by Ryan Gallagher
The 2013 Mobile Challenge of Champions drew the deepest field of talent Langan Park has seen in quite a few years. With temperatures hovering in the mid-80s with ample cloud cover, over 730 runners competed for individual and team supremacy around the gulf states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In the Girls 5k Invitational Division, Fort Walton Beach stormed to the team title by placing its five scorers inside the Top 25. With 75 points, FWB easily outpaced runners-up Ocean Springs (MS.), who finished with 105. Freshman Kate Mattox of Starkville had her hands full for the duration of the 5k distance, managing to pull away late in the race for the individual title from Parkway’s (LA.) Alison Ringle in a time 18:51.25. Ringle crossed the finish line in second in 19:05.21. The state of Louisiana was well-represented in the race’s front pack as Olivia Murphy of Mandeville and Hannah Bourque of St. Thomas More also finished inside the Top 10. In final team standings, a veteran Parkway team finished 3rd, and Mandeville finished 5th, edging a young Mt. Carmel team by a slim margin, 206-208.
Following its win in the Girls Division, Fort Walton Beach completed the daily double, outdeuling Niceville (FL.) 35-56 in the boys competition. Fort Walton withstood the 1-2 punch of Thomas Howell and Nicholas Morken of Niceville by claiming the next three spots, as well as wedging its entire seven runners inside the Top 20. The race offered some intrigue after the first five runners, with Niceville and FWB claiming each of those spots, but FWB’s depth paved the way for victory over the 5k. John Curtis’s Devyn Keith earned the top local spot, crossing the line in 6th in a time of 16:47.15. Austin Brown and Christian Paz of Curtis also finished inside the Top 15. Brother Martin’s Chace Edwards finished 9th overall in a time of 17:19.35. Patrick Bernard (22) of St. Thomas More and Cobe Kirkikis (23) of Brother Martin rounded out the locals who finished inside the Top 25.
In the team standings, after Florida-based Fort Walton and Niceville claimed the top two spots, Louisiana-based John Curtis (92), Brother Martin (145), and St. Thomas More (184) rounded out the top five.
Louisiana teams and individuals fared well in the Open Divisions as well. Brother Martin won the Boys Open Division by placing five runners in the Top 20, with Dane Williams pacing the Crusaders with a 7th place finish. Mandeville’s Dylan Heck earned the individual runner-up medal with a time of 17:30.59. In the Girls Open Division, John Curtis seventh-grader Hannah Ivory finished 2nd overall in the Girls Open 5k, and Mt. Carmel finished 3rd as a team.