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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us October 28, 2005 Prep Cross Country Hemphill does it all at AHS Accomplished distance runner leads Grizzlies into SOC district meet By Kris Henry For the Tidings Ashland cross country coach Robert Julian isn’t one to single out a link in a chain that has the Grizzlies favored to win the final Southern Oregon Conference girls team championship, but Natalie Hemphill is special. Special for what she does for the girls team as its lead runner; special for what she does when she’s not tearing through the terrain. ASHLAND HIGH SENIOR DISTANCE runner Natalie Hemphill leads the Grizzlies into this weekend’s final Southern Oregon Conference district meet, Saturday at Riverforks Park in Roseburg. Daily Tidings file photo In Julian’s estimation, Hemphill is as much of a complete student-athlete as you will find. The 17-year-old senior boasts a top time of 18 minutes, 22 seconds in the 5,000-meter event, making her the prohibitive favorite to claim her first — and the SOC’s final — individual championship when teams toe the line Saturday at Riverforks Park in Roseburg. The girls race begins at noon, with the boys going off at 12:30 p.m. Hemphill is also drum major and vice president for the Ashland High band, president of the National Honor Society, past president of the International Club and plays the euphonium in the symphonic band at Southern Oregon University. She also carries a 3.93 grade-point average (thanks to two regretful Bs in advanced classes her freshman year) and has designs on majoring in chemistry in college with a focus toward pre-med. “She’s just a really solid overall, well-rounded person,” says Julian. “She works extremely hard at school — and is just as dedicated as a runner.” Which is part of the reason Hemphill has her battery drained every so often, costing her at least year’s district cross country meet and two weeks ago at the State of Jefferson race. “She just has so much on her plate,” adds Julian. “Your body can only handle so much.” While getting a little rundown may have cost Hemphill a couple races in her time at Ashland, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Part of the allure of being a distance runner when she began competing as a sophomore was the freedom it allowed for other pursuits. “Running encourages dedication,” says Hemphill, who placed 15th at last year’s state meet, “and that teaches you life’s lessons in everything you do.” Running can also set you up for the future, as it appears to have done for Hemphill. She’s already been offered a scholarship to run for the University of Portland, and recently returned from a recruiting visit at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire. “This is a girl that just kind of worked her way up and now she’s reaping rewards for that with Division I scholarship offers,” says Julian. It hasn’t been easy, mind you, but it has been fruitful. Hemphill logged 473 miles of running from June 5 into August in a pyramid plan to build up her endurance. In last week’s practice, she ran eight crisp 600s and did them all in the middle of the varsity boys team’s top seven runners. At a time when she needs to be at her best, Hemphill believes she’s there now. “I’m just physically there,” she says of her confidence heading into Saturday’s meet. “I’ve put a lot of work into it, and physically and mentally, I’m there.” She admittedly wasn’t for last year’s district meet, where a case of whooping cough placed her fourth for the second straight year. She finished 10 seconds behind North Medford’s Brittney Dunn, who returns this year, and just two seconds ahead of Roseburg returner Katie Wilton. But that was last year. This year, a healthy Hemphill is drawing inspiration from her teammates and coaches and graduate runners like Paris Edwards, whose fourth straight district championship in 2000 marked the 10th straight for an Ashland runner but also its last heading into Saturday. In the years to follow, standout runners like North Medford’s Danielle Jordan, Klamath Union’s Katie Leary and Crater’s Kendel Nelson have dominated action. The Black Tornado and Comets will again be definite threats to Ashland’s girls title hopes, but Hemphill holds tightly to the ideal of having the Grizzlies be the team to put the final period on SOC cross country. “I’m really excited for myself personally and for the team,” says Hemphill, who also placed third in the 3,000 and fifth in the 1,500 at last year’s track and field state meet. “I think the team’s going to do really well this year.” Hemphill, however, has no designs on setting any courses records Saturday. “My biggest plan is to help my team,” she says. “I’ll probably hang back with the leaders until the last mile or so unless, of course, the pace is really slow. There’s not really any point for me to (go all out). The best thing I can do is hang back and support my team.” The Grizzlies placed three runners among the top eight at the pre-district race on Sept. 15, with Hemphill’s sophomore sister, Aria, taking third and Haley Beal finishing eighth. Teammate Alyssa Taylor was 14th and the Grizzlies also expect a solid push from Sophie Distefano. “If we can get three girls in the top seven, that’s definitely going to help our chances of all of us going to state,” Hemphill adds. And with Hemphill leading the charge, Julian is confident that anything is possible. “She’s just a really dedicated and positive person and is really a strong team leader,” says the coach. “She’s kinda like an assistant coach to me.” Which is fitting since Hemphill can’t seem to shy away from taking the next step, regardless of the pursuit. Kris Henry is a correspondent for the Ashland Daily Tidings. To comment on this article, contact Sports Editor Joe Zavala at 482-3456 ext. 3020 or [email protected]. 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