W.VA H.S. CROSS COUNTRY STATE TOURNAMENTS: Bulldogs’ Lexie Lamb not going to be satisfied with second in Ona

WEST UNION - Doddridge County runner Lexie Lamb doesn't believe Saturday's Class A state title race comes down to Williamstown's Alyssa Sauro against the rest of the field.

It may not be the thought many people expected.

As far as challengers to Sauro go though, she believes there are three girls with her being among that group. "I want it so bad I am going to do whatever it takes to win. Coming into this year, I was running for fun and a hobby. I didn't know if would become this big in my life, but I want to win this year," she said.

She's planning on getting it done using an aggressive approach. One that she shared with a reporter Tuesday during an interview. It revolves around pushing Sauro where she can be pushed and Lamb maximizing on her chances to pass the Yellowjacket.

"The way I have to go is I have to start out with her and try to stay with her and see if I can take her on the hills. She has the sprinter speed, but I have the strength. Most of the courses Doddridge has run this year were hilly so I am used to it. The strategy worked out pretty well during the Little Kanawha Conference meet. I am just going to stay with her and if I see her faltering, I will have to go for it and make my move," Lamb said.

"It needs to be the hills," Lamb emphasized. And there may not be a better slope to pull her move off on than the big one shortly after the beginning of the race. Following the starting line and a lap around Cabell Midland's baseball field and back behind the weight lifting facility, the big opportunity looms. Whoever makes that climb the fastest usually distances themselves from the rest of the field for the race.

If her plan doesn't work on that hill or any other, she's not worried. She knows her strategy is good, but it also may be hard to pull off. So that is why she has back up plans.

"Alyssa is so consistent with her miles and keeps the same pace the whole way. I may have to wear her down during the race," Lamb said. She did not divulge the addition strategies, but did say she expects whatever she does, she will execute it alone.

Chances of a teammate coming to help her are minimal. Not many runners, if any, have been able to keep up with Sauro and Lamb in Class A this season. That is especially true of the course in Ona. In the only other time Doddridge and Williamstown ran the state championship path, Williamstown's Brianna Winsett finished closest to Lamb and Sauro with a time of 20:40.63 or 49 seconds behind the Bulldog back at Sept. 4's St. Mary's Medical Center XC Festival.

Lamb knows that isn't set in stone. "Anything can change, it just depends on how strong she starts out to keep the pace fast. My teammate Katie (Cottrill) and Winsett could be right up there with us or maybe a little back too. They could get it in their minds that they want to win, too."

When asked if she feels comfortable on the course she needs to execute on, she responded in the affirmative. "The first time two years ago didn't go so well, states made me nervous and I had one of my worst races, but I ran it and did pretty good there the first time this year. I feel pretty comfortable. Now, I just need to visualize and see the success," she said.

Lamb's looking at becoming the first Bulldog runner to win the final race of the season since Melinda Moran captured the Class AA/A title in the early 90s.

The cross-country website runwv.com currently has Doddridge County winning the state title, 36-45 points over Williamstown. The Yellowjackets won't go empty handed, however. The site's projecting a Sauro-Lamb 1, 2 finish.

Lamb reiterated that it will be important for her to have one of the best races of the season. "I am probably going to have to dig a lot deeper, looking at her times she is running in the 18-minute range and I haven't really been that fast this year.

"I was super scared when I ran against Ella (Hesson), but running against her is really fun and I go into the race with the mindset of being excited and not terrified."