Hoggard Sweeps Mideastern Cross Country Championships

The Hoggard boys’ and girls’ cross country teams captured the 2008 Mideastern Conference team championships Tuesday at Hugh MacRae Park.

In the girls’ race, Jacksonville’s Ryanna Henderson and New Hanover’s Shelby Howell, pictured, ran stride for stride through much of the race, but Henderson pulled away late to finish first. White Oak’s Rachel Johnson finished behind Howell in third, just ahead of Hoggard’s top two finishers Johanna Ferebee and Natalie Lynch. Holly Ferguson was the top Laney finisher while Alex Deets led the Ashley runners. In the end, it was Hoggard claiming first with Jacksonville second, New Hanover third, White Oak fourth, Laney fifth, and Ashley sixth.

On the boys’ side, Hoggard’s Charles Wofford set a new personal record finishing the course in 16:03. Wofford was followed by a pair of Vikings, Henry Evans and Mason Boyles before Jacksonville’s Daweet Dagnachew broke up the Hoggard monopoly on the top spots. Blake Shelton took fifth for the Vikings who rolled to the conference title finishing well ahead of Jacksonville, which came in second. New Hanover took home third, White Oak fourth, Ashley fifth, Laney sixth, and West Brunswick seventh.

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT