Surprise leader for Panthers cross country squad

Posted Sep 10, 2009 by Bill Ward

Updated Sep 10, 2009 at 11:10 PM

It’s still early in the 2009 cross country season—the county’s first meets take place Tuesday—but the Plant Panthers have a surprise No. 1 runner following their time trial held Thursday evening on Bayshore Boulevard.

Covering coach Roy Harrison’s three-mile, out-and-back course the fastest was sophomore Molly Harry, who ran a time of 20 minutes, 8 seconds. Although this ias Harry’s first cross country season, she was something of a known commodity because of her performances in track last spring, where she ran a 3,200 best of 12:18. She’s also a member of the Plant girls varsity basketball team, where she plays guard.

“She’s got a lot of potential, that’s for sure,” Harrison said of Harry. “She’s competitive, too.”

The surprises kept coming after Harry. Freshman Caroline Gibson was second in 20:23, junior Lizzie Goodwin, an all-county performer last fall, has been bothered lately with chest congestion and was third in 20:42, another freshman, Julie Rodriguez, who is also a standout tennis player, was fourth (20:43), sophomores Kara Halfaker (20:44) was fifth, sixth went to junior Stephanie Choate (20:45) and rounding out the varsity sevenv for the Panthers was sophomore Danielle Kissel (20:47).

Senior Kayla Kennedy, Plant’s usual No. 1 runner—and the Tampa Tribune’s Runner of the Year last season—was eighth in 21:35. She has been sidelined late this summer with knee problems but appears to be over the worst of the nagging injury and has returned to training. But for now, Kennedy will not be part of the varsity seven that competes Tuesday in Plant’s season-opening meet at Al Lopez Park. She’ll have to run her way into the top seven by turning in a faster time in the JV race that day.

“There’s a lot of new faces out there,” said Harrison, who has guided Plant to a state-record eight state crowns. “It’s going to be an interesting season.”

Photo: Plant sophomore Molly Harry, shown here during track season earlier this year, was the winner of the Panthers’ three-mile time trial Thursday evening. Photo by Bill Ward.