Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
The Ashville boys finished runner-up in the Class 1A-4A division at the Fairview Invitational 5K last Saturday (Sept. 17).
Leading the way for the Bulldogs was senior Joe Stevens (pictured above). Out of a field of 169 runners, the defending 4A state champion posted a first-place time of 16:30.11, almost 44 seconds faster than runner-up Caleb Miley of Hatton.
Ryan Matthews helped Ashville with a fifth-place time of 17:30.
Hokes Bluff finished seventh out of 15 teams. Bryer Morrison paced the Eagles with a 10th place time of 18:17.55, while Ethan Patterson came in 16th at 18:34.32.
Ashville’s Taylor Knight placed second out of 134 runners in the 1A-4A girls race with a time of 21:32.76. West End’s Karlee Tarpley came in 11th at 22:06.30, while Hokes Bluff’s Emma Godfrey finished 18th at 22:43.76.
West End and Ashville finished fifth and seventh, respectively, out of 14 teams.
In the 5A-7A girls race with 104 runners, Sardis’ Barit Snead placed ninth with a time of 22:18.33. Teammates Marissa Bozarth came in 12th at 22:52.71, while Rebekah Blackerby finished 23rd at 24:08.79.
