Hardin wins, LNC sweeps regional title
Cherokee was a distant destination for Lake Norman Chaer's cross country teams last Saturday, but the 400-mile round trip paid off in the form of two 1A West Regional team championships and an individual title for LNC's Sarah Hardin.
"As long as we can bring home some hardware, it's alright," said LNC coach Craig Zamiara.
The Knights are hoping to do that this weekend as well at the 1A State Championships at Kernersville's Beeson Park. Last year, LNC took second in the girls' meet and third in the boys' championship. Zamiara expects N.C. Science and Math to be the team's top competition in the boys' championship and Bishop McGuinness to challenge the LNC girls.
"It should be interesting," said Zamiara.
The regional team title was the second consecutive for the LNC boys, who won in the MidWest last year. The LNC girls placed second in the MidWest a year ago, but were paced by Hardin and runner-up Stephanie Zaino. Hardin won with a time of 20:17.06 and ran her best race of the year, after somewhat of a running slump.
"She broke out of it," said Zamiara. "She ran how she needed to."
Zaino finished in 20:29.45, while LNC's Danielle Clark (7th, 21:33.30) and Lauren Swift (9th, 21:44.04) also finished in the top 10. Holly Miller (17th, 22:26.50) rounded out LNC's scoring. Totaling 35 points, the Lady Knights won comfortably, as runner-up Hendersonville finished with 116 points.
Michael Westbay (17:15.28) and Jordan Wallace (17:19.54) led the LNC boys to the win, finishing third and fourth overall, while LNC's Chris Hack took sixth in 17:30.90. Matt Panza (11th, 18:01.16) and Sean Kenney (13th, 18:11.97) also counted toward LNC's 37 team points. Second-place Mitchell County totaled 100 points.
Lady Pats take 2nd
Davidson Day seventh grader Melissa Zammitti took fourth overall, and the Lady Patriots placed second at the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association's 2A meet at McAlpine last Friday.
Davidson Day put its five scoring runners in the top 22 and totaled 63 points, 15 off the winning total of Cary Christian (48).
Zammitti finished in 20:01.72, while teammate Rachel Bringewatt also finished in the top 10, taking ninth in 20:28.36.
Davidson Day took sixth in the boys' championship with 182 points. Hudson Harris was the top Patriots finisher, placing 21st in 18:28.72.
Anna Landis was SouthLake Christian's top finisher in the NCISAA 3A meet, taking 33rd (21:02.36). Joe Bryant led the SouthLake boys (60th, 18:01.07).
Huskies in top 10
Hough High's cross country teams each placed in the top 10 at last weekend's 4A West Regional at Charlotte's McAlpine Greenway, and Hopewell's Nate Nash was the top local finisher, placing 29th in the boys' race (17:03).
Hough's girls finished ninth, led by the 38th-place finish of Lexi Powers (20:23). Kevin Harrow was the lead runner for the 10th-place Hough boys, taking 44th in 17:26.
Jenna Parker (53rd, 21:16) and Stephan Snyder (62nd, 17:55) led North Meck's teams, while Hopewell's girls were led by Kelly Flanders (68th, 21:47).
