E.A. Sports Today

Another PV sweep

Both Raiders teams stay hot going into open week by sweeping at Cold Springs, Oxford’s girls second in 4A-7A race; White Plains runners sweep Oak Mountain JV gold

By East Alabama Sports Today

COLD SPRINGS – Brad Hood wanted his Pleasant Valley cross country teams to have some momentum going into its midseason open week that just happens to coincide with the school’s Homecoming festivities. The Raiders kept the train moving.

Perhaps buoyed by the fun run and ice cream sandwiches they had midweek, the Raiders pulled off another sweep Saturday – on their coach’s 40th birthday – winning the boys and girls Class 1A-3A races in the 13th annual Kudzu Hills Invitational on the Cold Springs XC Course.

The PV boys, ranked second in Class 3A, placed three runners among the top 15 counters and four in the top 25, to score 81 points and run past host Cold Springs and Altamont, the Nos. 2 and 1 ranked teams in 1A-2A.

The top-ranked girls placed four among the top 10 counters and all five in the top 15 to score 35 points, well ahead of runner-up Hatton. The two-time reigning state champion girls have not lost a scored race since the 2015 Calhoun County Meet.

Ohatchee finished sixth in both races. Oxford finished second in girls 4A-7A race, seventh in the boys race. Alexandria was 11th in the boys race.

“I just wanted them to have some momentum going into the bye week,” Hood said. “This is a benchmark (race) where we really can build some momentum. I hate to say it, but I wish we ran the state meet today. We’re in shape now. We’re in better shape than we were last year (and) all the kids know they can get better. They’re a year stronger and year more mature.”

Matisse Miller led the PV boys across the line with a fourth-place, personal-best 16:39.28. Trinity Roberts was the Lady Raiders’ fastest, finishing third (and the first team scorer) in 19:41.76.

Rachel Faucett finished fifth, breaking 20 for the first time (19:49.49), Emma Hood broke her two-year-old personal best with a 12th-place 21:28.54 – and she was eight seconds behind younger sister Gracie. The Lady Raiders’ 10th runner finished where their fifth was ranked going into the race.

“It’s encouraging to see these times,” Hood said. “It’s unreal to think what they have a chance to do if they stay healthy. Our girls averaged faster today (20:55.32) than they did at the state two years ago. The boys averaged 17:45, that’s smoking. I think (Miller) can break (into) 15 at the state meet, and I think Trinity can break 19.”

Ohatchee’s Gabe Hammonds and Blake Noah finished eighth and ninth respectively, two seconds apart, to lead the Indians in the 1A-3A boys race. Brittany Caywood was their fastest girls finisher, 13th overall.

The 4A-7A girls run was a race for second place and Oxford cleaned up there with three of their five among the top 25 scorers and all five among the top 35. Mia Munoz finished 11th overall, while Madison Scott and Heavyn Leigh Whiteside were 27th and 28th. Lawrence County ran away with the title with five of the top six overall finishers.

Reed Robinson led the Oxford boys across the line with a fourth-place 17:20.37; Dylan Hulsey was 17th (17:57.29). Luis Rodriguez was Alexandria’s fastest runner at 18:14.81 (22nd).

OAK MOUNTAIN INVITE

White Plains’ Jake Moore ran 18:16.83 to win the boys race and Briar Poytress ran 21:49.51 to win the girls race leading the young Wildcats to second-place finishes in their respective JV races at the Oak Mountain Invite at Heardmont Park. Hoover won both races.

Kayd Hightower was fifth (19:18.46) and Luke Larson was sixth (19:28.82) in the boys race. The Wildcats finished five points behind Hoover and 12 ahead of third-place host Oak Mountain.

Adrianna Sotelo was fourth overall (second among team counters) with Camden Wilson 10th and Baylie Webb 11th among scorers in the girls race. The Lady Wildcats finished 12 points behind Hoover, but well ahead of third-place Oak Mountain.

In the varsity races, Mary Shelton finished in the top 25 overall (22:02.03) to lead Jacksonville a ninth-place finish in the girls race. Jacksonville and Donoho finished 15th and 19th, respectively, in the boys race.

KUDZU HILLS INVITATIONAL
At Cold Springs

GIRLS RACE
CLASS 1A-3A

Team scores: Pleasant Valley 35, Hatton 89, St. Bernard 111, Pisgah 142, Altamont 152, Ohatchee 157, Holy Spirit 184, JB Pennington 203, Holly Pond 229, Falkville 243, Cornerstone 262, Elkmont 273, Clements 356.

Individual Top 10
Hannah Tarwater, Whitesburg 19:22.58; Caroline Summers, Whitesburg 19:32.05; Trinity Roberts, Pleasant Valley 19:41; Leahrose Mami, St. Bernard 19:48.09; Rachel Faucett, Pleasant Valley 19:49.49; Ally Amerson, Hatton 20:53.17; Breia Smith, Cornerstone 21:00.87; Anaelyse Perez-Ruiz, Holy Spirit 21:07.86; Ava Akridge, Cold Springs 21:19.42; Gracie Hood, Pleasant Valley 21:20.01.

Others (top 30): 12. Emma Hood, Pleasant Valley 21:28.54; 13. Brittany Caywood, Ohatchee, 21:36.30; 18. Juliana Ballew, Pleasant Valley 22:16.80; 24. Lindsey Pritchett, Pleasant Valley, 22:46.42; 27. Emma Dollar, Pleasant Valley 22:48.68;

CLASS 4A-7A
Team scores: Lawrence County 18, Oxford 121, Deshler 133, Hayleyville 143, Athens 152, Jasper 153, Fairview 157, Moody 176, Ardmore 184, Hamilton 205, Sipsey Valley 279.

Individual Top 10
Savannah Williams, Lawrence County 19:49.02; Emily Daniel, Lawrence County 19:53.98; Alex McDonald, Fairview 20:59.00; Jenny Jett, Lawrence County 21:27.43; Taylor Williams, Lawrence County 21:30.85; Maggie Graham, Lawrence County 21:44.77; Catherine Clements, Gadsden City 21:48.81; Savanna Englisbee, Mortimer Jordan 21:59.41; Peyton Ledlow, Lawrence County 22:22.91; Sydney Johnston, Athens 22:33.39.

Others (top 30): 11. Mia Munoz, Oxford 22:35.50; 27. Madison Scott, Oxford 23:57.00; Heavyn Leigh Whiteside, Oxford 24:01.42.

BOYS RACE
CLASS 1A-3A

Team scores: Pleasant Valley 81, Cold Springs 94, Altamont 133, JB Pennington 162, Hatton 164, Ohatchee 176, Whitesburg Christian 193, St. Bernard 221, Westbrook Christian 237, Elkmont 246, Pisgah 248, Holy Spirit 275, Holly Pond 283, Hanceville 387, Falkville 409, Faith Christian 410, Clements 501, Berry 514.

Individual Top 10
Andrew Sweeney, St. Bernard 16:16.12; Asher Desai, Altamont 16:28.38; James Dixon 16:39.02; Matisse Miller, Pleasant Valley 16:39.28; Chase Prater, Elkmont 16:43.97; Kagen Sutton, Hatton 17:03.06; Mitchell Cook, Westbrook 17:15.78; Gabe Hammonds, Ohatchee 17:22.51; Blake Noah 17:24.87; Skyler Mcleod, Pleasant Valley 17:27.57.

Others (top 30): 13. Jacob Gladen, Pleasant Valley 17:43.49; 23. Dekota Roberts, Pleasant Valley 18:21.17.

CLASS 4A-7A
Team scores: Lawrence County 78, Decatur 105, Haleyville 128, Moody 150, Athens 154, Fairview 161, Oxford 182, Sipsey Valley 190, Jasper 219, Hamilton 240, Gadsden City 273, Alexandria 301, Deshler 339, Ardmore 349, Russellville 359, Hokes Bluff 373.

Individual Top 10
Hamza Abussammour, Haleyville 16:44.61; Blake Terry, Lawrence County 17:08.48; Quinton Chambers, Fairview 17:13.27; Reed Robinson, Oxford 17:20.37; Trace Hannah, Sipsey Valley 17:26.56; Jonah Morris, Gadsden City 17:26.88; Henry McCormick, Decatur 17:36.88; Jaden Vance, Moody 17:39.68; Steele Joiner, Lawrence County 17:40.34; Peter Gonzales, Decatur 17:43.26.

Others (top 30): 17. Dylan Hulsey, Oxford 17:57.29; 22. Luis Rodriguez, Alexandria 18:14.81.

OAK MOUNTAIN INVITE
at Heardmont Park

VARSITY RACE
Boys teams: Hoover 50, Oak Mountain 53, Enterprise 84, Helena 133, Northside 161, John Carroll 204, Westminster (OM) 219, Springville 228, Prattville 236, Northridge 245, Wetumpka 273, Pelham 397, Pell City 403, Tuscaloosa County 409, Jacksonville 424, Lincoln 437, Holt 511, Indian Springs 548, Donoho 555, Jefferson Christian 561, St. Clair County 576, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 599. Race winner: Tanner King, Northside 1:31.60.

Girls teams: Hoover 21, Oak Mountain 75, Westminster (OM) 84, John Carroll 25, Enterprise 130, Helena 175, Pelham 184, Wetumpka 232, Jacksonville 276, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 276, Indian Springs 303. Race winner: Ava Weems, Hoover 20:07.38.

B RACE
Boys teams: Hoover 47, White Plains 52, Oak Mountain 64, Homewood 81, Helena 133, Holtville 174, Wetumpka 221, Prattville 230, West Blocton 280, Childersburg 285. Race winner: Jake Moore, White Plains 18:16.83.

Girls teams: Hoover 25, White Plains 37, Oak Mountain 100, Prattville 109, Enterprise 111, Childersburg 175. Race winner: Briar Poytress, White Plains 21:49.51.

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