AS PUBLISHED IN THE SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL
Ashley Brasovan and her Wellington teammates were at a disadvantage Saturday running in the Alabama hills Saturday at the Great American Cross Country Festival at Spain Park in Hoover, Ala.
No one could prepare high school runners accustomed to flat courses in South Florida for one of the most challenging 3.1-mile trail courses that featured a steep 25-meter hill in the middle of the woods on a slow course and hot day.
For Brasovan it was a good test to run against some of the nation's top high school runners.
The sophomore defending state champion finished runner-up in the Nike Girls Race of Champions in 17 minutes and 49 seconds in her best finish nationally since she started running cross country her freshman year. It was 48 seconds slower than her best time this season but there was a reason for it.
"That massive hill took the wind out of everybody," Wellington coach Sal Mucino said. "I loved it. It was a true cross country course. We just don't have those kind of hills. We have a few at Okeeheelee and Dyer Park and that's it. Ashley ran great. She had a great start, didn't get boxed in and ran well against high level competition. It increased her confidence."
Kathy Kroeger of Independence (Tenn.) High won in 17:29. Emilie Amaro of Cypress Bay was third in 18:24 and Kayla Hale of Holy Trinity was fourth in 18:39.
"The weather started out cool but then got really hot," Brasovan said. "Then there were a lot of hills at the second and third mile. I haven't run hills in a while so it was interesting especially the big hill toward the end of the race. You could tell the girl who won was good at running hills. That's were she made her move.
"I am pretty happy. It was a good race. I am glad I ran this. I like the competition a lot better than running races with no competition. I was in the lead pack from the beginning to the end."
In her race debut, Pope John Paul II senior and No. 1 runner Andrea Mascaro placed second in the Girls Red Race Invitational in 20:08. Teammate Kelli Midden, the only other runner from Palm Beach County to compete, finished in the Top 50. State 2A rival Jacksonville Episcopal won the team title in the Race of Champions.
"You just had to drive straight up the hill," Mascaro said. "You really had to get your knees up. It helped having people cheering along the course. I ran the course on Friday so I knew it was coming. It was different from Florida that's for sure."
For the Wellington team, it was their first big road trip of the season and perfect opportunity for the younger runners to bond, Mucino said. The boys team finished 25th in its division and the girls ran as an incomplete team with four and did not score.
The team arrived early Friday morning at 2 a.m. They shared the bus ride with Melbourne Holy Trinity and Gainesville Oak Hill to keep travel costs down. After breakfast on Friday, Mucino held a mandatory study hall for a couple hours and then toured the course in the afternoon. It was their first big meet after two weeks of rest.
Next weekend they compete in the Flarunners.com Invitational in Tampa.
Sharon Robb can be reached at srobb@sun-sentinel.com.
