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It's Been A Good Run For Sharks Senior

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By JOHN CEBALLOS

jceballos@tampatrib.com

Published: October 15, 2008

RIVERVIEW - Paola Rodriguez wants to make sure her final year on Riverview High's cross country team counts.

"It's been going really well so far, and I've definitely been taking it more seriously this year because it's my senior year," Rodriguez said.

So far, she's followed through on that promise.

She finished seventh in the Don Bishop Invitational Sept. 20 at Brandon High School. The field included more than 140 runners from 23 of the county's 25 high schools.

"I don't know what I'm going to do once she graduates," said Shanna Brown, who coaches the girls and boys cross country teams at Riverview. "She's the leader of the pack for both the boys and the girls.

"She drives the entire team."

Rodriguez has been a member of the track and field team for three years and plans to rejoin the team in the spring, where she will run the mile and 800-meter races, as well as the 4x800 relay.

A native of the Dominican Republic, she and her family moved to New Jersey in 1999 before arriving in Riverview in 2005, just in time for her freshman year.

"I started doing track first, but then people told me that cross country would actually be good for track," Rodriguez said.

The senior hopes to keep on running after the end of her high school career.

She hopes to stay in-state for college - her top choices are Florida State and the University of Central Florida - and study business administration.

Before that, she wants to finish her final season strongly. Her goals include breaking the 20-minute mark. Her current personal best time is 21 minutes, 22 seconds.

"I would definitely love to run in college," Rodriguez said. "That's another reason why I'm stepping it up this year."

GET TO KNOW

WHO: Paola Rodriguez

AGE: 17

SCHOOL: Riverview High School
GRADE: 12

SPORTS: cross country and track and field

FUTURE PLANS: Wants to attend Florida State University or the University of Central Florida and study business administration and run cross country.

Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at (813) 865-1555.

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