Submitted photo Will Krispin, left, runs alongside Noah Richards, right, 50 feet from the finish line. 

VALDOSTA — In high school sports, the main objective is to be able to make it to state. 

This year, Valdosta High Cross Country boys and girls both qualified for the state meet held in Carrollton, Georgia. 

Runner Noah Richards (Varsity ‘18), the number one runner for VHS and the region, went to state hoping to place higher than any Valdosta runner ever has. Unfortunately, this goal could not be accomplished due to an ankle injury he acquired during the race. 

“I was on the last mile and a half of the race when someone tried to push me out of the way. I didn’t see it coming and lost my balance, so when I tried to catch myself, I twisted my ankle,” Richards said, explaining what happened. 

As unfair as it may seem, there are no rules or repercussions keeping runners from shoving during a race – so there is nothing preventing people from shoving. Richards knew he needed to finish, limping the last mile of the race. 

Valdosta’s number three runner and long term best friend of Richards, Will Krispin decided he would run alongside Noah to help him across the finish.

Richards repeatedly told Krispin to finish the race without him, but Krispin insisted, “it wasn’t right to leave my best friend, Noah, behind while he was down and I would rather help push him across the finish on our last race ever.” 

For Valdosta High, Richards and Krispin finished third and fourth and overall finished 161 and 162 out of 221 racers. Their friendship and camaraderie is inspirational, truly a fantastic example of “no man left behind.”