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Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Month: Laurel Engh
In shape for wrestling, Engh is on the run
By Ray Finefrock
Special to Culpeper Times
EDITOR’S NOTE: Culpeper Times is selecting an “Athlete of the Month” in each high school sport during the course of the school year. The latest sport to be recognized is girls cross-country.
A wrestler is one of the top runners on the Eastern View High School girls cross-country team.
Laurel Engh, 15, is in her first year running for the Cyclones. Her ability and leadership has led to her being named an “Athlete of the Month.”
“Laurel is as tough as nails,” said coach Paul Lutz. “What impressed me the most about her was when she was out of town the first couple of weeks of practice and we were communicating by e-mail she was doing workouts on her own.
“The first day she came to practice the total mood of the team changed. It wasn’t anything specific that she said or did…it was just her being there. She has a presence about her.”
Lutz said because of Engh’s leadership ability she was “the best choice for captain even though it’s her first year.”
Cross-country, though, was originally a means to an end.
“The reason I came out at first was to get in shape for wrestling,” said Engh, one of a small group of girls who compete on local high school boys’ wrestling teams during that season. “I got out here and liked it so I stuck with it.”
Engh said she also runs track, “the 400 and a couple of relays.”
As a sophomore, Engh is part of what in 2012 will be the first group of students that graduates from EVHS without ever having gone to Culpeper County High School.
“CCHS is just like any other meet on our schedule for me,” Engh said. “I never went there so it’s not like I try extra hard to beat them. Our team wants to do our best and to win every meet.
“I went to Culpeper Middle School and I’m glad to be at Eastern View. I really like my teachers and the coaches are awesome.”
Engh said the toughest part of her training is doing repeat miles or hills.
“But even then I enjoy being with my friends,” she said. I just like to run.”
Engh said she has four younger brothers – Thomas and Jared, 13; Ty, 10 and Jex, 5 months – and a nine-year-old sister, Katelyn.
Lutz said he thinks Engh will soon better the 26:10 she ran on the 3.1-mile course against Courtland. She almost equaled that time in a four-way meet ?which included CCHS ?last week finishing in 14th place at 26:17.
"Laurel can probably take two to two-and-a-half minutes off her best time,” Lutz said. “She’s still learning what the sport is about and how hard to push her body.
"We have a young team. There is no pressure or expectations. Our aim is to improve every week. Then we’ll have a successful season.”
Engh, who hopes to major in marine biology in college, said she was pleased to be named “Athlete of the Month.”
"It’s kind of nice to be recognized,” she said. “It seems like it’s always the football players that you hear about.”
NOTE: CCHS coach Justin Harding nominated Brooke Malloy, also a 15-year-old sophomore, as the Blue Devilette runner to be recognized. She is a co-captain for her team.
"Her work ethic is superb across the board,” Harding said. “She comes every day ready to train hard and always gives 100 percent. Her best time is 23:12, but my goal for her is to be in the 21-minute range.
Malloy plays soccer in addition to running cross-country.
"I like to run, it keeps me in good shape for soccer,” she said. “I can run circles around people during our games.”
Malloy said she hopes to go to the University of North Carolina and major in sports medicine. She has two younger brothers, Brent, 15, and Ryan, 11.
Cross country really pushes me to the limit,” she said. “I’m gonna try my best to hit 21 minutes this season.”
Finefrock can be reached at: Ranger1933@msn.com
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