It was a big day for Elizabethton junior Ethan Fields Thursday during the Region 1-A/AA Cross Country Meet at Daniel Boone High School.
For the first time in his high school career, Fields qualified for the TSSAA State A/AA Cross Country meet after finishing ninth during Thursday’s race as he crossed the finish line with a time of 18:29.5.
“It is amazing,” said Fields. “I have wanted to go since my freshman year.
“I was real worried about it at first,” Fields continued. “I wasn’t feeling too good this morning. But when I got out there the drive kicked in, and I knew I had to do it.”
At the 800 meters mark, Fields said he kicked it into high gear and tried to pass anybody that was in his way.
“I had to go this year,” Fields said about qualifying for state. “It pushed me. That last 800 meters those guys were right out in front of me, and I knew that I had to get them.”
Before Thursday’s meet, EHS cross country head coach Mark Newman knew that Fields had it in him to make the top ten.
“I was looking at the virtual meet last night for Ethan and he was 11th, and I knew with him being at 11th that he could do it if he pushed himself,” Newman said. “I told the guys that at the 800-meter mark that they are good to go, and they are to pass everybody in front of them. He had two guys in front of him, and he did it right there.”
The Cyclones took sixth place overall with 167 points as Greeneville finished first with 45 points and University High took second with 51 points.
EHS junior Corbin Hazelwood came in 20th with a time of 19:23.7 while his teammates freshman Nicolas Street (20:30.9) came in 39th and Logan Bradley (20:40.7) crossed at 45th.
The Happy Valley Warriors took 13th with 329 points. The Warriors were paced by senior Tristan Morley, who came in 51st with a time of 20:57.9.