Welcome to our new web site!

To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.

During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.

Bulldogs claim district championship, advance to state

By Jeff Yoder
Posted 11/1/20

The expectation for Harrisburg on Saturday was a district title. 

And even with one of their top five runners sidelined with an injury, the Bulldogs delivered a district championship with …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Bulldogs claim district championship, advance to state

Posted

The expectation for Harrisburg on Saturday was a district title. 

And even with one of their top five runners sidelined with an injury, the Bulldogs delivered a district championship with five runners finishing in the top 16.

After the meet, another coach told Harrisburg coach Corey Whitaker, “We were gunning for you guys, but it just wasn’t enough.”

The opposing coach explained that his team had been working to overtake Harrisburg since the Bulldogs beat them at a meet a few weeks ago. On Saturday, each individual was focused on catching the next runner wearing Bulldog red. In the end, they came up short.

“I think that just really speaks to the program, what these girls have done,” Whitaker said. “That they’re on people's radar now.

“That didn’t used to be the case, we didn’t have the numbers. That’s a credit to their work, all the work they’ve put in. Other girls have seen that and jumped on, including this freshman class.”

Madison Hessell, who was usually Harrisburg’s fourth runner, was resting with a foot injury, but her teammates stepped up. Hessell’s fellow freshmen Emma Fischer and Abigail Rosson finished seventh and 13th.

Baylie Combs finished third individually with a time of 22:33. Times overall were a little slower on Saturday, but Combs said the course at Linn High wasn’t too difficult.

“The wind definitely played a bigger role than the course today,” combs said.

“The course was actually nice, it was pretty dry, some parts were mushy at the bottom of the hills, but it was fine. They had some hills, but they weren’t too bad. I actually like this course, just the wind kind of affected everything.”

Sophomore Riley Bryan of Smithton finished first with a time of 19:27 and the Tigers also had the sixth-place finisher, but Harrisburg finished with 33 points to Smithton’s 38 to claim the district trophy.

“It’s awesome that we got first place as a team and to be able to do with all of my friends, it’s the best feeling ever,” Combs said. “It’s cool when you do it alone, but it’s even better when it’s with all your friends that you’ve been training with all season. It makes it really special.”

Katie Starbuck finished 16th and Olivia Fischer was ninth for the Bulldogs.

Both Fischers, along with Combs, Rosson, Starbuck, and Jessica Gardiner were holding a district championship trophy for the second time in 16 days. Those six student-athletes split time between softball and cross country in addition to their school work and other responsibilities. They were rewarded with a pair of district championships.

“To get one in softball and then to get one here, it’s kind of like we’re making a statement,” Olivia Fischer said. “We’ve done a lot to earn this and we’re putting it all together.”

Jill Davidson stepped into the Harrisburg top seven with Hessell out. Jessica Gardiner finished 25th and Davidson was 26th.

“The girls handled that well,” Whitaker said about the lineup change. “I think they were really hungry for it. Just very proud of them.

“All the times were a little slower today, not just our team, every team, but they don’t score times they score places. And we were in the right places.”

The Class 1 girls race will take place at 1:30p.m. at the Gans Creek cross country course in Columbia.

The Bulldogs have set a goal of a top-four finish as a team. 

“The goal next week is to get on the podium,” Whitaker said “That’s what we want, that’s what we’ve been gunning for all year. We’ve got to get everybody healthy. If we can run the race that we want to run, our times make that a possibility. Yes I’m proud of individual achievements and all that, but as a team that is the goal.”

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here