Runners from Richmond Hill High School and Bryan County High School are competing in the state all classifications cross country meet today in Carrollton.
The Wildcats advanced after winning both the boys’ and girls Region 3-AAAAA titles Oct. 31 at the Richmond Hill Fish Hatchery’s 3.2 mile course. The Redskins qualified after both the boys and girls teams placed in the top four at the Region 2-AA meet Oct. 29 in Vidalia.
For Richmond Hill, seniors Amanda Elliott and Corey Jones won their respective races. Elliott was the top girl finisher with a time of 20 minutes, seven seconds and Jones ran the 3.2 mile course in 16:42 to top the boys’ field.
The Wildcats dominated the podium, with no runner finishing outside the top 20. In the girls’ race, Rachel Hammesfahr placed second with a 20:40; Alycia Ussery was fifth with a 22:07; Emily Hollowell was sixth with a 22;09; Jackie Buelow ran a 22:47 to place 10th; Rachel Shepherd was 11th with a 22:51 and Chloe Giorgianni was 12th with a 22:51.
In the boys’ race, Tanner Hicks took second with a 17:30; Zarrius Walker was seventh with an 18:31; Michael Wells was 10th with an 18:48; Caleb Carter took 13th with an 18:52; Ryan Donna placed 16th with an 18:56 and Kevin Zhu was 18th at 19:06.
For Bryan County, Jabari Fields was the top boys runner and Lindsay Bowen was the top girl finisher. Fields placed sixth with a time of 18:50.54 and Bowen ran the race in 24:17.24 to take ninth.
Other top finishers for BCHS in the girls’ race were Ashlyn Avera, 21st; Caty Skarhus 24th; Logan Scott 26th; Vanessa Wilson 32nd; and Josie Suss 36th. In the boys’ race, Terry Hardy placed 11th; Stephen Suss 18th; Justin Williams 19th; Brian Morgan 28th; and Devon Hardy 30th.
3-AAAAA girls results: RHHS 24, Glynn Academy 61, Effingham County 68, Bradwell Institute 89, Ware County 128.
3-AAAAA boys results: RHHS 33, Glynn Academy 51, Bradwell Institute 80, Effingham County 90, Ware County 101, Jenkins 183, Groves 206.
2-AA girls results: St. Vincent’s Academy 20, Vidalia 91, Toombs County 91, BCHS 103, McIntosh County Academy 103, Long County 118, Metter 183.
2-AA boys’ results: Benedictine 28, Vidalia 45, BCHS 79, Toombs County 84, Metter 135, Bacon County 160.
—Staff report