Dixon Running for the Gold

A chance to sign up in sixth grade led to a Williamsburg freshman placing 20 out of 247 runners for states for cross country, one of the first in a couple of years. That girl is Ava Dixon.

"At the end of sixth grade, my math teacher (who is the head cross country coach) asked if anybody wanted to sign up to run," she said. "I had never heard of cross country before, but a couple of friends and I decided to sign up and try it out."

Dixon is the daughter of John and Shakirah Dixon of Williamsburg. She has three older siblings Jessica, Spike, and Chelsea, and a younger brother, Jack.

Besides cros...