Heritage boys’ runners take top honors at General Assembly meet
Nearly 300 runners representing 13 schools converged at Heritage Middle School last Tuesday for the first annual General Assembly cross country meet and it was the home team taking the win in the boys’ meet.
Heritage runners took five of the top 10 places and earned the title with 34 points. Dalton was second at 65 points, followed by Adairsville (82), Dade (91) and Ringgold (119).
Maddox Henry ran a 13:12 over the two-mile course to take third for the Generals behind Adairsville’s J.J. Grimaldo (12:40) and Dalton’s Christofer Lopez (12:47). Ringgold’s Brayden Sylar (13:20) was fourth and Heritage’s Isaac Berry (13:37) was fifth.
The rest of the top 10 included Dalton’s Ulises Martinez (13:51), Heritage’s Jacob Palmer (13:51), Adairsville’s Drew Nida (13:54), Heritage’s Ben Breedlove (13:59) and Heritage’s Micah Berry (14:02).
Rome took top honors in the girls’ team standings with 39 points, followed closely by Heritage (47), while Dalton (79), Adairsville (89) and Red Bud (149) rounded out the top five.
Ringgold’s Tori Epps claimed the individual victory, her second of the season, as she crossed the line in 13:36. Rome’s Elise Wooddell (13:42) was runner-up, while the rest of the top five featured Adairsville’s Samantha Gough (14:11), Dalton’s
Jackeline Alvarez (14:25) and Heritage’s Zoie St. John (14:44).
The rest of the top 10 was filled out by Rome’s Sophia Ahumada (15:09), Heritage’s Sydney Rivet (15:34) and Audrey Potter (15:39), and Rome’s Natalia Jones (16:03) and Kyleigh Adams (16:11).
The fifth-place Ringgold boys also got a 14:26 from Gavin Lakin and a 15:12 from Cooper Reece, while Grady Haddock (15:18), Ren Goldsmith (15:22), Bryson Brown (16:40) and Hunter Gilliam (16:49) rounded out the roster for the Tigers.
Seventh-place Saddle Ridge was paced by a 14:14 from Eli Hudson, who placed 16th overall. The rest of the Mustangs’ lineup included Collin Miller (15:23), Jacob Bond (15:27), Micah Smith (16:18), Max McManus (18:07), Wyatt Smith (20:33) and Carson Braccini (20:39).
Robert Ferguson (14:34) finished 22nd for LaFayette, who took ninth overall in the team standings. Cody Fielding (16:28) was next for the Ramblers, followed by Fernando Pacheco (17:26), Connor Campbell (18:20), Phillip Frazier (18:56), Isaiah Gonzalez (21:33) and Aiden Morrison (24:59).
Rossville was one spot in back of LaFayette in 10th place as they got a team-best 17:32 from Noah Till. Dyllon Lecroy (18:41), Carson Walker (20:21), Isasis Bautista (21:50), Chase Swaney (22:40), Seth Murray (22:46) and Joseph Barnes (25:21) also ran for the Bulldogs.
Lakeview also competed, but had just three runners and was not eligible for team awards. Rafeal Leal clocked in at 15:10, followed by Ethan Smith (15:27) and Kade Gann (27:01).
On the girls’ side, the rest of the Heritage lineup included Evie Robison (16:40), Annabelle Brown (16:48), Emilee Freeman (16:50) and Maggie Meadows (16:57), who took spots 13-16, respectively, in the individual standings.
Rossville was a solid sixth behind an 18:22 from Hailey Mincey, who placed 21st overall. Chelsea Swaney (20:42), Melanie Gore (22:01), Sarah Regan (23:13), Lilyan Puryear (25:21) and Lilana Hernandez (25:57) also ran for the Lady Bulldogs.
Along with Epps’ win, Ringgold got a 23:33 from Bette Goldsmith and a 25:50 from Danika Coleman, while the rest of the roster was filled out by Katelynn Owens (28:09), Arianna Parker (28:19) and Tatianna Parker (30:35).
Saddle Ridge, who tied Ringgold for seventh place, got a 31st place showing from Sarah Helton (19:48), while the rest of the Lady Mustangs’ included Megan Shirley (20:29), Kayleeanne Ray (21:49), Rose Davenport (23:06) and Kristine Ellis (23:16).
Running for LaFayette was Channing Johnson (20:55), Addison Lowe (30;24), Kelsey Webb (33:03) and Selene Brown (35:47), while Lakeview’s Macy Tisdale (17:30) represented the Lady Warriors.
The NGAC Championships will be held back at Heritage on Sept. 22.