Taylor, Bruner and Steadman logged miles, reap rewards

Published 9:02 pm Saturday, December 17, 2005

Northwest Whitfield’s Shelley Taylor could feel the shooting pain in her side. What was supposed to be one last glory run turned into one of agony and attrition — a quest simply to complete the journey she started four years ago.

“I just wanted to finish,” Taylor said.

Vying for her second state title in three years, Taylor fell short in the Class 4A championship meet in Carrollton. Suffering an abdominal muscle cramp mid-race, the senior fell from third to 10th and then tumbled to 25th overall — still the highest placing for any area runner.

Even in what she labels “my most disappointing season,” Taylor stood head and shoulders above her peers. For her achievements and gutty finale, she’s been named The Daily Citizen’s Female Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Northwest’s Larken Logan, Sydney Bowman and Carisma Pendley and Dalton’s Julie Fryre also earned berths on the All-Area team.

Dalton senior John Bruner and Northwest freshman Leighton Steadman share the honors for Male Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Bruner placed fifth at the Region 7-4A meet, posting his best ever time (17:07). Steadman led the Bruins to a better team finish at state than any Region 7-4A squad, individually placing 29th in 17:36. They are joined on the All-Area squad by Northwest’s Thomas Chavalia and Kyle Keener and Dalton’s Luis Barajas.

Taylor’s senior season was wracked with illness and finally besieged by the side stitch, but she was able to notch a personal superlative in between. On Oct. 25 at Rome’s Ridge Ferry, Taylor completed her career best effort in the five-kilometer run, finishing at 18:30.

Bound to run for coach Bill Gautier’s perennially strong women’s cross country team at Tennessee-Chattanooga, Taylor leaves Northwest having blazed a trail of success and example.

“She’s the best runner in Northwest Georgia,” said her coach Mike Durham, who stepped down from his post after 12 seasons. “She’s a very, very hard worker. She always put the time in and was very dedicated to the sport.”

Bruner estimates having logged 800 miles over the hot summer, usually the time when great cross country runners are forged. He also trained with Chris Layman, a former distance runner for Chico State.

“I’ve been able to be consistent,” said Bruner, who is weighing interest from Winthrop, Gardner-Webb, Erskine and Jacksonville State. “Being on cross country teams that went to state three times was a really nice thing.”

Dalton coach Joey Fitzgerald credited Bruner with “taking runners under his wing” and setting the course.

“John was absolutely the leader of our team,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s the hardest working runner I’ve ever been around, and just a great guy, too.”

Steadman has three years to blaze a path of distinction. He’s already set goals for his sophomore campaign.

“I plan to run 15:40 or better next year,” he said. “I think I could have done better at state. It was a pretty tough course with a lot of hills. Really up and down. It was tough.”

Durham credited his runners — seven of which made the team — for the clarity of purpose they exhibited in a sport as physically and mentally challenging as cross country.

“What most athletes do for punishment, they do for fun,” he said. “They’re running 60-70 miles a week. They understand it’s going to hurt, it’s going to be painful, but that you’re not going to be a good runner without the dedication.”

Logan finished 38th overall at state after a season in which she missed time due to a back injury suffered while lifting weights. Pendley placed 87th and Bowman 124th.

Fryre was the Lady Cats’ leading runner for most of the season, topping Dalton runners with an 18th place finish at region and 127th at state.

For the boys, Barajas had the second-best time for any runner at state with a 17:59, good enough for 46th. Chavalia placed 59th and Northwest’s Keener 91st.

Receiving honorable mention for the girls are Murray County’s McKinsi Lents, Southeast’s Jessica Evans, Dalton’s Elizabeth Callaway and Northwest’s Danielle Miller.

Murray’s Justin Ridley, Southeast’s Jacob Brown, Dalton’s Deal Atwell and Northwest’s Tanner Baker earned honorable mention for the boys.

The team is compiled by The Daily Citizen sports staff with nominations from area coaches.