The Milton High School cross country teams opened their 2019 campaign with a sweep of the team victories at the Wildcat Season Opener hosted by Apalachee High School in Winder, GA
Varsity Boys
The Eagles opened up their 2019 cross country season with a close team win to best 14 schools. Milton (1st-39 pts) put 3 finishers in the top-6 to turn back Gainesville (2nd45 pts) & Denmark (54 pts) for the overall meet team victory! Senior co-captain Spencer Watry (1st-16:38) used a strong kick to run the 3rd fastest time ever on the Apalachee HS course to get the race win. Junior Hayden Marshall (3rd-16:49) was in the lead trio most of the race and dictated the pace most of the way, to help the Eagles get the team victory. Senior co-captain Joe Pick (6th-17:30) held off Gainesville's 2nd thru 4th finishers to put the stamp on the Milton win! Sophomores Dylan Bowden (12th-17:53) & Ethan Marcum (18th-18:17) closed out the scoring. Ethan Ashley of Denmark HS was 2nd overall at 16:39 and running mate Karthik Kochuparambil placed 4th in 17:04 leading the Danes' to a 3rd place finish. Gainesville HS harrier Donangeloe Marshall took 5th place clocking a 17:10 leading a strong Red Elephant squad to 2nd place as a team.
Varsity Girls
The Lady Eagles of Milton (1st-39 pts) put all 7 scoring finishers in the top-17 to hold off a very stubborn Gainesville squad, (2nd-51 pts) & Denmark (3rd-68 pts) to secure the overall meet win! Missing 3 of their top-5 finishers from their time trial race the previous weekend did not deter the Lady Eagles, as they turned back another 11 teams to become meet champions! Junior Audrey Nichols (3rd-20:29) ran within :10 of her all-time best to lead the Milton effort. Senior co-captain Abby Rindt (7th-21:06) followed and sophomore Jessica Albregts (9th-21:44) help put 3 Lady Eagle finishers with Gainesville's 3. But it was Milton's next four finishers that propelled the Lady Eagles to the team win with seven finishers ahead of the Red Elephants fourth finisher! The upstart Gainesville squad swept the top 2 Overall spots with their top runners crossing the mats in unison, including Ashley Thompson posting a 20:19.06 and Ashley Sosa a neck back at 20:19.71 Denmark's Jessica Perriellio placed 5th at 21:01.
JV Boys
Beware of the 'ooga Booga stick!' Milton (1st-39 pts) turned back 8 schools to get the team win with 3 finishers in the top 5, the Eagles bested Gainesville (2nd-53 pts) & Denmark (3rd-84 pts). Junior Lorin Tady (3rd-19:06), sophomore Andrew Baum (4th-18:58) & junior Brandan Trainor (5th-19:20) were the Eagles top-3 finishers. Denmark's Chinmay Dongari placed first going 18:41 with Max Tucker of Mount Pisgah Christian 2nd place at 18:53
JV Girls
The Lady Eagles put all their 5 scorers in the top-6 overall finishing positions to top all 6 scoring schools. Milton (1st-20 pts) turned back Gainesville (2nd-80 pts) & Denmark (3rd-87 pts) for dominating team win! Juniors Audrey Minton (2nd-23:58), Megan Erbey (3rd-23:58), Rachel Clark (4th-24:03), Anne Marie Lessig (5th-24:07) & Kate Keneck (6th-24:07) led the Lady Eagle effort! Elisha Mensah from Chamblee (8th grader) was the Overall winner clocking a 23:17