SHS girls ready for state meet  Friday, November 07, 2008 By ERIC WINKELMAN Item Sports Writer ewinkelman@theitem.com After placing fifth in the 4A lower state qualifying meet Saturday at James Island County Park in Charleston, the Sumter High School girls cross country team is preparing to travel to the Sandhills Research Center in Columbia to run in the 4A state meet Saturday at 10 a.m. "I want the girls to run well, and I want them to be satisfied with how they run," said SHS head coach Diane Raabe. The other lower state teams that will join Sumter in the state meet are Wando, Summerville, Stratford, Carolina Forest and James Island. The Midlands teams participating are Dutch Fork, Irmo, Lexington, Aiken and Spring Valley and the upper state teams are Spartanburg, Mauldin, Fort Mill, Dorman, Nation Ford, Boiling Springs and Northwestern. According to Raabe, Sumter isn't quite up to challenging some of the lower state teams like Wando and Summerville, which placed first and second in the qualifier, respectively. But Raabe said she thinks the Lady Gamecocks have a chance of striking back against region foe Carolina Forest, which finished a few points ahead of Sumter in the qualifier. "It would be nice to beat Carolina Forest because they are in our region and they beat us in our region," Raabe said. "I'd like to turn around and beat them in the state meet." The Lady Gamecocks are also having to go up against upper state teams like Spartanburg and Mauldin. Raabe is trying to keep the Lady Gamecocks positive, however, and is confident that her top runner, Clarricia Golden, will do well. "I'm feeling positive for the girls because they're excited," said Raabe. "Clarricia Golden has a good chance of placing in the top 20 when we're there." Sumter No. 2 runner Molly McCarthy and No. 3 runner Courtney King have been pushing each other and Golden all season, Golden said. Celeste Workman, Sarah Smith and Rebecca Fudger will be pushing for position to lower the team score. "I'm definitely nervous about it only because I feel I have to represent Sumter High," said Golden. "I hope to place well at state." Golden, however, feels that she will be able to pull off a great performance Saturday. "I'm pretty confident I'm going to do well," she said. "I just need to concentrate on narrowing my time." (full story)

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