Injured leg guts it out for Blacksburg 4xMile

Based on their 1-2-4-5 finish at the state meet a few weeks ago where they averaged a 5:01 mile, Blacksburg (VA) was considered a strong favorite to win the 4x1 mile relay at the nationals.

But that all changed a week and a half ago when a foot injury to relay member Emily Beatty forced the junior to resort to an elliptical machine this past week leading up to the big meet. That left head coach James DeMarco and his team with a difficult decision this Saturday.

The doctors gave her the okay to compete, but would it effect the team’s chances at a team title.

“You got to be careful in crossing that line on being courageous or being smart” DeMarco said. “You got to think what is best for the team.”

After a brief, three-minute run outside the Armory to test the tender foot, it was decided by the Blacksburg coach that his runner could at least run about 5:20, which would still be enough for a possible win.

Beatty ran close to that projected clocking with a 5:23 for her opening leg. Her gutsy effort along with a blistering anchor from junior Bonnie Angermeier enabled Blacksburg to take home the championship with a winning time of 20 minutes, 28.56 seconds.

Angermeier uncorked a PR of 4:56 for her final leg to make up a six-second deficit with 800-meter remaining to pass front-running Hailey Dougherty of Oakton (VA) with a half-lap remaining en route to the crown. Oakton placed second in 10:34.05. Unionville (PA) was third at 20:40.10.

“She’s got a real crazy kick,” DeMarco said. ‘She doesn’t have a lot of speed but when she gets tired she can kick at another level. She kicked her down and got the win for us.”

Angermeier, who won the mile at the VHSL Group 3A State Indoor T & F Championships on Feb. 1 with a 4:59 effort, felt she had a chance to catch Dougherty.

“I ran 4:59 at states and I was happy with that. I had it in the back of my mind that I could do a little better,” she said. “I had no idea how fast I was running just kept looking up at the girl in front of me. She pulled me through the race and I probably couldn’t have done that time without her.”

Blacksburg was behind the leaders by more than half a lap after the first leg and moved to fourth with its third leg. Junior Jen Fleming and senior Claire Ewing-Nelson made up some ground with strong legs in the low five-minute range.

It was then that Angermeier went to work to eventually reel in Dougherty and kick to the finish for the win.

“I really started gaining on her around the 400,” she said. “I guess there I was thinking, ‘This is nationals, this is where it ends, I have to leave everything out there.’ We had a dream this would be a special year….Having us all three together we always had the dream of the mile, and it happened today.”