By Steven Gould (November 15, 2002)

For the first time in George Mason history, both the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams will compete in the Virginia State A Championships at Great Meadow tomorrow.

Both teams finished the season with 3-1 records in the Bull Run District. For the boys, junior Andrew Montgomery came in first while his team came in second.

Senior Annie Maynard also came in first in districts and her team came in second, as both teams qualified for regional competition.
 

In regionals, Maynard came in first and Montgomery came in second overall behind Page County’s Tod Somers. Maynard’s time for the 5K race was 21.59 and Montgomery’s was 17.33. Both teams placed fourth overall, qualifying them for states. "Each year we set goals for ourselves and this year we set them high and when they announced at regionals that both teams had qualified for the state finals, we screamed so loud and long the observers must have thought we were crazy, but it was just so satisfying, especially since the Bull Run District and the Region B have clearly the toughest competition," said varsity cross country coach Julie Bravin, now in her fourth season as head coach.

Star cross country runners Andrew Montgomery and Annie Maynard will lead their teams in state competition tomorrow. (Photo by Mary Bumgarner)

The top seven runners for each team will run in the state meet and they are (in order of finish) Andrew Montgomery, Orie Bumgarner, Jonathan Byers, Casey Winzler, Chad O’Hara, Alex Baldino, and Andrew Yancey.

The girls’ team will be represented by Annie Maynard, Jessie Porzel, Kristin Schwind, Emily Walden, Mellisa Womble, Louisa Fairfax, and Maggie Pearson.

"It was a great experience," said alternate runner Pete Hamill of the regional excitement. "I’m glad that both the boys and girls made it to states this year."