At this stage of Satellite senior Ashley Shiver’s decorated running career, there are few surprises the multi-time state champion can muster.
Yet it was Shiver who provided the biggest surprise in a full day of racing at Little Everglades Ranch, improbably - but successfully - defending her 3A state championship with an out-of-nowhere, personal best of 17:34.
“I was really not sure about this race,” said Shiver, who had not run faster than 18:38 all season. “I just wanted to go out with a good stride and feel it. I didn’t really have a strategy.”
Perhaps not, but after rolling through the mile mark in 5:34, Shiver had to hold off senior teammate Juliana Stern’s finishing surge to secure the wire-to-wire victory.
“It was so awesome,” said Shiver, who beat Stern for the first time this season. “I can’t tell you how proud I am her. She‘s a great teammate.”
Despite the Scorpions 1-2 finish, they saw their streak of three consecutive state team titles come to an abrupt half at the hand...
