 10-11. The Maroon will host St. Anne’s Belfield at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 16.