THE SPORTS DESK
Prep Cross Country State Meet: Abbatiello, Parent are top performers at championship
STAFFORD JUNIOR, COURTLAND
SENIOR EARN ALL-STATE HONORS
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
THE FREE LANCE-STAR
THE PLAINS—As Joey Abbatiello crossed the finish line at Great Meadow on Saturday, the Stafford High School junior cross country standout needed a bit of help to remain on his feet.
Abbatiello was exhausted at the end of the Group AAA state meet, but he eventually found a seat near the fence, where his father came to greet him.
“Good job, Joey,” Joe Abbatiello screamed as he pumped his fist.
Abbatiello said his father was the inspiration for his ninth-place showing among the 137 competitors.
He became the only Fredericksburg-area boy to earn all-state recognition Saturday. He also finished ahead of teammate and friend Ian MacLeod for the first time in his career.
“I started running and it was like a path just opened up for me,” Abbatiello said. “My whole strategy for this race was to just stay on Ian as long as possible and eventually I got the energy to pass him. I was just wondering how long it would last.”
MacLeod, a senior, finished 21st. Stafford coach Pete Augrom said he was taken aback by Abbatiello’s performance, even though he has constantly preached for him to peak at this time of year.
“That was a great race,” Augrom said. “That’s the race we’ve been waiting for all year from him. So to come out and do it at states, that’s really what you’re waiting for.”
Courtland senior Victoria Parent had the race she’s been dreaming of, too. Parent placed 13th in the Group AA competition to become the area’s only girl all-state runner this year.
Parent set a personal-best time (19:23). She was able to distance herself from King George’s Haley Armentrout (44th) and Spotsylvania’s Emmie Schmitt (47th), who were next in line from the Battlefield District.
Parent was 28th after the first mile.
“I really think it was the hills and I got in my right state of mind,” Parent said of what allowed her to make a comeback. “I just started racing. I started focusing on the girls in front of me and pulling ahead more and more. I tried to give it everything I had.”
The Colonial Forge girls won Commonwealth District and Northwest Region championships earlier in the season. The Eagles finished 10th in the Group AAA team competition on Saturday.
Junior standout Megan Rebholz placed 25th. Rebholz said she injured her ankle two days after the regional meet and aggravated the injury in the first 200 meters of Saturday’s race.
“I think it’s a learning experience,” Rebholz said. “Last year, states didn’t go as well as we wanted and I think we fixed a lot of stuff and improved a lot this season. I was 103rd last year, so I think every year gets better. Next year hopefully Frances [Morales] will be healthy and we’ll have another go at it.”
King George’s girls placed 11th in the Group AA team race. Courtland’s girls were 16th and its boys were 15th. Washington & Lee’s boys finished 11th in Group A. The Eagles’ girls placed 12th.
Washington & Lee sophomore Kathryn Beddoo, who won Northern Neck District and Region A titles, led the way with a 21st-place finish and a personal-best time (20:55).
“We worked very hard and got so much better than last year,” Beddoo said. “Today showed how much better we’ve gotten and I’m really happy to say that.”
GROUP AAA
GIRLS MEET
Team scores: 1. Lake Braddock 47, 2. Oakton 101, 3. Midlothian 101, 4. West Springfield 125, 5. Ocean Lakes 143, 10. Colonial Forge 220.
Top individuals: 1. Sophie Chase (LB) 17:24, 25. Megan Rebholz (CF) 19:08, 30. Hannah Lowery (St) 19:18, 32. Jenna Walker (CF) 19:24, 54. Jordan Angers (MV) 19:46, 63. Lilly Moore (CF) 19:56, 88. Kelsey Peace (CF) 20:26, 110. Nicole Meservey (CF) 20:54, 111. Madeliene Rodman (CF) 20:55.
BOYS MEET
Team scores:
Top individuals: 1. Sean McGorty (Chan) 14:47, 9. Joey Abbatiello (St) 15:51, 21. Ian MacLeod 16:04, 41. Robert Walker (BP) 16:20, 50. Andrew Boykin (CF) 16:28, 58. Will Young (Riv) 16:32.
GROUP AA
GIRLS MEET
Team scores: 1. Blacksburg 86, 2. Grafton 129, 3. Jefferson Forest 130, 4. Hidden Valley 131, 5. Tuscarora 157, 11. King George 281, 16. Courtland 381.
Top individuals: 1. Carolyn Bethel (HV) 18:11, 13. Victoria Parent (Ct) 19:23, 17. Taylor Brown (Lib) 19:36, 44. Haley Armentrout (KG) 20:16, 47. Emmie Schmitt (Sp) 20:22, 55. Kristen Hornbaker (KG) 20:28, 65. Ranea Saadeh (EV) 20:35, 66. Hannah Sharp (Ch) 20:36, 84. Anna Kniceley (KG) 21:08, 89. Alana Collins (Ch) 21:11, 97. Ashley Perkins (KG) 21:25, 104. Lindsey Armentrout (KG) 21:34, 105. Kayla Locklear (Ct) 21:34, 109. Tabitha Kim (KG) 21:51, 113: Nicole Brem (KG) 22:00, 118. Jessica Longenecker (Ct) 22:34, 133. Kristin Anderson (Ct) 24:06, 136. Kathryn Hobbs (Ct) 24:59.
BOYS MEET
Team scores: 1. Blacksburg 19, 2. Lafayette 79, 3. Christiansburg 129, 4. Handley 155, 5. Brentsville 172, 15. Courtland 351.
Top individuals: 1. Nick Link (Black) 15:34, 42. Neil Schubel (Ch) 16:50, 44. Aaron Carter (Ca) 16:53, 68. Ted Bailey (Sp) 17:11, 76. Kyler Jourdan (Ct) 17:20, 81. Jonathan Mersiowsky (Ct) 17:22, 108. Michael Amrhine (Ct) 17:57, 111. Michael Harris (Ct) 17:59, 115. Andrew Thorpe (Ct) 18:01, 136. Zack Knerr (Ct) 18:54, 141. Jacob Whittaker (Ct) 19:44.
GROUP A
GIRLS MEET
Team scores: 1. Wilson Memorial 58, 2. George Mason 84, 3. Strasburg 114, 4. James River 150, 5. Grayson County 157, 12. Washington & Lee 287.
Top individuals: 1. Hannah Rose (WM) 18:47, 21. Kathryn Beddoo (W&L) 20:55, 63. Emma Oliver (W&L) 22:36, 77. Taylor Lewis (W&L) 22:59, 97. Anna Sisson (W&L) 23:43, 108. Lidia Cardenas (W&L) 24:31, 128. Rachel Pegelow (W&L) 26:54, 129. Serena Thompson (W&L) 28:46.
BOYS MEET
Team scores:
Top individuals: 1. Walker Mogen (Rad) 16:14, 44. Hassan Gill (W&L) 18:04, 63. Hudson Hutt (W&L) 18:30, 65. Zach Bowen (W&L) 18:30, 75. Emmanuel Valdez (W&L) 18:47, 80. Jacob Daiger 18:58, 88. James Snider (W&L) 19:23, 94. Moss Oviedo (W&L) 19:46
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
tcoghill@freelancestar.com
