Runner Brahim impresses at meet as Bishops target strong finish

Another major meet, another memorable performance by Bishop England High School cross-country standout Nora Brahim.

 

Brahim, who won the Class AA individual state championship last fall, fared well in Saturday’s Bob Jenkins Coaches Classic, which was contested at The Farm Cross Country Course in Newberry, South Carolina.

 

The junior finished fourth in the International Division of the meet with a time of 18 minutes and 44.99 seconds over the 5-kilometer course. While her time is almost 20 seconds slower than last year’s championship run, her times are going to come down just like the fall temperature.

 

“Nora ran a great race at Coaches Classic,” BE coach Tony Colizzi said. “She ran a very tactical race. She controlled her first mile and then attacked the second and third miles. At the half-mile mark into the race, she was around 50th place; she then worked her way through the field over the next 2.6 miles.

 

“By the time she reached the finish line, she had moved up to fourth place overall,” he continued. “This was her best race of the season. And she is very confident going into the rest of the season.”

 

The Bishops, who are now competing at the Class AAAA level, finished in 12th place in the girls’ standings, while the boys team held down the 27th position in a meet that featured 37 teams and some of the toughest competition in the Palmetto State.

 

The Bishop girls are ranked No. 2 behind region foe Bluffton High School in the latest poll. The boys check in at No. 5.

 

”The Coaches Classic meet is always great competition,” said Colizzi. “We use the meet as a gauge to determine how our season is going. The meet allows us to compete against all of the top teams in our division, so it gives us an idea of where we stand versus our competition.

 

“The meet course is also the site of our state meet, so competing there allows the athletes to get familiar with a very challenging course.” the coach added. “Based on the way the teams competed this weekend, they should have great performances during the championship portion of the season.”

 

The upcoming Region 6-AAAA championships could be a harbinger of championships to come. The girls team will be striving to inch up to the No. 1 position, while the boys also have a chance to move up the ladder, as three of the four teams ranked above them reside in Region 6-AAAA.

 

“So, we will get another chance to compete against them before the state meet,” Colizzi said.

 

In addition to Brahim, Grace Buss finished in 62nd place for the Bishop girls, while Siena D’Agostino was 99th, Caroline Wilson 103rd, and Katie Cheverie 107th.

 

Marc Brahim led the Bishop boys with a 41st-place finish. Jackson Muller was 88th, Ben Huntington 174th, Jude Asmer 183rd, and Andrew Curl was 184th.

 

Both teams are young but talented.

 

The girls’ varsity team includes a middle school runner, a freshman, a sophomore, and four juniors.

 

The boys’ varsity roster includes a freshman, three sophomores, two juniors, and a senior.