Marist won in dominant fashion in the Varsity Girls division defeating #5 Whitewater and unranked Chapel Hill scoring just 30 points and placing 6 runners in the top 17 spots. Providing a potent 1-2 punch were Senior Sophie Harkins as she held the lead at the first haybale jump and never looked back winning the Individual title impressively in 19:04 follwed by her teamate Sophomore Kate Northrup in 19:11. Coach Eric Heintze commented that the Lady War Eagles are hoping develop a strong 3rd runner, (much like Lakeside-Evans has) and Taylor Gould seems to be on the right path with a 20:10, and make a big push later in the season. He was visibly pleased by how all his girls performed today including the JV squad who also won their division handily taking the top 3 individual places led by race winner Allison Fialkowski in 21:16. Whitewater ran well enough to garner the runnerup team trophy with 101 points led by Frosh Alana Hood's 12th place effort in 20:36.53 and Haley Hunt's 20:42. The host Lady Pathers edged out Hiilgrove by 6 points for 3rd overall led by Ashton Lord's 6th place effort of 20:24. Lindy Long of Landmark Christian ran a strong race placing 3rd in 19:55.
The chase pack has its eyes focused on Chapel Hill's Wade Voyles
The St.Pius X boys squad came to Clinton and tore it up like it was the (Bob Blastow layout). The Lions left no doubts as to who is currently the #1 squad in AAA Boys. But Wade Voyles stole the individual spotlight as teamate Chance Eldredge sat this meet out with a slight injury, torching the new layout in 15:44. Voyles took the lead early and held it as he went into the Mile Marker around 5:00. Brendan Hoban (St.Pius X) and Zack Sims of Eagle's Landing (16:09) were stitched together with about 1200 meters to go and then Hoban broke away a bit taking up the chase after Voyles. Hoban had an awesome race leading St. Pius X to a convincing team victory clocking a 15:49. But, he had plenty of help thanks to his teamates as they placed 4 more runners in the top 18 including Frosh Austin Sprague at 16:27 (4th), Calvin Tirrell's 16:38 (9th) and Colin O'Leary's 16:57 (12th). The Lions also are very deep as they had 8 runners inside 26 places! Can anyone rise up and challenge them if they remain healthy? Will they rise in the All-Class Rankings next week? Marist had another solid race placing 2nd overall in the team scoring with 67 points and a 17:00 team average time led by Scott Selvey's 6th place finish in 16:36 and Matthew Weber in 16:45. Chapel Hill ran today without the services of Chance Eldredge, but behind Voyles and Adonis Gaines (winner of the Zack Wansley Spirit Scholarship Award) 5th place effort of 16:35 hung tough placing 3rd overall in the team standings with 75 points. Adam Jones of Columbus had a great race finishing 6th overall in 16:37 in a Finish Lynx photo finish just nudging out Wheeler's Adel Yoonis. Marist won the more competitive JV Boys division defeating host Chapel Hill by just 5 points. Dequante Pearson from the Panthers was 1st individually in 17:43.