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By Ken Gustafson

 

LEESBURG – Both the Furlow Charter girls’ and boys’ cross country teams turned in top 10 finishes at the Lee County Invitational this past Saturday. The girls’ team finished in fifth place out of 21 teams and the boys’ team finished in sixth place out of 26 teams.

Individually, Furlow Charter’s Maria Kilheffer finished in seventh place with a new PR (personal record) of 22:35 and her teammate, Elizabeth Arizmendi, finished 25^th out of 195 competitors with a new PR of 24:59.

In boys’ action, Furlow Charter’s Ian Biedermann finished 27^th out of 317 competitors with a new PR of 19:20. Biedermann’s teammate, Ibis Gonzalez, finished in 34^th place with a new PR of 19:27 and Dennis Gonzalez finished in 40^th place with a new PR of 19:42.

Both Schley County (SCHS) and Southland Academy (SAR) also had their girls and boys teams participating in the meet. Schley County’s Mallory Crenshaw finished 28^th out of 195 competitors and Southland Academy’s Brianna Brown finished in 58^th place with a time of 26:56. SAR’s Reese Graft was the next local runner to cross the finish line in the girls’ race. Graft finished with a time of 27:41. Other local female runners who finished with strong performances are as follows:

 

• Karen Perez (FC) 28:04
• Addison Drinnon (FC) 29:45
• Syrius Zhang (FC) 29:52
• Payton Goodin (SC) 31:02
• Emily Wilder (SC) 31:03
• Kaleigh Johnson (SC) 31:32
• Ashley Navarez (FC) 31:49.77
• Britton Cox (SC) 32:45
• Brandi Ardon (FC) 33:08
• Shelby Barfield (SC) 33:36.93
• Litzy Alejo (FC) 34:30
• Mikayla Jackson (SC) 35:17
• Lily Harris (SC) 35:29
• Abby Kirkland (SC) 35:34
• Sarah Renfroe (SC) 38:19
• Harley Eggers (SC) 42:29

 

As a team, the Schley County girls’ team finished in 15^th place

In boys’ action, Schley County’s Luis Sanchez finished 56^th out of 316 compeitors in a time of 20:31. The next local runner to cross the finish line was Haydn Wright of Furlow Charter, who finished 69^th in a time of 21:00. Wright’s teammate, Jacob Wilson, crossed the finish line in 74^th place in a time of 21:11.

The first Southland Academy athlete to cross the finish line was William Kinney, who finished 8oth out of 316 competitors in a time of 21:31. The next local runner to cross was Schley County’s Markus Sowell, who finished 98^th out of 316 runners in a time of 22:00.

Other local runners who turned in strong performances are as follows:

 

• Matteson Debiase (SAR) 22:29
• Ehtan Bliss (SC) 23:38
• Sterling Blanchard (SC) 24:16
• Cole Bartholome (FC) 24:36
• Hudson Barker (SC) 25:39
• Wiley Stewart (FC) 25:52
• Tray Thomas (SC) 26:00
• Ty Grace (SC) 26:29
• London Lee (SC) 26:33
• Declan Ekkel (SC) 27:15
• Jayden Monford (SC) 30:34
• Antonio Arencibia (33:11)
• Kyler Walton (SC) 34:40

As a team, the Schley County boys finished in 22^nd place.