Hempel covered the 3.1 mile course in a time of 18:46.
Wilkinson admitted to Goodwin post race that the time difference between the two runners could have been bigger.
"He tried something different. He had been told by (camp instructors) to try a slower start just to see how he would do and that's what he did in that race,� Goodwin said. "Jordan told me that he was going at a slower pace and that he looked back and saw Ross right over his shoulder. He said that he (Hempel) started talking to him some and then he just stayed right with him.�
"He tried what they suggested but he felt it didn't help him,� he said. "He had a tougher time pulling away from Ross by hanging back at the start.�
Wilkinson was one of two Lincoln runners winning in the Danville meet. Middle school competitor Eric Sanders crossed the finish line alone in his race to take first. First would elude Lincoln in the group of younger runners with Tim Grizzell unable to catch a Wayne County runner in the elementary division crossing in second place.
"We're right pleased with how we ran,� said Goodwin. "Jordan won the boys' high school varsity, Eric won the boys' middle school, Tim was second in the boys' elementary, that's pretty good to start.�
The Lady Patriot varsity had just two runners on course at Danville with Sydney Crawley and Jesslyn Long representing Lincoln. Crawley placed fourth overall in the field of competitors crossing the finish line in 27:54. Long placed eighth in a time of 30:16.
Lincoln would not set any record times in the Danville meet with warm temperatures affecting the running times of all runners.
"It was a hot afternoon. The times were a little off with it being 90 degrees,� Goodwin said. "It's hard to run when it's that hot.�
Watching the race and the Lincoln runners prompted Goodwin and his co-coach John Sanders to restructure their practices.
"I thought all the runners looked a little tired, even Jordan,� said Goodwin. "We had been working on distance during our practices and now we're trying to work some more on speed.�
"Varsity is running 5-6 miles in practice and it's a combination of high speed and distance. We have them speed running,� he said. "Speed running helps them to do better at a faster pace over a long distance. That's what you have to be able to do in races to do well.�
Danville did capture first place in the girls' varsity division with Kaitlin Snapp running to victory in a time of 23:02.
Lincoln's Patriot varsity had four runners competing at Danville with Tyler Wilkinson, Josh Fouts and Aaron Roemisch lacing up their shoes to take on the terrain. Tyler Wilkinson ran ninth in the race in a time of 21:18, Fouts followed in 13th place with a time of 23:29 and Roemisch placed 19th finishing in 28:31.
"Our times will get better,� Goodwin said. "As the weather cools and we improve our running, the times will start getting faster.�
