Relaxed Hawkins enjoys final state XC race
Drew Hawkins met one goal when he ran his final high school cross country race.
During an Oct. 27 interview, the Hardin-Central senior said he aimed to “have fun” running at Class 1 state boys competition the morning of Nov. 3 at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia. When interviewed the night of Nov. 3 during halftime of the Norborne Hardin-Central vs. Southwest/Hale/Tina-Avalon 8-man football playoff game (see related story), Hawkins suggested he had done so.
“(I) just kind of enjoyed the course, … kind of soaked everything in,” Hawkins said.
The energy of state competition helped make the 3.1-mile course enjoyable for Hawkins. So did the terrain.
“(There aren’t) too many hills – and, of course, I think most runners enjoy a flat course,” he said.
Another goal, however, eluded the threetime state qualifier. As the Richmond News reported last week, Hawkins aimed to crack the 19-minute mark at state. Officially, his time was 19:53.2 – good for 122nd among 170 finishers. For…