TIFTON — The Tift County Blue Devils cross country team captured their first Region 1-AAAAA championship since 2001 Thursday at Packer Park in Moultrie.
Coach Patti Barber’s Lady Devils squad also advanced to the state Class AAAAA meet with a third-place finish in the girls meet. The top four teams from the region advance to the state meet, which will be held Nov. 8 in Carrollton.
“I am proud of both of them,” said Barber. “It was really great for the guys to win the title for the first time since 2001, and it was good for the girls to get a chance to go back to the state.”
The Blue Devils had 35 points to win the league crown. Warner Robins was second with 48, Houston County took third with 84 and the host Colquitt County Packers were fourth with 88 points.
Even though only the top five placers earn points, Tift’s seven runners finished in the top 19.
Hunter Honeycutt led the way, as he won the overall title with a time of 16:45.
“We are hoping that Hunter may be able to place in the top 10 at state,” said Barber.
Luke Clark was fifth with a time of 17:38, and Christian Neal was seventh with a time of 18:00. The top six finishers earn medals, so Neal just missed being a region medalist.
Blake Hightower was 10th with a time of 18:08, and Chris Rockwell took 12th with a time of 18:18.
Sam Holbrook was 18th with a time of 18:27, and Zack Dorminey was 19th with a time of 18:27.
Valdosta won the girls title with 38 points. Warner Robins was second with 72, while Tift was third with 76. Colquitt came in fourth with 90 points.
Kelly Murray earned a medal as she was fifth with a time of 21:36. Blakely McClellan was Tift’s second top finisher, as she took 15th overall with a time of 22:50. Other Tift placers were Arieal Stevenson, 17th with a time of 23:03; Alli Gann, 18th with a time of 23:04; and Lawson Barber, 21st with a time of 23:46.
Malavika Rajeev was 25th with a time of 24:00, and Alex Googe took 43rd with a time of 25:54.
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Devils win first region title in seven years
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