Hokie hot shot

By Shane Mettlen

Published: October 13, 2008

A look at how some local athletes are fairing in the college ranks:

Former Culpeper County High School track and cross country star Devin Cornwall is off to a great start for the Virginia Tech cross country team this fall.

Cornwall, who had two top-10 finishes last year, already has a win this season and been the Hokies top runner. The junior beat the field on Oct. 3 at the Highland Duel in Valle Crucis, N.C., winning the three-mile race in 15:12.

He was also the Hokies top finisher at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Sept. 19, finishing fifth on the 8k course in a time of 24:10. Runners from Florida State took the first four spots.

Cornwall and the Hokies are gearing up for the stretch run. They will compete in the prestigious Chile Pepper Invitational at Arkansas this weekend before going to the ACC Championships at North Carolina on Nov. 1.

Another area product is also running for the Hokies. Freshman Logan Collins, who won state championships in the 800 and 1,600-meter runs at Orange County High School, finished 30th at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational. He was the 13th Hokie to cross the finish line, coming in at 25:53.

Radford connection: CCHS sent four athletes out of the class of 2008 to Radford University this fall and two have made their debuts for the Highlanders.

Melissa Register, who set a single-season scoring record for the Blue Devilettes field hockey team last season, has played in four games this season and has recorded two shots on goal. The Radford field hockey team is off to a 6-6 start.

On the men’s soccer team, Carter Mills, who was also a standout kicker for the CCHS football team, has played in three games and taken two shots, one on goal. The Highlanders are 7-4-1.

Michelle and Nichole Beall, who stared for the CCHS softball team last spring, are also at Radford, where the Highlanders recently wrapped up the fall season.

Another runner: Former CCHS athlete Ellen Craven is running cross country for Delaware. The Blue Hens sophomore finished 89th at the George Mason Invitational on Oct. 4 in a time of 25:29. She was the fifth UD runner to cross the line.

On her horse: Culpeper graduate Kamera Brown picked up an MVP award for Delaware State at a home equestrian meet against Delaware on Sept. 28. Brown won the equitation event riding Lucy with a score of 78.

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or