Cross Country teams complete seasons at sectionals/state

The 2026 cross country season is bearing down on the finish line, with the last of the fall’s postseason events coming up in this weekend’s GHSA championships. 

West Laurens boys and girls, which both advanced from the sectional stage last week, are set to hit the course on Friday morning in Carrollton. 

The Raiders traveled to Ludowici, while Dublin and East Laurens runners competed in Hazelhurst, for sectional races last Saturday, as Trinity’s also went to Macon to take part in the GIAA state championships. 

Both West Laurens teams finished inside the top 12 to qualify with their overall scores at the south sectional meet, hosted by Long County. The Raider boys placed eighth, and girls third overall behind top teams Columbus and Peach County. 

The Raiders’ top runner on the boys side was Oliver Petrie, who finished 17th overall with a time of 18:04.60. 

He was followed by Nathan Larson (28), Fisher Smith (45), Bennett Smith (63), Isaac Cross (74), Ronan Pangie (79) and Gray Mullis (97). 

Rylee Howard (21:00.27) and Landry Hall (21:18.56), clocking in 12th and 13th respectively, paced the West Laurens girls squad, for which all six runners finished in the top 40. 

Raidyn Joinerr and Caitlyn Mathis finished back-to-back at 18th and 19th respectively, and Brene Caldwell and Maddyn Joiner the same at 34 and 35. 

East and Dublin both had some strong individual performances, though team scores were too far back in the running to give its teams a shot to advance from the sectional race at Jeff Davis High School. 

The Falcons’ top boys finisher was Colton McCoy, who placed 31st with a time of 19:11.20. Braylon Makaya (56), Rhys Bryan (92), Ty Baumann (102), Cohen McCoy (107) and Caleb Deal (122) followed. 

Chris Dixon, 101st with a time of 21:31.50, led the Irish, who were also represented by Nehemiah Snell (128), Ar’Dreakius Taylor (131), Zimarion Johnson (136), Ja’Keno Lamb (140) and Smith Zellner (142). 

Bleckley County, per usual, swept the top three spots overall with Brody Gibbs finishing a sixth of a second in front of teammate Will Brown for first. Elliot Lynch placed third. 

The Royals’ Lily Farrell was the gold medalist with a time of 18:35.90 on the girls’ side. 

Dublin’s Keasia Jackson, finishing 38th at 24:09.90, was Laurens County’s top finisher. Jordan Renfroe (114), Kylee Spikes (119) and Kayleigh Rozier (123) also ran for the Irish. 

East’s Caroline Clements was 79th, clocking in at 27:28.70. Jameylyn Bass (96), Brailyn Christy (120) and Braelen Kight (127) rounded out the Falcons’ flock of runners.  

Trinity played host to runners of multiple regions, including their own 6-AA, on October 7. 

Grayson Knowles placed fourth overall with a time of 19:27.01 to lead the Crusader boys. Bethany Hawkins finished first among their girls with a time of 26:52.74. 

Blaze Milburn (8), Kennedy Beasley (12), Matthew Kitchen (28) and Ashstan Mills (30) completed their boys field, and Elise Bothwell (13), Bethany Sumner (19), Juliann Loyd (23) and Chloe Rozier (24) the girls. 

Most of the above went on to compete last Saturday in the GIAA finals at Mount de Sales Academy, where Knowles (17th, 19:28.28) and Hawkins (25th, 26:43.60) were once again top finishers. 

They were followed by Milburn (27), Beasley (34), Mills (67), Bothwell (34) and Sumner (29).