LaFayette hosts first Chattanooga XC League meet

The Chattanooga Area Cross Country League had its first-ever races at LaFayette High School last Tuesday as the Ramblers hosted to Fleet Feet Old Shoe Invite.

The Dalton Catamounts swept the team titles, while the home-school Chattanooga Patriots took top honors in the individual standings.

Dalton’s boys won the meet with 30 points, easily outdistancing Southeast Whitfield (128) for the top spot. Cleveland (156) was third, followed by the Patriots (177) and Gordon Lee (189).

The Patriots also went 1-2 in the individual standings with Jonathan Byrd clocking in with a winning time of 16:31 and Chase Ford (16:47) placing second. Dalton’s Derek Gallardo (17:01) was third overall.

On the girls’ side, the Lady Catamounts’ 66 points was good enough to edge past Heritage (68) for the win, while Northwest Whitfield (76) was third. Cumberland County (141) and Cleveland (157) rounded out the top five.

Patriots’ standout Kathryn Vradenburgh raced to the win in a time of 21:01, while Cumberland County’s Sydney Tabor (21:26) and Lauren Tabor (21:49) was second and third, respectively.

All six high school cross country teams in Catoosa and Walker County took part.

For the Gordon Lee boys, Jasper Wilson placed sixth overall with a time of 18:12, while Jake Lee (19:10) and Ian Goodwin (19:10) both finished in the top 20. The rest of the varsity lineup included Braxton Ledford (20:44), Jake Wright (21:38), Cole Collins (21:52) and Hunter Hartman (22:50).

The Heritage boys placed eighth behind an 18:53 from Caleb Boyd and a 19:36 from Ryan Craft. Also competing for the Heritage varsity on Tuesday was Dakota Carter (20:01), Luke Shackleford (20:59), Andrew Song (21:03), Caleb Buckler (21:04 and Nhan Le (21:09).

LaFayette’s boys came in with a 10th place showing as Mason Burkett led the way with a 19:43. Josh Perea (19:50) also broke the 20-minute mark, while Devin Henderson (20:20), Matthew Newsom (20:26), Steven Sanford (21:43), Andrew Long (21:44) and Noah Armstrong (23:24) also ran for the Ramblers.

For 13th place Ridgeland, Coby Voyles set the pace with a 19:56, followed by Eliot Jones (20:32), Josiah Williams (20:43), Gabe Ashley (21:24), Will Voyles (22:47), Beau Baker (22:47) and Dakota Dehart (23:40).

LFO finished in 21st place, getting a 21:55 from Brandon Guzman. Roc Hammonds (22:00), Zane Carter (23:14), Blake Arrellano (23:26), Jackson Moore (24:27), Avery Murphy (26:00) and Javier Gomez (26:36) also ran for the Warriors in the varsity race.

For the runner-up Heritage Lady Generals varsity team, Caylee Carpenter (23:10) and Alex Gass (23:13) set the pace, followed by Allison Craft (24:06), Lucy Hicks (24:20), Finley Brisendine (26:04), Lilly Black (26:06) and Skye Remko (26:34).

Even with top runner Gracie O’Neal on volleyball duty Tuesday night, Gordon Lee’s girls still placed a very solid sixth behind Taylor McAllister (26:00), Grayson Alexander (26:03), Kaylan Jackson (27:46), Kayelee Bell (27:56), Kate Gilliam (27:59), Chanler Hysell (29:01) and Michaela Russell (30:22).

LaFayette came in with a 13th place showing with Hannah Dearing leading the way with a 25:46. Kaci Rogers (27:47), Caitlyn Watson (29:48), Hope McClure (30:07), Brianna Minor (33:11) and Lauren Pike (36:50) filled out the lineup for the Lady Ramblers.

For Ridgeland, Macie Boren clocked in with a 25:45, followed by Katie Taylor (36:26), Abbie Morgan (39:10) and Marina Mosgrove (39:15).

Brooklyn Carter (25:53), Sydney Moss (28:58), Lillian Murphy (35:30) and Reaghan Howe (38:43) also competed for LFO.

Ridgeland and LFO did not have enough runners to score in the team standings, while Ringgold did not have any runners participating in the varsity races.

Results of the junior varsity races can be found on our website at northwestgeorgianews. com/catoosa_walker_ news.