Silver lining at Wormwood scrubs & report from the last Kent league match.
The cross country is just about over (still one school event remaining). Again the juniors have brought silverware to the club with two outstanding achievements. With Southern relays silver in the U17 men and in the Kent league not unexpectly we retain the most improved club trophy – 1st time I believe it has be won by a club on consecutive occasions.
Wormwood scrubs, Southern relays
We took a much reduced team than planned, unfortunately Katie Hyde’s injury on the previous Thursday we lost the planned U15 girls team. But on the first reasonable day weather,
With the junior boys steadily improving throughout the season and our strength in depth we knew we would be competitive and we started superbly. In the under 17men Lewis Elsey started off with a fine run brining us in 3rd, Adam Willis kept us in this position it then passed to Tom Wright who then proceeded to close then pass the second placed Tonbridge runner. This gave us silver meddle in amongst the top teams and only 18 seconds off the winner. We must not forget Joe Gunton due to illness and non-availability we did not get a 2nd full team out, and Joe had to run on his own, being the great clubman he had a very respectable run.
Our under 13 boys next, suspecting they were probably the youngest team, they had a very fine run. Harry Jarvis first off, taken up by Mitchell Horne who passed to Robert Lawrence giving us a very creditable performance of 22nd.
The Under 15 next with two teams, Nick Armstrong, Andre Stone & Billy Somogyi brought the team in 6th, not that far behind was our next team of Joseph O’Hara, Lewis Cailes & Luke Francis sprinting in to give us a 11th placing Lewis doing very well running above his age group, both teams well up the field.
We must remember all of today’s under 17 & fewer than 13 runners are available to run this age group next year. Nick & Billy going up age group to U17 will make them even stronger, with Joseph & Andre remaining in the U15’s with Lewis Cails and Luc Legon added – The future’s Orange
It was unfortunate we did not any Girl’s teams out injuries and other comments playing their part. We do send all our best wishes to Katie on her unfortunate accident on Thursday night and hope for a speedy return,
Senior Men
One team only, Jon Armstrong put us well up the field, Tom Clench again kept us in the top half, and then some damage litigation with Richard Long and Kevin Winch doing our best to keep us up the field, a final placing off 17th was not to bad especially when you think several teams did not have last leg runners.
Parkwood School
My thanks to Phil Mathieson & Ellen Brown who took team mangers role for this rearranged match at Swanley. Sadly we had a much reduced entry for this day, best performance from Paul Smyth in 28th, followed by Phil Mathieson 75th & John Gates 77th.
The ladies, a fine debut for Kristina Mikalauskiene in 11th then Geraldine Legon 40th, Tracey Stone 42nd & Wendy Somogyi 43rd.
But we did not go away empty handed as we retained the most improved club trophy for the junior men & boy’s, a very successful season for the youngster with several individual medals inc a Kent champ. The boys teams never finished below 3rd in the league, at the Bexley schools also apart from the odd exception it was the lads from the club that brought the borough two team gold’s & one silver.
You can view the full results from the Kent league and county championship on the Dartford harrier’s website, http://www.dartfordharriersac.co.uk/ our thanks to the members of the harriers for organising the Kent league.
Kevin Winch