Ware County’s Gators cross-country team claimed their first win of the season in a home opening meet Thursday.
The Gators finished with 40 points in the seven-team event. They were followed by Long County (45), regionmate Wayne County (86), Bradwell Institute (103), Appling County (130), Brantley County (210) and Lanier County (256).
The Lady Gators placed fourth in the girls’ six-team meet. Long County took home first-place honors scoring 42 points. The Lady Blue Tide were followed by Wayne County (78), Appling County (83), Ware County (109), Bradwell Institute (125) and Brantley County (127). Lanier County did not field a five-member team.
Thursday’s event followed Ware County’s participation Saturday, August 31 in the Jekyll Island Invitational. The Gators finished 24th in the field of 29 teams. The Lady Gators did not field a full team.
The Lady Gators cross-country team awaits the gun to start Saturday’s race SPECIAL PHOTO
Ware County traveled Saturday, September 7 to Douglas to run in the Blake Smith Invitational. The Lady Gators placed second with the Gators third.
Home meet
Caleb Wise paced the Gators finishing second in the field of 86 runners with a time of 19:15. He was followed by Brayten Hood (7th, 20:22), Josh Smith (9th, 20:56), Brock Payne (10th, 20:58) and Da’Marion Zanders (12th, 21:04).
Also running were Hayden Clement (22:18), Trey Kurtz (22:29), Wesley Frye (22:56), Stephen Valdez (23:02), Silas Mixon (24:01), Aaron Bennett (24:11), Jordan Maxwell (24:56), Laith Lairsey (25:05), Rodrigo Reyes (25:05), Axel Wright (25:34), Devin Phillips (25:41), Evan Thomas (27:44), Noah Paul (27:56), Seth King (28:04), Bennett Thorderson (31:25), Jax Yarger (39:07) and Parth Patel (45:56).
The Lady Gators were led by the sixth-place finished of Destiny Mendoza (26:07) in the field of 61 runners. She was followed by Olivia Sanders (15th, 28:27), Miracle Patterson (21st, 29:22), Madison Donlon (32nd, 32:02) and Kali Patten (35th, 32:42).
Others participating were Kitoko Ward (33:16), Quann Keith-Johnson (39:04) and Emmelee Haddock (43:17).
Blake Smith Inv.
DOUGLAS — Both the Lady Gators and Gators copped top three finishes in their respective eightteam
meets.
The host Lady Trojans easily captured the girls’ event totaling 15 points after finishing in the top five spots of the 64 runners in the field.
Coffee was followed by Ware County (96), Fitzgerald (114), Valdosta (118), Atkinson County (123), Irwin County (131) and Telfair County (195).
Patterson (27:00.29) led the Lady Gators placing 17th in the field of 64 runners. The winning time was 22:19.66.
Sanders (19th, 27:09.72) was next and followed by Ward (28:13.72), Donlon (31st, 28:32) and Patten (40th, 30:39.54).
The Gators (92) placed third behind Valdosta (18), which had five of the top seven runners, and Coffee (67). Trailing Ware County were Atkinson County (93), Berrien (94), PCHS (169), Fitzgerald (222) and Telfair County (228).
Leading the Gators was Wise (18:27.44), who finished sixth in the field of 106 runners. The winning time was 16:45.27.
Rounding out the team score was Smith (14th, 19:10.59), Hood (21st, 19:46.26), Zanders (24th, 19:49.26) and Payne (32nd, 20:12.71.)
Other participants for Ware County included were Frye (41st, 21:14.81), Kurtz (42nd, 21:16.55), Mixon (49th, 21:45.43), Valdez (57th, 22:08.94), Lairsey (69th, 22:13.95), Bennett (72nd, 23:08.37), Wright (75th, 23:18.32), King (91st, 26:24.07) and Yarger (105th, 37:24.28).
Ware County will compete Thursday, September 12 in Hazlehurst at the Southern GA XC Championship hosted by Jeff Davis.
