Pace Academy dominates Westover Invitational

Pace Academy from Atlanta dominated the Westover Invitational cross country meet at Robert Cross Middle School winning the top spot in both boys’ and girls’ competitions, on both the varsity and junior varisty levels. Centennial High School from Roswell took second in both boys’ and girls’ races as more than 700 runners from around the state came to Albany to compete Saturday morning. In the boys’ team totals Westover finished fifth with Lee County right behind them in sixth. Colquitt County came in 10th and Tift County finished 11th. Dougherty totaled enough points for 15th place and Sherwood Christian took 16th. On the girls’ tally sheet, Westover was 6th, Lee County 7th, and Dougherty in 10th.

The event opened with the varsity girls’ race and it was all Pace Academy. Pace’s Laura Arenth, Payton Payne and Jordan White finished one, two, three to dominate the top three spots. Worth County’s Brianna Zupko finished fourth to be the first runner from the area to complete the course. Not far behind, Lee County’s Emily Phillips crossed the finish line in sixth place. They were the only two from the area that placed in the top ten.

Monroe’s Jordan Elder was the first runner from an intown Albany school to cross the finish line when she came across in 22nd place. Westover’s Jadon Osei was 26th and Lee County’s Alea Bochette was right behind her in 27th. Westover’s Shamia Jones and Anna Plowden finished 31st and 32nd respectively.

Westover’s Henry Plowden finished fifth in the boys’ race at a time of 16.19.48 and he was the only local racer to finish in the top 20. Pace Academy’s George Adams crossed the finish line first with a 15.53.78 time, followed closely by teammate Edward Blaha in second with a time of 16.05.82. Westover’s Jared Osei was the next area runner to cross in 24th place. Seth Shellhouse of Colquitt County crossed in 25th place and Lee County’s Alex Collins finished in 27th. Westover’s Kentavious Sessions came in next at 28th and Lee County’s Edward Ostrander was 29th.

In the boys’ JV race, Lee County’s Tim Ellis and Jeb Parr took 9th and 10th respectively, while Westover’s Eddie Slappey finished 13th. Lee County’s Warren Morris crossed in 15th and Jayden Thomas of Westover was 17th.

The girls’ JV race again was dominated by Pace and Centennial. Westover’s Abigail Santos was the first local runner to finish as she crossed in 29th place.

In the mixed Middle School race, Colquitt County’s James Fagan finished second behind Brody Colopy, a runner from Smiths Station in Alabama. Lee County’s Landon Dale took fourth and Sherwood Christian’s Christian Jackson finished sixth while teammate Dequan Moore crossed seventh. Lee County’s Jaydn Wilkerson came in ninth.

Westover’s next competition will be at the region race in Columbus on October 22.

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Staff Photo: Joe Whitfield