Greenbrier teams win in 3-AAAA
The Greenbrier High School boys' cross country team regained its rule of Region 3-AAAA, while the Lady Wolfpack extended their region reign.
After winning four straight region titles, the Wolfpack boys were knocked off the throne last season by Lakeside High School. Greenbrier exacted revenge Wednesday at the Brierpatch by capturing the Region 3-AAAA championship.
'' We talked about that frequently. We did not want to have that happen again," Greenbrier coach Kati Smallwood said of her team's second place finish in the 2000 region meet.
Some of the talk came from the Lady Wolfpack, according to Greenbrier's Boston Blake. ''They were nagging us, while encouraging us, about getting our winning streak back," he said.
Greenbrier freshman Miguel Mota led the field with a time of 17:58 on the 5-kilometer course. Wolfpack senior Pat Harmon was second at 18:05.
''Without Pat I don't think I could have run that fast," Mota said. ''Pat was injured during the regular season. Once he got better he was on my butt."
Other Greenbrier finishers were Blake (7th, 18:59), David Quigley (9th, 19:07), Randy Dodson (10th, 19:09), David Zampini (11th, 19:19) and Ty Taylor (15th).
The Wolfpack totaled 29 points, easily ahead of Thomson (70). Lakeside scored 103 point to place third in the eight-team field. Peyton Gunn paced the Panthers, posting a 19:04 to finish eighth.
The Greenbrier girls, meanwhile, seized their sixth straight Region 3-AAAA crown with a solid showing in Wednesday's unseasonable heat. Addison Price took first place with a time of 22:04, while her Greenbrier teammates Kaycee Quarles (22:42) and Blaire Peters (23:18) completed a sweep of the top three spots.
Other Greenbrier finishers were Carly Jackson (12th, 25:54), Samantha Hardy (16th, 26:32), Anna Harris (22nd, 27:23) and Jessica Lerer (23rd, 27:35).
Jackson's run was particularly gutsy. The senior had not been competing this season because of shin splints but returned to action to help the Lady Wolfpack at region.
The Lady Pack outdistanced Statesboro 32 to 51. Lakeside settled for third, with 64 points, while Burke County came in at 65.
Only the top two teams advance to the state meet, so the Lady Panthers narrowly missed a spot in the championships at Carrollton High School. The top six individuals also qualify for state, and Lakeside's Jessica Zinskie ran a 24:13 Wednesday to finish fifth and secure a spot.
Both Greenbrier teams will now gear up to compete Saturday in the state championships in Carrollton, Ga.
''We're going to just keep training between now and next Saturday," Smallwood said. ''The kids are real excited about state and they're going to do the best they can."