Southland Academy middle school girls finish in second place at GISA Varsity Preview & Middle School Invitational

Published 4:28 am Tuesday, October 13, 2020

From Staff Reports

 

 

MACON – The Southland Academy (SAR) middle school girls’ XC (cross country) team turned in an outstanding performance, as they finished in second place at the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) Varsity Preview & Middle School Invitational held on Saturday, October 9, in Macon, GA.

The Lady Raiders finished with a total of 41 points to take the state runner-up spot. They finished just 10 points shy of Bulloch Academy, who won the team championship with 31 points. In the sport of cross country, the team goal is to score the fewest amount of points possible. The Lady Raiders finished 11 points ahead of the Brookwood School, who finished in third place with 52 points.

Brianna Brown was the top finisher for the Lady Raiders. Brown finished in fourth place in a time of 15:57.30. She finished 15 seconds seconds behind third-place finisher Emery Lynn of Bulloch Academy (15:42.80), 18 seconds behind race runner-up Taylor Bland of Pinewood Christian (15:39.10) and 35 seconds behind race champion Abby Stalvey of Brookwood (15:07.30).

Alyssa Godwin was the next Lady Raider to cross the finish line. Godwin finished four spots behind Brown in eighth place with a time of 16:58.30.

Southland Academy varsity boys’ runners Noah Sheff (left) and Kolden Kinney (right) pose for a picture after running in the varsity boys’ race at the GISA Varsity Preview & Middle School Invitational.
Photo by Beth Kinney

The next SAR Lady Raider to cross was Reese Graft, who finished in 12th place with a time of 17:39.00. Camille Cochran and Mary Ramsey Collins were the next two Lady Raiders to cross. Cochran finished in a time of 18:35.60 and Collins was right behind her, finishing in a time of 18:41.90. Braylee Campbell and Isabelle Saratsiotis also turned in strong performance for SAR. Campbell finished in a time of 20:36.80 and Saratsiotis finished right behind Campbell in a time of 21:00.10.

In middle school boys’ action, the Raiders finished in fourth place as a team with 80 points, 21 points behind third place finishers Bulloch Academy, who finished with 59 points. Brookwood was the state runner-up with 55 points and Creekside Christian Academy won the team championship with 50 points.

Southland Academy middle school runner Peyton Gilbert finished in the top 10 with a ninth-place finish in a time of 14:50.50.
Photo by Beth Kinney

SAR’s Peyton Gilbert was the first Raider to cross the finish line, as he finished in ninth place with a time of 14:50.50. Shawn Pinnell and William Kinney were the next two Raiders to cross the line. Pinnell finished in a time of 15:26.30 and Kinney finished right behind him in a time of 16:11.90.

Colton Crawford turned in a strong finish for the Raiders by finishing in a time of 16:33.40 and his two teammates, Ryan Peck and Matteson Debaise, finished one behind the other. Peck crossed the finish line in a time of 17:22.60 and Debaise was right behind him in a time of 17:24.80.

In varsity boys’ action, SAR freshman Noah Sheff turned in an outstanding performance by finishing in fifth place with a time of 20:40.70. Sheff’s teammate, junior Kolden Kinney, crossed the finish line in a time of 31:12.80.