Alabama transfer Graves proves rumors true and legitimacy in win at Run Fer Da Hills

BRISTOL, TN -- Plenty of rumors had been circulating over the summer about Griff Graves, a talented high school freshmen in Alabama last year who ran a 9:30 3200 and 15:39 5K, had transferred to Group AA\'s Abingdon High School in Southwest Virginia. Well the rumors became truth at the Run Fer Da Hills Invitational as Griff Graves proved his legitimacy as a strong favorite to win this year\'s Group AA state crown as he defeated one of Southwest Virginia and Group AA\'s best in Christiansburg senior John Horst with a winning time of 15:41 on the challenging three mile course in Bristol, Tennessee. Horst finished 11 seconds behind Graves with a solid clocking of 15:52. Graves\' time was one second slower than current Georgetown University runner and Marion High School alumn Fleet Hower ran in 2001. Hower would go onto become a Footlocker All-American in that same season.

Graves also has made the Abingdon squad suddenly a team to look out for in Group AA as the Abingdon boys (48 pts) won the team title at Run Fer Da Hills by ten points over Tennessee school Daniel Boone (58 pts). Including Graves, Abingdon had four runners in the top 13 with Nathan McMurray (4th, 16:49), Alex Carmack (9th, 17:02), and Tanner Cummings (13th, 17:12). The Abingdon will only get stronger as Cummings continues to regain form as he has only trained for a month since healing from a skiing accident last winter that knocked him out for the entire track season. Cummings has ran 16:05 for 3 miles and 16:59 for 5000 meters.

Jefferson Forest\'s Lisa McPherson won the girls\' race in a time of 19:25. The senior won the race by a 25 second margin over Stephanie Davenport (19:50). of University High from Tennessee. McPherson\'s teammate Donna Bryant took third place honors in a time of 20:14, but the strong front two was not enough for the Lady Cavaliers to walk away with the team title as they finished in second place with a 57 point team total. Tennessee\'s Science Hill won with a team score of 47 points.

Gate City\'s Ashton Bishop, a possible contender for the state crown in Group A, collapsed midway through the race in top 5 position when she reaggravated a previous hip injury. She had to be taken away in an ambulance. Hopefully her injury is not too serious and she can return to form later this season.