Whiteoak girls cross-country advances to regionals
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
On Saturday, the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats cross-country team qualified for regionals for the second time in four years during their Division III SE District Championships race at the University of Rio Grande.
The team excelled in the race as they competed against 33 schools (11 schools with complete teams).
Whiteoak placed fourth to gain the final regional qualifying spot.
Leading the way for the Lady Wildcats was LeAnna Lomske with a 27th place finish out of 105 runners with a time of 23:56.
Jennah Lomske came in two spots later (29th) place with a time of 24:00. Clarissa Johnson kept the pattern alive again two spots later at 31st (24:16). Courtney Cummings tallied a 38th place finish (25:18). The 5th and final scoring spot for Whiteoak was freshman Regan Bohrer, who ended up 54th (26:33).
"During the race, Jennah and LeAnna went out hard, and Clarissa wasn't too far behind so I was thrilled with where they were," WHS coach Doug Hughes said. "I was concerned about the four and five runners as Courtney (Cummings) was a little under the weather and Regan (Bohrer) was really in her first big race and on a tough course with a heavy wind, but they were both at least where I wanted them."
Also assisting Whiteoak were their sixth and seventh place runners, Hope Hicks (29:03) and Olivia Lomske (30:30).
Hughes, who is in his ninth year as the girls cross-country coach, said he was "elated by the performance of his entire team."
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"We've worked all season for this," Hughes said. "Our goal is always to be at our best at the end of the year, and it's very difficult to keep the injury bug and sicknesses away. It's a fine line between training too much and not enough. I knew if we ran well that we would have a chance at the number-four spot but also knew that it's nearly impossible to know every Division III team in the district.
"It seemed as if we had that number-four spot during much of the race, and I waited about 15 minutes after the race and finally was handed a copy of the results. I went back to our team canopy and delivered the exciting news … it was followed by several minutes of extreme jubilation."
Whiteoak's first regional berth came in 2009, and this marks the second time that LeAnna and Jennah Lomske and Johnson have helped lead a team to the regionals.
"The first time was their freshman year, and they were the number two through four runners behind then-senior standout Felicia Stevens … this time they were the leaders, and I'm so proud of them," Hughes said. "All three of them have had their battles this year, but they are deceptively tough as nails and refuse to give up and in turn squealed the loudest when the announcement was made."
Hughes said that as WHS only has 81 girls, they typically compete against schools in higher divisions.
"Anytime you advance above a school like Wheelersburg, Ironton or Oak Hill, you know you've earned it," Hughes said.
Reedsville Eastern won the district title with a low-score of 25. Following Reedsville in order were: 2, Trimble (82); 3, Manchester (83); 4, Whiteoak (104); 5, Southeastern (151); 6, Wheelersburg (167), 7, Oak Hill (175); 8, Paint Valley (191); 9, Lynchburg-Clay (219); 10, Lucasville Valley (236) and 11, Huntington (252).
Whiteoak will run Saturday, Oct. 27 at Pickerington North High School at 1:30 p.m.
The team excelled in the race as they competed against 33 schools (11 schools with complete teams).
Whiteoak placed fourth to gain the final regional qualifying spot.
Leading the way for the Lady Wildcats was LeAnna Lomske with a 27th place finish out of 105 runners with a time of 23:56.
Jennah Lomske came in two spots later (29th) place with a time of 24:00. Clarissa Johnson kept the pattern alive again two spots later at 31st (24:16). Courtney Cummings tallied a 38th place finish (25:18). The 5th and final scoring spot for Whiteoak was freshman Regan Bohrer, who ended up 54th (26:33).
"During the race, Jennah and LeAnna went out hard, and Clarissa wasn't too far behind so I was thrilled with where they were," WHS coach Doug Hughes said. "I was concerned about the four and five runners as Courtney (Cummings) was a little under the weather and Regan (Bohrer) was really in her first big race and on a tough course with a heavy wind, but they were both at least where I wanted them."
Also assisting Whiteoak were their sixth and seventh place runners, Hope Hicks (29:03) and Olivia Lomske (30:30).
Hughes, who is in his ninth year as the girls cross-country coach, said he was "elated by the performance of his entire team."
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"We've worked all season for this," Hughes said. "Our goal is always to be at our best at the end of the year, and it's very difficult to keep the injury bug and sicknesses away. It's a fine line between training too much and not enough. I knew if we ran well that we would have a chance at the number-four spot but also knew that it's nearly impossible to know every Division III team in the district.
"It seemed as if we had that number-four spot during much of the race, and I waited about 15 minutes after the race and finally was handed a copy of the results. I went back to our team canopy and delivered the exciting news … it was followed by several minutes of extreme jubilation."
Whiteoak's first regional berth came in 2009, and this marks the second time that LeAnna and Jennah Lomske and Johnson have helped lead a team to the regionals.
"The first time was their freshman year, and they were the number two through four runners behind then-senior standout Felicia Stevens … this time they were the leaders, and I'm so proud of them," Hughes said. "All three of them have had their battles this year, but they are deceptively tough as nails and refuse to give up and in turn squealed the loudest when the announcement was made."
Hughes said that as WHS only has 81 girls, they typically compete against schools in higher divisions.
"Anytime you advance above a school like Wheelersburg, Ironton or Oak Hill, you know you've earned it," Hughes said.
Reedsville Eastern won the district title with a low-score of 25. Following Reedsville in order were: 2, Trimble (82); 3, Manchester (83); 4, Whiteoak (104); 5, Southeastern (151); 6, Wheelersburg (167), 7, Oak Hill (175); 8, Paint Valley (191); 9, Lynchburg-Clay (219); 10, Lucasville Valley (236) and 11, Huntington (252).
Whiteoak will run Saturday, Oct. 27 at Pickerington North High School at 1:30 p.m.