The Rattler Run was an opportunistic place to rattle the competition with a record. Feeling the effects of cooler temperatures coupled with the confidence of a progressive training routine, Mansfield’s Megan Rose ran. And, boy was it fast!
Clicking off the first mile of a 3.1 mile race in 6 minutes and 1 second, Rose was on fire from the start. Seeing her round the second mile in 6 minutes and 12 seconds, witnesses knew that October 10 was about to be special day for one Lady Tiger at the Magazine Rattler Run.
“I knew she was really moving,” said John Mackey, Mansfield’s track and cross country coach on Rose’s historic run. “Megan was just pulling away from the Greenland girl with every step. You could see it on her face. Nothing was gonna slow her down this day.”
The college recruit slammed the competition with an amazing total time of 19:42.00 for the win. It was the fastest time of Rose’s career and the second fastest registered class 3A time in the state this season.
Ellison Hill, a state contender from Greenland, kept falling behind and could not keep pace. The Pirate senior settled for second with a runner-up mark of 20:36.00.
“It was so special to watch,” smiled Mackey. “It was the fastest time for a Mansfield girl in a long time maybe ever. I know Hannah (Holstein) won state in 2012 with a 20:45.8. I believe she ran a 19 something at Acorn that year but I’d have to look it up to see the exact time.”
Rose ran great on that Tuesday but so did her teammates. Lennon Woods, who was injured earlier in the year, ran a season best at 23:59.09. Corrina Wesley and Natalie Brewer checked in a second apart with their second best marks (25:05 and 25:06) of the season.
“The temperature was around 61 degrees when the gun fired,” explained the coach. “It was jacket weather for most of us but the runners were loving it.”
Not to be outdone, the Tiger men found the motivation to run fast as well. Devon Pyles and Joris Felius ran 18:47 and 18:49 respectively. Both finished the 5K race with personal records.
“It was good to see the two Tigers running with ease,” commented Mackey on his senior boy runners. “That ranks them in the top three in the conference. It should make for an interesting district finals.”
In the junior girls division, Mansfield got medal production from McKenzie Griffin and Olive Bouse. The pair went 7th and 10th place respectively in the 1A-3A grouping. Along with Faith Rainwater, Harleigh Mars, and Jadellyn Wood the first five Tigers amassed enough points to take home a second place team plaque.
On the younger men’s team, Mansfield was shut out for the first time this season. There were 197 boys running in the junior high race at Magazine.
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