Allendale's Watson ends big week with Sparta title

Sunday, September 15, 2002

By Steve Ungrey
The Grand Rapids Press
You wouldn't know it by her quiet demeanor on the cross country course, but Allendale sophomore Jaime Watson is on cloud nine right now.

Watson started the week by beating Nicole Bush, Kelloggsville's standout junior and two-time defending state champion, in Monday's O-K Silver Conference jamboree. It was the first time Watson had ever beaten Bush in cross country.

Saturday, at Sparta High School, Watson continued her hot streak by winning the Silver Division girls race, the final high school race of the day at the Sparta Invitational.

Watson obliterated the field -- and her own meet record -- by cruising to a time of 19 minutes, 8.3 seconds. She broke her own record of 19:43 set last year and finished far in front of second-place runner Mollie Ringer. The Kent City standout finished in 20:30.1.

"I feel okay, a little tired," Watson said. "I wasn't really sure who would be behind me when I finished, I didn't know if (Ringer) would be the closest."

Watson wasn't about to look back and see who was behind her, but had she looked there would have been nothing but open air. With Ringer a full minute behind, all Watson had to do was concentrate on finishing.

"Jaime's been running very tough all year long," Allendale coach Brett Cataldo said. "I think she's finally starting to reap the dividends of all that hard work she's put in this season.

East Grand Rapids also saw one of its oldest records fall as Laura Malnor sped to victory in the Gold Division race. Malnor's time of 18:15.1 tied the school record set by Heather Slay in 1988, and Slay's course mark of 18:36 became a footnote in the Pioneer history books.

"I've known for a few years I was approaching the record, so it was good to get it," Malnor said. "Hopefully I'll get a chance to break the record, this is the fastest I've run all season so things are very encouraging."

Behind a meet record from Rockford star Lindsey Stebbins, the Rams' B team took first place in the Blue Division race. Rockford's score of 27 points eclipsed that of Grandville (73) and Forest Hills Northern (93). Stebbins' time of 19:32.8 was 11 seconds faster than the old mark of 19:43, set last year by Grand Rapids Christian's Camille Medema.

One of the Eagles' records may have fallen, but Christian coach Doug Jager got to take a trophy home. Christian outscored Catholic Central 76-94 to win the Gold title in a preview of what should be a competitive City League.

Tanya Fahlen (Grant) clocked a 21:41.4 to finish first in the White Division race, which was taken by Otsego with 87 points. Otsego outdistanced Coopersville (99) and Central Montcalm (102).

In the Silver race, despite Watson's hot finish, Kent City took the overall title with 32 points, narrowly beating O-K Silver rival Allendale (46).