OATES AND SPINNLER "HEAT-IT-UP" AT 14TH ANNUAL IRON FURNACE 5K By: Gerry Lindgren Special Correspondent Lonaconing, MD Former Hagerstown Community College distance ace Doug Oates and 2001 Beall grad Jaron Hawkins waged a shoulder-to-shoulder war at Saturday's 14th Annual Iron Furnace 5K Road Race. With over three miles of the three mile, 188 yard event completed the victor was yet to be decided. Leading much of the race's hilly course, the 23 year old Oates was jumped by the fast improving Hawkins with the finish line less than 150 yards away. Oates responded to the attack with a spirited sprint of his own that carried him back into the lead and on to the title with a 15:58 clocking. The 19 year old Hawkins, who sports the colors of the Queen City Striders, was consoled with a career best 16:00 for the 5K distance. Rounding out the top three men was Oates' teammate Bret Mower the 2001 Iron Furnace champ-- in 16:15. "I'm working hard on my speed this summer," said Oates who represents the Brooks-Cumberland Valley Athletic Club based out of Hagerstown. "Come this September I'm going to up my mileage considerably to get ready for the JFK (50 mile)." The women's title went to Maria Spinnler, who like Oates races as a member of the Hagerstown-based Cumberland Valley Athletic Club . The 40 year old 1988 Olympic Trials Qualifier and former U.S. National Team member earned her fourth Iron Furnace title, to go along with her wins in '97, '99 and '01, in an unpressed 18:58 that fell some 47 seconds short of the course record she set in 1997. In spite of nursing a nagging hip injury Queen City Strider standout Maureen Hall (37) held on well enough to earn the distaff runner-up honors in 20:08. Barton's 14 year old Jennifer Patton stamped herself as a young lady to be watched closely in the near future as she claimed third place among the ladies in a most respectable 20:22. "I was hoping to come out of this without wrecking myself," said Spinnler, the mother of two young boys. "I've got a race lined up on July 4th that I'll have my hands full with and that's only five days away. I really wanted to come here and defend my title though. (Race Director) Tom (Dawson) does a great job with the race and the people of Lonaconing and the (Queen City) striders really get into it. It's one of my favorite races, that if at all possible I try to put in my annual racing schedule." By topping all the female competitors, Spinnler --formerly Pazarentzos-- was also the first female master (age 40-and-over) home. Successfully defending his 2001 men's masters title was Morgantown, WV's 46 year old Ed Frohnaphel, who's 17:18 clocking was good for ninth place overall amongst the 233 entrants. w p m f [ * C 4 - Z [ \ =/ 2 $