Bartels, Brentsville are tops

Two minutes prior to beginning the Evergreen District girls’ cross country race, Allison Bartels put in a final practice run. She ran several feet past the start line before returning to share a laugh with her teammates before the race began.
Then the look on the Brentsville senior’s face turned serious as she and her teammates awaited the firing of the gun for the start.
“We wanted to win this,” Bartels said.
That they did with Bartels leading the way. Led by Bartels’ victory in a personal-best 18:36, the Tigers placed seven runners in the top 15 to score 24 points and win the district title.
Brentsville’s boys’ team followed with a team title in its race, led by Corey Scott (fifth) and Matt Earman (sixth).
No female runner tested Bartels. Second-place finisher and Brentsville teammate Morgan Price finished in 19:12, but Bartels held a wide lead for the majority of the race.
“When we came around the soccer field, right around the two-mile mark, I saw where the rest of my team was,” Bartels said. “It was open, so you could see everything.
“I saw how far back my teammates were and where they were in relation to each other. That’s when I really felt in control.”
Brentsville coach Rob Dulin and numerous spectators cheered Bartels on. A group of spectators watched Bartels as she ran the course with no problem.
“Oh my God,” said a spectator when she noticed Bartels’ lengthy lead.
Bartels entered the race having dwelled for a year on a second place finish at the 2008 district meet.
“I was so upset with myself,” Bartels said. “I let myself get outkicked last year. I was so angry. I was not going to let that happen again.”
The finish, one week before Bartels won the Region II title, forced her to work on improving her foot speed.
On Tuesday, Bartels ran calmly after a solid start and crossed the finish line where her parents and other Brentsville supporters were to congratulate her on her first Evergreen title.
She greeted each with a smile.
“I’m really happy,” Bartels said.
A 53-point total from Brentsville’s boys’ team allowed the Tigers to edge Fauquier by four.
Gabe Lassiter (eighth), Jared Broemmel (ninth), Steven Filler (12th), Nick Allen (13th) and Trevor DeLigne (14th) followed Earman’s and Scott’s finishes.
“It was a solid day,” Earman said. “Our teams stayed reasonably close to each other. All we had to work on was getting better at the finish.”
Nokesville Park is where Brentsville trains throughout the season.
While knowing the course’s challenges has come naturally to Brentsville’s runners, a rain shower covered the course during the boys’ race.
Still, the inclement weather did not bother Earman and his teammates, whose next race is the Nov. 3 Region II meet.
“The rain is our favorite thing to run in,” Earman said. “Bad weather is good weather for us.”