FAIRBURN — Pierce County High School’s Lady Bears and Bears each qualified for the Class AA state meet after securing spots here Saturday in one Sectional held at Chattahoochee Hills Eventing.
The Lady Bears finished 10th in the field of 13 teams while the Bears placed seventh in the 21team field November 2 Section for Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4. Both advance to Carrollton to run Saturday, November 9.
According to the Georgia High School Association “White Book,” the top 12 teams advance on to Carrollton as do the top 20 individual participants.
In the girls’ event, Savannah Arts Academy clipped Columbus High 28 to 31 in the point standings. The Lady Pan-thers had all five runners finish in the top eight spots (2, 5, 6, 7, 8). The Lady Blue Devils placed their five runners in the top 12 (1, 3, 4, 11, 12).
The two squads were followed by Morgan County (117), Pike County (118), Appling County (188), Crisp County (190), Cook (204), Jackson (228), Jordan (233),, Pierce County (240), Tattnall County (251), Hardaway (269) and Shaw (289).
The Lady Bears were led by Nevaeh Grant’s 35th-place finish in the field of 93 runners. She posted a season-best time of 25:45.16. The winning time was 18:42.63.
SPECIAL PHOTOS Dylan Hersey (left) and Neveah Grant (right) led their respective teammates during Saturday’s Sectional in Fairburn.
Grant was followed by Emma Strickland (49th, season-best 26:44.75), Ana llamas-Diaz (56th, 27:59.09), Mary Emma Moore (62nd, 28:34.31), Ansleigh Cyr (69th, season-best 29:27.89), Emily Sierra (86th, season-best 31:58.46) and Addison Folette (87th, season-best 32:00.60).
Region 3 member Crisp County won the boys’ title compiling 35 points with five Cougars in the top 16 spots (2, 3, 4, 10, 16).
Savannah Arts Academy (84) finished second. The Panthers were followed by Columbus (91), Jackson (131), Tattnall County (168), Cook (216), PCHS (218), Pike County (225), Jordan (272) and Appling County (279) in the Top 10.
Morgan County (306) led the rest of the field and was followed by Spencer (326), Callaway (335), Laney (360), Rutland (403), Richmond County Tech Magnet School (435), Westside-Macon (463), Carver-Columbus (507), Sumter County (544), Shaw (559) and Burke County (609).
Dylan Hersey paced the Bears finishing 26th in the field of 141 runners with a season-best time of 18:58.87. The winning time was 16:57.99.
Following Hersey were Samuel Carrillo (38th, season-best 19:38.70), Brandon Yepes (47th, 20:14.51), Chase Smith (48th, 20:18.04), Ames Alonso (60th, season- best 20:47.56), Micah Bryant (75th, 21:28.28) and Jeb Bradley (84th, 21:50.41).
