Run Fer Da Hills 2005

Word of Griff Graves\' move to Virginia generated a buzz in Virginia and expectations were high as his sophomore debut drew near. That debut came Saturday (9/3) in Bristol, Tennessee, where Graves ran 15:41 over 3 miles, just one second slower than the course record.

Plenty of rumors had been circulating over the summer about Griff Graves, a talented high school freshmen in Alabama last year who ran a 9:30 3200 and 15:39 5K, had transferred to Group AA\'s Abingdon High School in Southwest Virginia. Well the rumors became truth at the Run Fer Da Hills Invitational as Griff Graves proved his legitimacy as a strong favorite to win this year\'s Group AA state crown as he defeated one of Southwest Virginia and Group AA\'s best in Christiansburg senior John Horst with a winning time of 15:41 on the challenging three mile course in Bristol, Tennessee. Horst finished 11 seconds behind Graves with a solid clocking of 15:52. Graves\' time was one second slower than current Georgetown University runner and Marion High School alumn Fleet Hower ran in 2001. Hower would go onto become a Footlocker All-American in that same season.