Neville: A glance at cross country, football

OK, I’ll be the first to admit it. I am not a runner! I’ll run if I have a ball in my hand or trying to get a hit in baseball or softball but as far as just running, I’m sorry it’s not my cup of tea.

I do have a great deal of admiration and respect for cross-country runners and track and field athletes. On Oct. 23, the Commonwealth District cross-country meet was held. The Mountain View High School boys repeated as district champs while the Mountain View girls dethroned four-time district champ Colonial Forge High School.

Kaitlyn Davis led the Wildcat girls. Davis, who transferred to Stafford County from North Carolina last summer, covered the course in less than 19 minutes and looked like she could run another 10 miles. She said she feels the Wildcats can be a force at the upcoming Northwest Region meet in Charlottesville.

“Were really wanting to go to states”, she told me after the district meet. “We’re going to be runners in that state meet. That’s our goal.”

The Mountain View boys are the defending Northwest Region champs and should do well again. This Friday’s high school football game at Mountain View versus Colonial Forge should be a good one. Colonial Forge currently sits atop the district standings but Mountain View is just one game back.

The Wildcats toppled North Stafford 42-14 on Oct. 24. It was Mountain View’s third straight win. Colonial Forge has reeled off six straight wins after opening the season with two losses.

Mountain View’s season turned around Oct. 10 when it upended Brooke Point High School. Senior Cameron Peele said that win over the Black-Hawks changed the mood of the team.

“That win turned everything around” said Peele, who had three interceptions against North Stafford.

He added: “Everything’s been clicking. We became a team that night.”

By the way, those people who thought Brooke Point’s season might spiral downward after losing running back Chase Barnett to a season-ending injury might want to rethink the Black-Hawks situation. Senior Brian Hudson threw a pair of touchdown passes and Gershom Reed scored two rushing touchdowns as Brooke Point torched Albemarle 42-7 on Oct. 24.

Mike Neville is sports director at the local Comcast cable channel. Contact him at info@stafford countysun.com.