Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Provincial cross-country numbers up despite rain

Provincial cross-country numbers up despite rain

Maggee Fraser of Hernewood Intermediate School leads the PEISAA  Source for Sports provincial cross-country midget girls' race at Mill  River Provincial Park. Eric McCarthy/Journal Pioneer

Maggee Fraser of Hernewood Intermediate School leads the PEISAA Source for Sports provincial cross-country midget girls' race at Mill River Provincial Park.

Published on October 26th, 2010
Eric McCarthy
WOODSTOCK - West Kent Elementary in Charlottetown and Summerside Intermediate each picked up two team titles at the P.E.I. School Athletic Association's Source for Sports provincial cross-country championships at the Mill River Provincial Park on Saturday.

Despite cool, damp conditions, this year's event attracted 720 runners - an increase of 69 from last year.

"We had to deal with a bit of rain, but the course held up very well," said meet manager Paul Goguen.

West Kent runners Bridget Keedwell and Lauren Clark won their respective pre-novice girls and novice girls' races, helping their school win provincial team titles in the process.

West Kent had three runners in the top four of the novice girls' category. Summerside Intermediate won the bantam girls and boys' team titles. SIS runners Lydia Schurman and Carrie McGuire placed first and third, respectively, in bantam girls.

Jesse Annear from Montague Intermediate won the bantam boys' race.

The 2010 provincial championships, for runners in pre-novice to midget categories, were hosted by the Westisle Family of Schools.

Second year

For the second year in a row, Elm Street Elementary School in Summerside won the novice boys' team title. Eliot River's pre-novice boys, East Wiltshire's midget boys and Montague's midget girls also earned team titles.

The races for elementary-aged runners were most in demand as there were 263 runners in pre-novice (under-10) and 231 in novice (under-12).

Thomas Harper from Queen Elizabeth Elementary School in Kensington won the novice boys' race, with just one second to spare.

The race winner with the largest margin of victory was Hernewood Intermediate's Maggee Fraser. The second-place finisher in midget girls came in 44 seconds after Fraser.

"It was a great championship. All went well. All teachers across the Island can be very proud of all their students for competing with determination and sportsmanship." - Meet manager Paul Goguen

Braved conditions

An estimated 2,000 spectators also braved the conditions.

"It was a great championship," Goguen commented. "All went well.

"All teachers across the Island can be very proud of all their students for competing with determination and sportsmanship."

The event was staged with the help of leadership students from Hernewood Junior High.

"These students, along with many adult volunteers, ran the competition with jobs from finish-line officials scorers, course marshals to parking cars," Goguen reported. About 50 volunteers helped stage the event.

Juvenile and senior

The juvenile and senior championships were held at Charlottetown Rural recently.

Lorena Ellis of Bluefield won the juvenile girls' race by just one second. Bluefield also won the team title.

In juvenile boys, Alex Cyr of Evangeline School posted a two-second victory while Gray and Rural tied for first in the team standings.

Westisle Composite High School's Sam Sweet captured the senior girls' race, and Rural won the team championship.

Rob MacMillan of Colonel Gray won the senior boys' event. Gray won the team title.

Full Results

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