Former rivals each get crown in separate regions

Taylor Snyder and Atom Young were rivals a year ago, flip-flopping best times and competing for the top spot in Region 3-AAAA cross country.

//

They were on the same course again last week, but not at the same time.

Snyder, Greenbrier's top boys runner, won the Region 2-AAAAA meet at Blanchard Woods Park. Young, Lakeside's top boys runner, won the Region 3-AAAA meet.

Snyder ran a 17:25. Young finished in 17:35.

Each came away with a region title -- something that wasn't possible a year ago.

Lakeside boys entered Saturday's Class AAAA meet as the No. 5 team in the state. Young held the state's sixth-best time with a 16:15.42 he ran at the Alexander/ASICS Invitational.

Columbia County girls runners held the top two times -- and three of the top 10 -- in Class AAAA heading into Saturday's meet.

Lakeside sophomore Anna Bowles had the best time with an 18:16.28 at the Alexander/ASICS. Evans runner Elena Hubbard was second in Class AAAA, finishing in 18:35.90 at the same event. Bowles' teammate, Katie Townsend, ran a 19:16.57 in the event, good enough for Class AAAA's sixth-best time this season.

Bowles won the Region 3-AAAA meet at Blanchard Woods, and Townsend finished second.

Lakeside's girls and boys teams swept the team competition. The Panthers were expected to make a nice showing Saturday at the Class AAAA meet in Carrollton, Ga.

Snyder was mentioned among the contenders in the Class AAAAA meet.

Robolli's owner gets first ace

Kirk Daniel could have picked a better hole to make his first ace.

The co-owner of Robolli's Pizza in Martinez made a hole-in-one on the 127-yard second hole at Mount Vintage Golf Club on Nov. 3. Daniel was playing as part of a four-man team in a golf tournament benefiting The Foundation for Therapeutic Options.

He doesn't remember the immediate aftermath, other than the high-fives from his playing partners.

"I didn't know what to do," Daniel said. "I was like, 'Did that just happen?' "

An ace on any of the course's other three par-3 holes would have won Daniel a car. His achievement on No. 2 earned him a set of TaylorMade golf clubs and a $50 gift certificate to P.F. Chang's restaurant.

The golf tournament is in its second year and also had a hole-in-one its inaugural year. That golfer won a Mercedes.

Soccer finals today

The finals of the Peach Belt Conference soccer championships will be held today at Blanchard Woods Park.

The semifinals were held Friday, while Saturday was reserved as Breakfast with the Champions Community Day and included food, a soccer clinic and autographs.

Tickets for today's matches cost $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.