FREDERICK, Md.--Three key runners who led the Walkersville High School cross country team to a fifth-place finish at the Maryland state championships last season will continue their careers at Hood College.

Hood head cross country and track and field coach Brent Ayer recently announced that William Andrews, Blake Rust and Brendan Greenlees will suit up for the Blazers beginning this fall.

"This is a real coup for the running program at Hood," Ayer said Ayer. "William, Blake and Brendan ran one, two and seven for Walkersville and were the only three seniors on a very solid, local program. I never imagined we'd be fortunate enough to land all three."

Andrews earned four varsity letters in cross country and track and participated in the Maryland cross country state championships as a junior and senior.

Last season, he was one of the top runners in the county and the MVAL, and he was inducted into the Walkersville Hall of Fame.

Andrews, who was also a two-year letterwinner for the Lion wrestling team, plans to major in political science with a minor in history.

"William is physically strong and a tough competitor who was first team all-county and all-conference," Ayer said.

Rust earned four varsity letters as a midfielder in lacrosse and two more in cross country. As a senior captain, he helped the cross country team win the MVAL Piedmont championship and earned All-MVAL Piedmont and honorable mention all-area Frederick Gazette honors. He also took home the Lions Award.

Rust was a Minds in Motion scholar and an Academic Excellence recipient all four years. He was also a three-year member of the Honor Roll and a 2005 Maryland Distinguished Scholar honorable mention selection.

He plans to continue his lacrosse career at Hood as well and will major in biochemistry with a minor in English.

"You don't get as much notice as the number two runner; however, Blake was right on William's heels in almost every race and received recognition of his own." Ayer said.

Greenlees lettered four times in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. He was named a Scholar-Athlete and earned Minds in Motion in each of his four years of every sport, and he was also an Honor Roll selection and Academic Excellence recipient all four years as well. He is considering history or chemistry as his major.

"Brendan was an important contributor, has good basic speed and possesses the potential to improve dramatically," Ayer said.

"This is a big step in demonstrating to talented local runners that you can attend Hood College, get a quality education and participate in a running program that we are committed to improving," Ayer said.