Published Oct. 25, 2008
By Tim Stevens
The Charlotte Observer
CARY - The Charlotte Latin girls' cross country coaches told their runners to avoid any heroics here Friday during the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 3A championships.
John Marklewitz and Mike Weiss knew they had the firepower to run away with the team championship, if emotions didn't overwhelm them.
“We impressed on the girls to run where they were accustomed,†Weiss said.
About the only way any of the teams gathered at the WakeMed Soccer Complex had much of a chance against the Hawks was if the team tried to run with someone like Durham Academy's Adrianne Soo, who claimed her third straight individual 3A title.
“We didn't want individual goals to cost us the state championship,†Weiss said.
The Hawks, the 2007 NCISAA 3A champions, ran smart and fast and dominated the race. Latin finished with 34 points and second-place Charlotte Providence Day had 119.
Latin had four of the top seven – Haylee Dawe (No. 3), Kameron Spence (4), Ashley Miess (5) and Hillary Dawe (7). Ally Finical completed the Hawks' scoring by finishing 15th.
“We ran well,†Marklewitz said. “We stressed to make certain that we ran our race. We wanted to set our own pace and that's what we did.â€
Soo was as dominating in winning the race, finishing in 18:28.00.
She has won three straight 3A NCISAA individual titles despite two operations for ACL tears and a severe bout of anemia during her career.
Soo is now gearing up for the regional Foot Locker meet in Charlotte.
Last year, she ran a 17:38 on the McAlpine course, the fifth fastest time ever by a North Carolina runner.
Providence Day was third and Charlotte Country Day was fourth.
Cary Academy freshman Thomas Graham won in 15:49, 33 seconds ahead of second-place Fred Ward of Durham Academy.
In the 1A/2A races, Asheville Christian won the girls team title
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