Loudoun County High School junior Patrick Joseph crossed the finish line at the Great Meadow course in 15 minutes, 49 seconds to earn a third-place individual finish at the Virginia AA cross-country championships Nov. 12 in The Plains.

Joseph’s strong finish helped the Raiders’ boys team place fourth.  Skyline runner Thomas Madden (15:33) won the individual title and Blacksburg High School claimed the team crown.

“I was thrilled with Patrick placing third,” Raiders coach Courtney Campbell stated. “He has worked hard this season. I know that he is super competitive and is never satisfied with anything other than first, but he ran well.”

Along with Joseph, Josh Showalter (16:47), Bruce McIntosh (17:04), Ben Heberling (17:10) and Matt Gambogi (17:12) also factored in the Raiders’ fourth-place finish. Loudoun County placed third in the team standings in 2010.

Potomac Falls – paced by Stephen Cathey (16:57) in 47th place – finished 12th in the boys standings. Woodgrove’s Evan McCarthy (16:18) produced a 13th place individual finish.

Three Loudoun school placed among the top 11 teams in the girls race. Potomac Falls led the way in sixth place, followed by Woodgrove in seventh and Heritage placed 11th.

Similar to the boys, Blacksburg won the girls team title. Hidden Valley’s Carolyn Bethel (18:13) crossed the finish line first individually.

The Panthers placed a pair of girls in the top 50 as Sarah Dillistin (19:19) finished 13th and MacKenzie Barclay (20:14) was 46th.

The Wolverines were led by Audrey Houghton (19:46) and Lydia Cromwell (19:54), who placed 24th and 30th respectively. Leila Kouame (20:37) paced the Pride in 71st place.

Tuscarora’s Natalie Rosas (19:32) earned a 20th place individual finish, while Loudoun County’s Kathryn Eder (19:56) finished 33rd.

A pair of local runners – Brady Guertin of Stone Bridge and Thorpe Lichtenberg of Freedom – placed among the top 50 boys in the Virginia AAA meet.

Guertin (16:27) finished 28th and Lichtenberg (16:37) was 41st individually.

Group AA

-Boys Team
4. Loudoun County (146)
12. Potomac Falls (273)

-Boys Top 50
3. Patrick Joseph (LC) 15:49
13. Evan McCarthy (W) 16:18
31. Josh Showalter (LC) 16:47
47. Stephen Cathey (PF) 16:57

-Girls Team
6. Potomac Falls (204)
7. Woodgrove (214)
11. Heritage (295)

-Girls Top 50
13. Sarah Dillistin (PF) 19:19
20. Natalie Rosas (T) 19:32
24. Audrey Houghton (W) 19:46
30. Lydia Cromwell (W) 19:54
33. Kathryn Eder (LC) 19:56
46, MacKenzie Barclay (PF) 20:14

Group AAA

-Boys Top 50
28. Brady Guertin (SB) 16:27
41. Thorpe Lichtenberg (F) 16:37

-All photos by Rick Wasser