HAHIRA –– On Thursday, Sept. 3, the Valwood cross country teams embarked on a 3.5-hour drive to Statesboro to compete in the Frazier-Hite invitational. The temperatures for the meet were unforgiving, but the Valiants made the best of the circumstances.

Running for the varsity boys was freshman, Wesley Clark. He competed against 13 full teams with a field of 107 fellow runners. He placed 6th out of 19 runners in his age group. 

The varsity girls were up next and persevered through the heat to take the top spot. Two runners finished in the top 10, Ella Burnett (5th) and Emma Burnett (6th). Also running for the varsity girls was Jordan Green, Brenna Clark, Jolie Green, MacKenzie Collins, Anabelle Melendez, Berkley Burns and Analisa Young. 

The girls competed against eight full teams and 88 runners. The Valwood varsity girls are currently ranked No. 1 for Georgia independent varsity girls out of 21 teams. The middle school boys ran a two-mile race competing against four teams and 40 runners. Ethan Burnett placed 5th overall and ran a two-mile PR time. Also running for the middle school boys was Michael Matchett, also running a PR time and 6th grader, Evan Schert, who finished 3rd out of nine runners in his age group. 

For the middle school girls, Annabel Musgrove and Ava Garrett, ran a PR time for the two-mile race. They competed against 40 runners as well. 

This week the Valwood cross country team will travel to Leesburg, Ga. this Saturday, Sept. 12, to compete in the Lee County Invitational.