Area runners shine at conference meets

Posted Nov 4, 2011 by Bill Ward

Updated Nov 4, 2011 at 04:29 PM

Several local products have produced impressive results at recent college cross country conference meets, including University of Florida runners Mark Parrish (Chamberlain) and Grace Van De Grift (Durant), Amber Brooks (Middleton) and Jordan Schilit (Haverford College).

Parrish, a UF sophomore, finished third overall in the Southeastern Conference Championships, held Monday in Maryville, Tenn., in an 8-kilometer (5 miles) time of 24 minutes, 23 seconds. He was the Gators’ top finisher, beating teammate Matt Mizereck by five seconds.

That performance earned Parrish all-SEC honors and in doing so, became the Gators’ youngest male runner to finish in the top three at SEC finals since 1998. Parrish now has two top-10 overall finishes this season, one SEC Runner of the Week honor and has been UF’s No 1 or 2 man in all three meets he’s run in.

Running for the UF women at SECs, Van De Grift finished 35th overall with a 6k (3.73 miles) time of 21:51. She was the Gators’ No. 6 runner and that earned her SEC All-Freshman honors.

Brooks, a freshman at North Carolina Central University, earned all-MEAC honors by placing 15th at her conference championships. He race was a 5k, which she ran in 19:46 to finish as her team’s No. 2 finisher. She has been No. 1 for her school most of the season.

Schilit, a junior at Division III Haverford (Pa.), captured first place at a snowy Centennial Conference Championships in Newville, Pa., with a winning 8k time of 26:52. In the process, Schilit led the fords to the second straight league crown and was named conference Runner of the Week.