Georgia Teams Dominate Furman/Gene Mullin Invitational

                         Georgia Teams Dominate Furman/Gene Mullin Invitational

 

                                                                                         Varsity Girls
 
   
 
Maryah Nasir of Pinewood Prep (SC) took the race out hard (and eventually finished 9th) but it was the girls from Georgia that bided their time and eventually took eight spots in the top-15 including the overall win by Athens Academy’s Anna Marian Block (1st-18:34).  Shannon Fair (2nd-18:44) from Aquinas led much of the 2nd half of the race before being overtaken in the last 300 meters by Block.  Running up front most of the race was Hart County’s Audrey Honiotes (3rd-19:07) to lead a Georgia sweep of the top-3.  
 
  
 
The Lady Eagles of Milton overwhelmed the 28 scoring teams by placing three in the top-10 and all five scorers in the top-15.  Amy Ruiz (6th-19:35), Riley Burr (7th-19:35) & Juanita Pardo (8th-19:44) led Milton (1st-48 pts, 19:50 avg) over St Joseph (2nd-93 pts, 20:22 avg) & Collins Hill (3rd-132 pts, 20:56 avg).
 
                                                                                  Varsity Boys
 
  
 
With six finishers in the top-10, Georgia runners punctuated their presence at this long standing traditional meet.  After fighting off three challengers, Mauldin (SC) runner Ryan Smith (1st-16:17) pulled away for the overall win. The challengers, most from Georgia, put up a good fight and included Tyler Allen (2nd-16:30) of Collins Hill & Milton’s Jack Bluth (3rd-16:33).  
 
 
 
The Eagles of Milton had three more finishers in the top-10 including freshman Sam Bowers (5th-16:42), Connor Cole (6th-16:42) who challenged Smith in the 2nd mile of the race for the lead, and Preston Meade (7th-16:44).  Athens Academy’s Adam Hearn (10th-16:55) rounded out the Georgians in the top-10.  Again, Georgia programs put two teams in the top-3 with Milton the overwhelming victor (1st-34 pts, 16:46 avg) over 30 scoring schools.  Asheville School (NC) (2nd-117 pts, 17:25 avg) and Collins Hill (3rd-136 pts, 17:35 avg) followed on the awards stage.
 
                                                                                          JV Girls
 
The Lady Eagles of Milton (1st-17 pts, 22:20 avg) were the clear winner over 10 scoring schools with 8 finishers in the top-10 led by the freshman trio of Emily Bowers (1st-21:26), Mary Grace Coyle (2nd-21:30) & Addy Prescott (3rd-22:16).
 
                                                                                        JV Boys
 
Milton (1st-15 pts, 18:42 avg) again was the clear winner with a perfect score and actually had the top-7 finishers and again 8 finishers in the top-10. Junior Jacques Du Plessis (1st-18:16) led the charge with sophomore Valera Stettner (2nd-18:30) and freshman Michael Malkowski (3rd-18:44) following.