The girls and boys Middle School cross-country teams have had a lot in common this year. Both squads had 13-member teams, had strong leadership from its eighth-grade class, and great enthusiasm and talent from its sixth and seventh graders. These qualities, combined with a lot of energy and hard work, helped both girls’ and boys’ teams post outstanding 24-win seasons.
The girls’ team was led by eight great eighth graders: Elizabeth Buice, Grier Fricks, Summer Jones, Lauren Mauer, Kelly O’Mara, Sara Pate, Christina Rutledge, and Jenna Van Es. Up and coming sixth and seventh-grade sensations include Caty Cambron, Maddie Cannon, Angie Davidson, Kelsey Howell, and Emily Jackson.
The girls’ season included wins over Coosa, Unity Christian, St. Mary’s, as well as a trip to Ringgold to battle the Chattanooga-area schools. The girls ended their season with a strong fourth-place showing (out of 12) at the 13th annual DMS Invitational held on Oct. 7.
The boys’ team was led by its own group of eighth graders: Ben Cantrell, Jefferson Grizzard, Clay McKemie, Daniel Powell, Stephen Seckman, and Justin Smith. There’s also evidence of lots of talent from newcomers to the team: Harrison Douglas, Connor McWhorter, Sharpe Sablon, B. J. Slaughter, Cameron Smith, Scott Travis, and William Waters.
The boys enjoyed individual victories over Coosa, Model, Unity, and St. Mary’s. Most impressively, the boys earned the runner-up trophy at the DMS Invitational, finishing second only to traditional cross country power Westminster. The boys’ pack was led in this race by Sablon (third), Cantrell (14th), McWhorter (20th), Waters (26th), Grizzard (28th), and Justin Smith (34th). Sablon, a seventh-grader, also earned his first ever cross country victory this season in a home meet held on Sept. 16, where he set a new record of 12:18 on the 2-mile “field course.”
The cross-country season ended for all runners on Oct. 14 at the Floyd College Invitational, where eighth-grader members competed in the high school junior varsity races. Four of the girls, Buice (second), Van Es (third), Mauer (fifth), and O’Mara (sixth), received junior varsity awards for their top-10 performances.
