By David Yon
The Tom Brown Bash has become a great place for the local high school runners and the GWTC geriatric division to meet and socialize. The 23rd running of the Bash Sept. 4 was a great success in getting them all together. Well they don’t quite meet; the high school teams run the 2.5 race and the elderly among us run the 5.0, hoping that distance will mask our declining speed. I have not seen all of the numbers, but it seemed like this year was the best year yet for high school turnout. There were a bunch of teams and they were rowdy! They were ready to go after the hills and bad terrain in the season’s first big meet. Both races started together in one great mass start. They ran together for just under 2.5 miles, until the elderly are turned to the left and sent on a second loop. It was great fun having some of the kids I have been cheering for the last couple of years, returning the favor on my second loop. On second thought, I think it was cheering. Surely it wasn’t laughter.
Florida High’s boys and girls captured their first team titles at the Bash. Rumor has it this group has been working hard and has a good core. Lincoln, Maclay and Apalachicola followed on the boys side and it was Apalachicola, Maclay and Lincoln in the girls race. Maclay demonstrated its depth by running teams in two events today. One group of kids left right after the race to run a major meet in Mobile. Individual awards were given to the first five overall male and female finishers. Male: Bryan Hendricks (13:34, Lincoln); Charles Wright (14:03, North Florida Christian); Phillip Peary (14:03, Lincoln); Jamaal Wilson (14:09, Florida High); Dusty Metz (14:09, Maclay). Female: Brie Allaman (17:22, Florida High); Birdette Hughley (17:34, FAMU), Dara Wise (17:34, FAMU); Christy Cooper (17:35, Florida High); Ami Pla (18:00, Florida High). It should be fun to follow these kids through the 1999 season.
One runner who know both sides well, the aged and the young, is Gary Droze. The Maclay coach gave his kids a first hand lesson in how to run cross country(even if you are aged) by running away from the field in the 5 mile event, finishing in 27:14. Sarah Docter-Williams finished first for the women in 30:58, but was being chased hard by masters winner Jane Johnson, who “hobbled” in on a bad foot in 31:03. Tim Unger celebrated his recent turn to masters competition by winning the men’s masters competition with a 29:29. Male and female age group winners were:
24 and under – Corey Cherr and Kingley Broughton
Age 25 to 29 – Robert Pautienus (no female entrant)
Age 30 to 34 – Mike LaBossiere and Ann Bowman
Age 35 to 39 – Dwayne Maddron and Julie Clark
Age 40 to 44 – Doug Gorton and Sissi Carroll
Age 45 to 49 – Chris Teaf and Sue Kelly
Age 50 to 54 – Bill McGuire and Peggy Simpson
Age 55 to 59 – Pat Weidenbenner and Mae Cleveland
Age 60 to 65 – Bill DeGrummond and Margarette Deckert
Age 70 and over – Alexander Brickler (no female entrant)
Click here for complete 2.5 mile results.
Click here for complete 5 mile results.