When encouraging cross country runners, every coach has used the saying that the only time a lead matters is at the finish line.

  “There’s many times I have to remind them; leading at the first mile, they don’t measure that,” said Atlee head coach Jim Trimeplar. “They measure who leads at the finish line… Now in talking about that, we don’t necessarily mean that’s the only time you should lead but if it works out that way then that’s okay.”

  Atlee sophomore Nathaniel Hall was exception to the rule during the Central Region championships at Pole Green Park on Saturday. Throughout a majority of the 5k race, Hall trailed Douglas Freeman’s Ronnie Calkins and Mills Godwin’s Andrew Benfer.

  “I was trying to go out a little more controlled, let them take me out the first mile, which they did,” Hall said. “I was expecting to lead through the second mile but they pulled out a little bit. I was just trying to stay with them at that point.”

  It was not until the final leg that Hall passed Benfer but Calkins actually stretched his lead further.

  “About half a mile through I was just like, this is right where I want to be,” Hall said. “I can do this. I really want to be regional champion. And then with about 1000-1200 meters to go I’d moved up to second place and (Calkins) looked like he was starting to hurt a little and I knew I was going to feel better than him. I know I’m going to be able to get him at the end. That completely changed with 100 meters to go and he pulled away.”

  Calkins still maintained a two meter lead 50 meters from the finish line. “He was starting to pull away and I figured I might as well just give it everything I’ve got,” Hall said.

  In an amazing fashion, Hall sprinted past Calkins to take his first lead of the race at the finish; leaning across the line at 15:55.01 to edge out Calkins by 29 one hundredths of a second.

  “It was probably the most amazing feeling I’ve ever known; that it had been that close and such a great race,” Hall said. So much so that Hall stepped away from the congratulations of others to release and enthusiastic scream of “YES!”

  With 56 points, Mills Godwin claimed the team win over Deep Run, Douglas Freeman and Midlothian. Atlee was seventh, Hanover 10th and Lee-Davis 13th.

  After disappointing races in the Capital District championships, Hanover’s James Poyer and Lucas Nachman earned All-Region honors with 11th and 13th place finishes and a berth in the state meet.

  Hanover sophomore Molly Breidenbaugh finished third (18:19.88) in the girls varsity race behind Cosby’s Megan Moye and Monacan’s Kaila Blackburn. Moye set a new regional meet record with a time of 17:39.33.

  Hanover sophomore Annie Sadler also earned All-Region honors with a 14th place finish and will join Breidenbaugh in the state meet.

  Midlothian (57) won the girls title over Cosby (77), Maggie Walker (85) and Mills Godwin (105). Hanover just missed out on a state berth with a fifth place team finish. Atlee came in sixth and Lee-Davis eighth. 

  The Atlee girls won the subvarsity race by placing four runners in the top 14.

  “That was something we wanted to do because I think that’s a measure of how deep you go,” Triemplar said. 

  Atlee freshman Brittany Wilkerson won the race with a time of 20:26.84, teammate Paige Harrar claimed second, Katherine Leitch fifth and Katt Grasberger 14th. Patrick Henry’s Kanani Collins, Makayla Peterson and Ashlie Cole finished 10-thru-12.

  Patrick Henry’s Wyatt Campbell won the boys subvarsity race with a time of 17:10.24. Atlee’s Michael Spanolo was seventh.
 
Boys
Team scores: Mills Godwin 56, Deep Run 87, Douglas Freeman 96, Midlothian 100, Maggie Walker GS 141, Thomas Dale 205, Atlee 209, Cosby 225, James River 259, Hanover 264, Glen Allen 270, Clover Hill 292, Lee-Davis 300, Matoaca 377, Prince George 433

Top 15: 1. Nathaniel Hall (A) 15:55.01; 2. Ronnie Calkins (DF) 15:55.30; 3. Andrew Benfer (MG) 15:58.59; 4. Dan de Nijs (MG) 16:06.81; 5. Grayson Reid (DR) 16:11.58; 6. Sean Willard (Mid) 16:14.08; 7. Cody Wellons (Man) 16:16.34; 8. Stanley Davis (GA) 16:20.10; 9. Andrew Anderson (MWGS) 16:23.23; 10. Alan Weaver (DR) 16:28.16; 11. James Poyer (Han) 16:30.87; 12. Carter LaBoue (MG) 16:31.79; 13. Lucas Nachman (Han) 16:33.44; 14. Ian McDonald (DF) 16:34.90; 15. Ryan Peterson (Mid) 16:38.46.
All-Academic Team: 1. Andrew Anderson (MWGS); 2. Andrew Benfer (MG); 3. Ronnie Calkins (DF); 4. Stanley Davis (GA); 5. Dan de Nijs (MG); 6. Nathaniel Hall (A); 7. Carter LaBoue (MG); 8. Ben Lynde (MG); 9. Ian McDonald (DF);
10. Lucas Nachman (Han); 11. Ryan Peterson (Mid); 12. James Poyer (Han); 13. Grayson Reid (DR); 14. Cody Wellons (Man); 15. Sean Willard (Mid).
Runner of the year: Hall Coach of the year: Jon Lauder (MG)

Girls
Team scores: Midlothian 57, Cosby 77, Maggie Walker 85, Mills Godwin 105, Hanover 158, Atlee 162, James River 219, Lee-Davis 219, Douglas Freeman 220, Deep Run 274, Manchester 281, Dinwiddie 329, Glen Allen 343, Prince George 366, Matoaca 391.

All-Central Region: Megan Moye (C) 17:39, Kaila Blackburn (Monacan) 18:05, Molly Breidenbaugh (Han) 18:29, Rachel Galton (MW) 18:33, Daisy Banta (MW) 18:52, Kari Johnston (Mid) 18:57, Elaine Dowell (JR) 19:01, Katharine Benfer (MG) 19:03, Skylar Evans (Mid) 19:10, Meghan Mulroy (Mid) 19:12, Marie Johnston (Mid) 19:20, Katie Wood (MG) 19:20, Nichelle Scott (L.C. Bird) 19:27, Annie Sadler (Han) 19:27, Katie Sperry (GA) 19:28.
All-Academic: Moye, Blackburn, Breidenbaugh, Galton, Banta, K. Johnston, Dowell, Benfer, Evans, Mulroy, M. Johnston, Wood, Sadler, Erin Dalton (MG), Caroline Rose (MW)
Runner of the Year: Moye
Coach of the Year: Stan Morgan (Mid)