By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It was a small field of only a dozen young boys competing in the Middle School 3,200 meter cross country race on Oct. 5, held in conjunction with the 3A/4A Northwestern Conference “Pre Conference” event at Watauga High School.
A pair of Tailwinds Track Club athletes took top honors, led by sixth grader Sean Rea, who finished a full minute in front of 7th grade teammate Samuel Twigg and another half minute ahead of a trio of Watauga Middle School district team harriers, all recording the same time in Andres Roman, Kent Windmueller, and Brian Newmark.
Young Rea may have some distance running in his DNA, as father Pete Rea was a standout distance runner in high school as well as in college at the University of Connecticut. Rea’s mother, Zika, was an elite marathon runner in her prime running years.
According to Pete Rea, his son ran his first competitive race only a couple of weeks ago against older competition in the High Country Classic on Sept. 25, run on much the same course.
1 Rea, Sean M6 Tailwinds 7:01 13:56 1
2 Twigg, Samuel M7 Tailwinds 7:32 14:58 2
3 Roman, Andres M8 Watauga Middle 7:49 15:32 3
4 Windmueller, Kent M6 Watauga Middle 7:49 15:32 4
5 Newmark, Brian M8 Watauga Middle 7:49 15:32 5
6 Dailey, Sawyer M5 Unattached 8:03 15:59
7 Abrams, Tallon M6 Watauga Middle 8:05 16:05 6
8 Gates, Grady M8 Watauga Middle 8:06 16:05 7
9 Masland, Camden M8 Tailwinds 8:26 16:45 8
10 Dixon, Mike M6 Tailwinds 8:36 17:06 9
11 Eller, James M5 Unattached 8:48 17:30
12 Morrison, Koen M6 Tailwinds 9:26 18:44 10
