ROCHELLE — Lowndes and Valdosta runners are headed to the Class 6A state cross country meet after competing in sectionals Saturday at Wilcox County.

The sectional meet brought in teams from Regions 1, 4, 7 and 8 and also served as the conference meet for Region 1.

Out of region teams, the Lowndes boys were second and Valdosta was third. Richmond Hill won the region with Tift County fourth.

The Vikettes were also second in the region, again behind Richmond Hill. Camden County was third and Tift placed fourth.

Added in with teams from the other three regions, the Vikings were sixth overall and the Wildcats were eighth. The Vikettes were 11th. Twenty-five girls teams and 26 boys competed.

State is scheduled for this Saturday in Carrollton.

Lowndes’ Dylan Chambers placed eighth in 15:37. The winning time belonged to Collins Hill’s James Pifer, according to MileSplit results. Pifer ran in 15:17. Two Richmond Hill runners were in the top five.

Ethan Burnett was 24th in 16:29 and Michael Gemma ran 28th in 16:35. Avery Adkins earned 36th in 16:49 and Corbin Young rounded out the Vikes’ top five in 18:03.

Jaylen Johnson and Tucker Wilbanks completed the lineup. All crossed the finish line in under 20 minutes.

For Valdosta, Patrick Wallace was 20th in 16:23. David Boatright was second for the ‘Cats in 16:52, 38th overall. Brandon Reyes turned in a time of 17:19 and Zane Tribble in 17:37 and Marcus Boyd came in at a shade under 18 minutes.

Austin Sanderson finished in 18:37 and Carter McGhin in 18:52 to have all runners back at the tent before their crosstown rivals.

Kendall Johnson was the first VIkette to finish, taking 15th place in 19:47. Evelyn Schlitz of Mill Creek was the runaway winner in 17:47.

Kelsie Herndon had a time of 22:12, with Annyson Warren finishing in 22:44, Alyssa Youmans in 23:27 and Yuka Bass in 24:16 to complete scoring. Valerie Roberts was Lowndes’ sixth runner.

Valdosta’s lineup featured only five runners: Mia Shuckmann, Kaitlyn Ezzell, Jedidiah Montgomery, Maggie Matheny and Olivia Fowler.

Shuckmann and Ezzell had the best times for the Lady Wildcats, 26:18 and 26:34, respectively.