Baylor Girls, McCallie Boys Win Front Runner Race

Baylor's Addy Cotter & Marshall McConville Run Away With Individual Titles

An early-afternoon rain made conditions somewhat muddy for the annual Front Runner Cross Country Championships at Baylor on Tuesday, but it was an otherwise almost perfect day as a bunch of Chattanooga area runners gathered for the double-loop 5K course.

Baylor had both individual winners as freshman Addy Cotter ran away with the girls race as she crossed the finish line all alone with an outstanding time of 17 minutes, 56 seconds.  Baylor senior Marshall McConville made his last race on his home course memorable as he claimed first place as well with a time of 15:04.

McConville was the first boy, but McCallie had the next seven individuals as they won this meet for the 11th straight year and 16 of the last 19 with 20 points.  Baylor was second with 77 while Signal Mountain was third with 96.

Baylor's girls took first place with 38 points while Signal Mountain was the runner-up with 64.  Walker Valley was a distant third with 113.

There were 176 varsity boys representing 21 teams while 112 young ladies represented 11 teams.

Cotter is an extremely talented 14-year-old freshman who just seems to get faster and faster every time she steps to the starting line. She recorded her personal best 5K time at a meet in Memphis two Saturdays ago with a sterling time of 17:26, but soggy conditions on the back side of the course made a personal record virtually impossible on Tuesday.

"I felt really good at the beginning and I had a lot of support on the course from other Baylor students, but this is my home course and it really helps to be familiar with it," she said shortly after finishing.

"It was really muddy out there, but I'm still happy with my time.  I'm way more fit right now than I was last year and I'm really looking forward to the state meet in two weeks," she added.

While Cotter was all alone in first, Signal Mountain senior Maxine Richards was second in 18:55.  Soddy Daisy teammates Tatum Croft and Aspen Fruth were third and fourth with times of 19:09 and 19:48, respectively, while Baylor's Claire Mayberry was fifth in 19:51.

Richards missed several meets at the start of the season while she recovered from a stress fracture, but she's done a remarkable job of getting back in great shape despite missed training time.

"This wasn't the race I was hoping for as I was hoping to be closer to 18 minutes," the 18-year-old senior admitted.

"I felt good as I passed the first mile in 5:44, but it got really muddy after that and the course conditions weren't very good.  But I'm competing in a mountain bike race on Saturday at Raccoon Mountain and I'm looking for my fourth straight state title there," she concluded with a smile.

McConville started the race running side by side with McCallie's Drew Beroset, but it didn't stay that way long as the senior from New York slowly pulled away and ended up winning by 26 seconds.

"It was a pretty wet course and super muddy, but I really tried to push up that hill on the last lap and I just gave it my all," he said afterward.

"I had lost to Drew the first time we raced, but I got the win today and I'm happy," he added.

Beroset is a junior who is loaded with talent, but Tuesday just wasn't his day.

"It wasn't my best race as I just didn't have it today," he began shortly after crossing the finish line.

"We ran together for about the first half of the race, but I feel like I gave up a little bit mentally with about a half-mile to go.  It was different conditions with all of the mud, but I'll be ready at state in a couple of weeks," he added.

McCallie coach Rodney Stoker has done another outstanding job getting his guys in shape as they appear ready for the state meet on Nov. 7 in Memphis.

"We needed a hard effort today, but all are healthy and we don't race for another two and a half weeks," he said afterward.

"It's easy to go through the motions, but executing our game plan was the important part.  Drew is a gifted young man, but Marshall has been on a tear lately.  It's always fun to win, but it's all about how they compete and I feel like they did just fine today," Stoker added.

This was also an exciting day for Amanda Cotter, who is in her first year as the Baylor girls coach and just happens to be Addy's mother.

"I'm really proud of these young ladies as our plan was to let Addy do her thing and for the rest of us to run in a pack.  They all did what I asked.  Each girl had someone to catch after the half-way point, but I feel like we're ready to roll at state," she said with a smile.
Baylor Girls, McCallie Boys Win Front Runner Race - Chattanoogan.com
 

Senior Night for Baylor Cross County

A special evening honoring our seniors for their dedication, leadership, and countless miles representing Big Red with pride.
Thank You Seniors

Girls: Kate Henry, Ruby Dozier, Ella Rogers, Claire Mayberry, Meg McCallie
Boys: Lake Montgomery, Marshall McConville, Van Ogorsolka, Rob Turner

#WeAreBaylor