E.A. Sports Today

County shines at sectionals

Anniston’s glory story continues with crown, PV sweeps; Nunnelly, Roberts, Miller, Shelton win individual titles

By East Alabama Sports Today

The Anniston boys’ cross-country team’s glory story continued Thursday as the team that was put together only three months ago won a Class 4A sectional title.

The Bulldogs placed four runners in the top 10 and scored 37 points to edge third-seeded Northside and win the Section 2 race at Hoover’s Veterans Park.

A total of 10 teams and 16 individuals from Calhoun County have qualified for the state meet, Nov. 11, at the Oakville Indian Mounds course near Moulton.

James Haynes and Miciah Myles led the Bulldogs across the line, finishing second and fourth, respectively, mixing with Northside’s 1-3 finish.

The difference in getting the win — just like in the Calhoun County meet — was where eighth-grader Christian Myles finished for the Bulldogs. He was Anniston’s fifth man at 14th, well ahead of Northside’s fifth runner, who was 27th.

“It was a team effort,” Anniston coach Lisa Howard said. “Everybody did their part and if they continue to do their part we’ll be OK.

“I will put my guys against anybody any day of the week. Right now we’re fifth (in the state) and we want to move up.”

Pleasant Valley’s boys and girls swept the Class 3A Section 4 titles in Cold Springs and the White Plains girls repeated at 4A Section 2 champions with seven runners in the top 10.

“Not sure I could ask for much more than that,” White Plains coach John Moore said.

The White Plains girls led a 1-2-3 county sweep of team qualifiers in their race with Jacksonville and Saks.

County champions Abby Nunnelly of Alexandria (19:38.19) and Matisse Miller of Pleasant Valley (16:49.89), 2016 county girls champion Trinity Roberts of PV and Jacksonville’s Mary Shelton (21:45.33) won their respective individual races.

“It was a really good run for me,” Nunnelly said. “I came out hard at the beginning and just kept that pace the whole time.”

Miller and Skyler Mcleod finished 1-2 for the PV boys, helping the Raiders post their fastest race average among their top five finishers (17:34.2). A few hours after his race, Miller officially committed to run next year at Jacksonville State.

The White Plains boys and the girls from Alexandria, Oxford and Ohatchee also qualified their teams.

Alexandria, Anniston, Jacksonville, Oxford, Ohatchee, Faith Christian, Donoho, Sacred Heart and JCA all qualified individuals from the teams that did not qualify for the state meet.

STATE CROSS COUNTRY QUALIFIERS
(Nov. 11, Oakville Indian Mounds Course)
BOYS
Teams

Pleasant Valley (3A)
Anniston (4A)
White Plains (4A)

Individuals
1A-2A – James Middlebrooks, Sacred Heart; Kam Thomas, Donoho; Noah George, Sacred Heart; Carson Limbaugh, Faith Christian; Chad Turner, Sacred Heart.
3A – Gabe Hammonds, Ohatchee; Blake Noah, Ohatchee
4A – Evan Garner, Jacksonville; Caden Hendrickson, Jacksonville.
5A – Luis Rodriguez, Alexandria.
6A – Reed Robinson, Oxford.

GIRLS
Teams

Pleasant Valley (3A)
Ohatchee (3A)
White Plains (4A)
Jacksonville (4A)
Saks (4A)
Alexandria (5A)
Oxford (6A)

Individuals
1A-2A – Kirsten Walker, JCA; Elizabeth Bedford, Faith Christian; Madi Sexton, JCA; Mia Morales, JCA.
4A – Allaha Dudley, Anniston.

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