Photo: Southside’s Evan Christopher enters the home stretch of the Pleasant Valley Twilight 5K on Thursday, Oct. 5. (Submitted photo)
By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor
The Southside High cross country teams swept the Twilight 5K on Thursday, Oct. 5 at Pleasant Valley.
The SHS boys, led by Evan Christopher’s first place time of 16:44.37 out of 125 runners, finished with an average time of 18:32.81, almost 15 seconds faster than runner-up Springville. Also placing in the top 10 was Max Valentine with a fifth-place time of 18:00.03.
The Lady Panthers finished with a 13-second advantage over second-place Jacksonville. Marlee Tucker placed fifth with a time of 22:30 and Taylor Dortch 10th with a time of 22:56. Glencoe’s Sarah Ponder won the race with a time of 21:36.47.
Ashville took third place, paced by Taylor Knight’s second-place showing of 21:49.80.
Five other local runners finished in the top 10. For the boys, Hokes Bluff’s Ethan Patterson came on fourth at 17:56.70, Ashville’s Ryan Matthews seventh at 18:12.19 and Sardis’ Aiden Pierce ninth at 18:34.86. For the girls, Hokes Bluff’s Emma Godfrey came in third at 22:09.96, while Ashville’s Allie Cone placed fourth at 22:18.84.
Area boys finishing in the top 25 were Southside’s Matthew Battles in 11th place at 18:50.77, Southside’s Tanner Griggs in 12th at 19:01.73, Ashville’s Maddox Vann in 16th at 19:37.71, Southside’ s Jackson Brown in 20th at 20:07.11, Gadsden City’s Cash McCoy in 22nd at 20:16.98 22, Glencoe’s Owen Beason in 24th at 20:18.61 and Southside’s Keaton Yingling in 25th at 20:35.71.
Top 25 local girls’ performances included Southside’s Mallory Tucker in 12th place at 23:26.21, Southside’s Zoie Menk in 14th at 24:04.74, Southside’s Adalyn Phillips in 16th at 24:17.38, Southside’s Madelyn Chandler in 17th at 24:27.00, Southside’s Lucy Valentine in 21st at 24:52.68, Ashville’s Molly Northam in 22nd at 24:55.55, Southside’s Riley Hulsey in 23rd at 24:57.91 and Ashville’s Anzlee Farmer in 25th at 25:11.11.
