Bonny Turnage hasn’t been at Lee-Davis High long enough to hardly receive her first report card on the three r’s – reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic.

  But already the freshman has aced the exam on a fourth “r” – racin.’

  A 14-year-old, 80-pound dynamo, Turnage hit Coach Neil Mathews’ cross-country varsity on the fly.

  The young lady who stands barely 5-foot tall is easily spotted on most running trials; just follow the flapping pony-tail and cloud of dust kicked up by her doll-sized running shoes.

  Almost before Turnage had found her locker in the L-D hallways, she was winning high-school events.

  “Bonny had run with us as an eighth grader, so she wasn’t starry eyed when she got here,” Mathews said.

  Last Saturday, Turnage wasn’t quite at her elite best, but still had enough oomph for an eighth-place finish (out of 101 runners) in her first Central Region championship at Pole Green.

  More importantly to her, the L-D girls finished fourth overall and will advance to the State Group AAA meet Nov. 14 at Great Meadows near Warrenton.

  L-D’s other scorers were seniors Stephanie Cario (ninth) and Amanda Lineberry (15th), junior Tiel Westbrook (30th) and sophomore Melissa Davis (34th).

  Turnage helped L-D over the State-qualifying hump. The Confederates were sixth in ’08, fifth in ’07.

  Deep Run’s Erica Dobbs won Saturday’s Regional at 18:23, out-kicking two-time defending champ Kathleen Lautzenheiser of Midlothian (18:28.)

  On the boys side last Saturday, Atlee’s Andrew Catanese was fourth, L-D’s Cody Snyder seventh and the Raiders’ Wes Steenburgh was 15th. Atlee’s Raiders were fifth as a team, just missing a ticket to States.

  The top 15 individuals advance along with to the four leading teams.

  Prior to Regionals, Turnage won the Capital District title in 19:02. Earlier this season, she established a Pole Green course record with a blistering 18:17 over 3.1 rolling miles.

  Based on previous times, and the advantage of racing on her home course, some projected Turnage as the surprise Regional champ.

  The ninth grade prodigy was disappointed with eighth, but feels momentum for States.

  “I’d never run in a race this competitive before,” she said with a shy smile. “Now I have this experience to take to States.”

  She admitted to a case of the “jitters” and said she even “felt hot,” despite temperatures in the mid 50s, with a breeze.

  “What I like is that she never cracked, even though it wasn’t her best day,” said Mathews. “Bonny is a tough nut to crack.”

  A year ago, Turnage won the Region “freshman” race while still a Stonewall Jackson eighth grader.
  This fall she joined an already strong returning cast on the Confederates’ varsity.

  “Bonny pushes us all to go faster,” said Lineberry, who ran Regionals with her hair dyed L-D orange.

  “She makes every practice run more competitive.”

  Distance running can be a grinding experience. Lineberry does her part to keep the spirit light.

  “If you’re not having fun, you won’t last,” said Lineberry.

  Turnage is also competitive distance swimmer for Burkwood, along with her older sister, Cassie, who attends Maggie Walker Governor’s School and was also the Colonial District field-hockey Player of the Year this fall.

  Bonny considered following her sister to Maggie Walker but instead enrolled at her neighborhood school.

  “It worked out for the best because I already had a group of friends here,” Turnage said of L-D.

  Overhearing her petite teammate, Lineberry chimed in; “We were all hoping Bonny would come here.”

BOYS RESULTS
Team: Midlothian 78, Mills Godwin 105, Maggie Walker Governor’s School 109, Douglas Freeman 120, Atlee 152, James River 153, Hanover 163, Deep Run 177, Lee-Davis 181, L.C. Bird 229, Cosby 279, Thomas
Dale 281, Matoaca 343, Dinwiddie 442, Colonial Heights 478.
Individuals: 1.Ted Richardson (JR) 15:34; 2. Grant Pollock (MG) 15:37; 3. Evan Niciphor(Cos) 16:07; 4. Andrew Catanese (At) 16:17; 5. Silas Franz (DF) 16:17; 6. Brayden Burleigh (Mid) 16:23; 7. Cody Snyder (LD) 16:27; 8. Marc Breidenbaugh (MWGS) 16:28; 9. Josh McNamara (LCB) 16:29; 10. Cody Talmadge (MWGS)
16:29; 11. Nathan Clark (Manchester) 16:30; 12. Carson
Hogge (DF) 16:33; 13. Sean Willard (Mid) 16:33; 14. Darren Barlow (Mid) 16:38; 15. Wes Steenburgh (At) 16:39.
Runner of the Year – Ted Richardson (JR)
Coach of the Year – Stan Morgan (Mid)
GIRLS RESULTS
Team: Midlothian 59, Maggie Walker Governor’s School 72, Deep Run 90, Lee-Davis 92, Hanover 143, Cosby 156, Mills Godwin 159, James River 254, Hermitage 270, Prince George 287, Atlee 307, Manchester 307, Colonial Heights 339, Matoaca 354, Thomas Dale 408.
Individuals: 1. Erica Dobbs (DR) 18:23; 2. Kathleen Lautzenheiser (Mid) 18:28; 3. Clarissa Schick (MWGS) 18:43; 4. Megan Moye (Cos) 18:49; 5. Marie Johnston (Mid) 18:56; 6. Madalyn Nuckols (DR) 18:57; 7. Anna Spiers (MW) 18:58; 8. Bonny Turnage (L-D) 19:04; 9. Stephanie Cario (L-D) 19:09; 10. Amy Witt (Mid) 19:15; 11. Anna Gordon (Han) 19:19; 12. Amanda Tomlin (PG) 19:29; 13. Lauren Hopper (Han) 19:30; 14. Courtney Dobbs (DR) 19:34; 15. Amanda Lineberry (L-D) 19:44.