Indians sweep district meet

After a season of misfortune and setbacks, Fort Defiance swept the first Southern Valley District meet at the Virginia Horse Center on Wednesday afternoon, adding two more banners to the Tribe's already full gym wall.

Life on the Reservation hasn't been so sweet this year for the Indians' boys squad, fighting injuries and still reeling from last year's graduation.

"The way they won is very pleasing," Fort coach Ron Witherow said. "I'll tell you this season has been very forgettable until today. In my first nine years of coaching we had a total of 13 losses. This year we had six."

Witherow was keeping an unofficial scorecard next to the chute, trying to calculate where his boys finished. After his fifth runner, Brandon Griffin, crossed the line in 15th with teammate Will Metcalfe in tow he couldn't resist the urge to celebrate.

"We got it," he yelled.

The 10-year coach grabbed onto the Indians' top two finishers - Andrew Phillips, who finished second and Kiley Kesecker, who was third -and hugged them. The Indians finished with 40 points leading Robert E. Lee which scored 64.

"I was surprised to find myself in second place because I was predicted to finish in fourth," Phillips said. "It was awesome to win it."

The 2007 title is the fifth time the Indians have been crowned district champions in the last 10 years.

"They worked so hard," Witherow said. "In the past they'd get invitational titles but these guys never seemed to get any of that payoff, so today it was nice."

Even though the Indians ruled the day, Stuarts Draft's Lucas Moffett ruled the race, finishing first at 17:56.

The Cougars' boys squad won't be making the trip to the Region III meet, finishing fifth with 99 points. Only the top-four teams advanced to regionals.

"It feels great [to win]," Moffett said. "I wanted to win the first Southern Valley, I was hoping to take the team, but it doesn't always work out.

Through the hills of Rockbridge County, the Indians' Whitney Fulk was unstoppable. By the first mile she pulled to a 20 second lead over Lee's Courtney Moyer. By the time she reached the second-mile marker her lead was at a minute.

"This is one of my favorite courses," Fulk said "I like running in the rain. I was prepared to have to lead, but I was also prepared for people to stay with me."

Fulk finished her impressive victory at 21:24, Moyer, who was in second, finished at 22:43.

"I didn't see her for a long time, but going down the hill I finally caught a glimpse of her and was like, OK," Moyer sighed.

With Fulk out of sight, Moyer and Waynesboro's Bree Simonsen led a large pack to the chute. Simonsen finished in third with a 23:01 with teammate Vicki Andersen three seconds behind.

Simonsen's and Andersen's finishes led the Little Giants to a second-place overall finish.

"I use people in front of me to push me and I follow the person in front of me," Simonsen said. "When I pass them I just follow the next."

The Waynesboro boys also finished high enough to qualify for the region race in fourth with Michael Mowen and Edward Ennis finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

"I can't remember the last time both went at the same time," Waynesboro coach Ed Driskill said. "The motivation was Olive Garden. After the meet next week we are going to Olive Garden in Lynchburg."

Both the Lee and Waynesboro girls squads made the Region III meet along with Stuarts Draft. Rockbridge was the odd-man out in the girls race with 92 points.