The Porter-Gaud boys cross country team pursues an elusive state championship when the SCISA state meets are contested today at the Heathwood Hall campus in Columbia.
The Cyclones have come close with some third-place finishes, and suffered a heartbreaking two-point loss to St. Joseph's (Greenville) last fall. St. Joseph's and Porter-Gaud should contend for the crown today.
"The boys know it. You don't have to explain what happened or what's at stake. They know how close we came last year and how close it could be this year," coach Hugh Knight said. "The boys' chances of winning are quite good. In fact, it's pretty much dead even. We haven't raced them head to head or run on a common course, but the top five averages are pretty close. Whoever has the best day will win."
The Class AAA girls race starts at 9 a.m., and the boys starting time is 9:45 a.m. The girls Class AA-A race is scheduled for 10:45 a.m., and the boys will run at 11:20 a.m.
Porter-Gaud has a young team and could get a boost from an old veteran. Marshall Vingi was all-state last year, but has been slowed by injuries this fall. He's finally healthy and ready to compete today.
The Cyclones' top five runners include two eighth-graders, two sophomores and a senior, so the future is promising. The eighth-graders are Brent Demarest and Brendan Ward. The sophomores are Layne Mather and Bradley McClelland. The senior is Wesley Mather, who was all-state last year.
Knight said his team has used the collegiate approach this season, which includes fewer, but more prestigious meets. "We've run against some of the top public schools and have had longer breaks between meets. We tried to be smarter with our training. We ran more miles early and tapered. The kids know what to expect when they step up to the starting line."
St. Joseph's, which won the Greenville County meet, is the team to beat in the girls race. Ashley Hall and Hammond should battle for second place.
Reach Philip M. Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com or 937-5592.
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