Despite the fact that cross country is not her favorite sport and she has made soccer her No.1 priority, Whitney Sikes has been the premier runner in Gaston County for the past three years, and this year should be no exception.

Sikes, a Forestview High School senior who began her cross country career at Ashbrook as a freshman, is a two-time county champion, a three-time all-conference selection and has a personal best of 19:25 for 3.1 miles. While she has yet to match the times of her brilliant freshman season, she thinks this may be the year she gets even faster.

"I've grown and I've been lifting some," said Sikes, who is 5 feet, 8 inches tall. "I think it's helping."

Also helping Sikes is cutting back her practice schedule in the two sports.

"She's not doing two-a-days this year," said her cross country coach, John Hunsucker. "That will help her because last year she was just doing too much and was more prone to injury."

Hunsucker thinks this could be Sikes' best year.

"She's looking good and I think she's better rested," said Hunsucker, a 17-year cross country veteran. "She's had a great career. I've had some good ones, but she's the best I've ever coached."

Sikes practices club soccer with the Charlotte Soccer Club on Mondays and Wednesdays and runs with the Jaguars the other days of the week. She hopes the new training regimen will get her ready to defend her titles this season.

"I'd like to be county and conference champion again, and I'd like to get my PR (personal record) again," Sikes said. "I'm going to work hard to be the best I can be even though I can't train as hard as I would like."

Sikes, 17, has also excelled in track over her first three years of high school, winning three county championships at 800 meters and the mile, and two in the 3,200-meter run and the 3,200 meter relay. But soccer has been her sport, and she recently sealed her destiny by signing a full soccer scholarship with the University of Richmond.

"I went up this summer and took a visit with my dad (Michael)," Sikes said. "They have a strong soccer program and a strong business program. I'm interested in studying business, so it's a good combination."

For the time being, though, Sikes is focusing on the cross country season, a season during which she hopes her team can win another conference title.

"We want to win county and conference," Sikes said. "That would be three in a row. I think we're going to have our strongest girls team yet."

Sikes is especially excited about running with one new member of the team, her sister, Robin, 14.

"I've never done a sport with her," Sikes said. "As long as she doesn't beat me, it will be OK."