VALDOSTA —
After a dominating regular season, the Lowndes cross country teams made a clean sweep of the Region 1-6A Cross Country Championship Meet held last week at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton.
All four Lowndes teams — the junior varsity boys and girls and the varsity boys and girls — won their respective meets and were crowned region champions.
With seven teams competing in the region, each team is allowed seven runners.
The top four overall finishers were all from Lowndes.
Megan Charbeneau won the individual championship with a time of 19:18, while Jacki Pinkerton finished second with a time of 19:52. Alison Peters (20:17), and Alex Haun (20:46) rounded out the top four.
The LHS varsity girls almost completed a perfect score in the team, as the Vikings’ fifth runner, Ashley Powell, finished her day with a time of 21:38, giving Lowndes a total of 20 points.
Maggie-Laine Powell (21:44) and Aubrey Suddarth (22:22) finished sixth and seventh for Lowndes, in case of any tie breaker points needed.
The Region 1 championship marked back-to-back titles for the Lowndes girls cross country team.
“Words can’t describe the way I feel,” said Lowndes head coach Antonio Wesley. “It was an incredible day for our program.”
Last year, the Lowndes High boys finished fourth in the region meet and set out this year to improve, especially with the addition of Brunswick and Camden County to the tough athletic region.
The Vikings improved and accomplished more this season by winning the Region 1-6A championship race.
Lowndes was led by Jadon Long (16:59), while the supporting cast of Eli Gilmore (17:29), David Jones (17:41), Tyler Thurman (17:59), Chance Roe(18:04), Walker Johnson (18:15), and Caleb Coil (18:31) all did their parts.
“Our kids have worked hard all year and now the hard work is paying off,” Wesley said.
The varsity boys and girls will compete at the State Cross Country Meet in Carrollton on Saturday. The boys’ run begins at 11:30 a.m., while the girls’ run begins at 12:15 p.m. from Carrollton High School.
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The Lowndes cross country teams claimed the Region 1-6A championship last week in Tifton. Submitted Photo
Discussion
Lowndes cross country wins region championships
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