In Valdosta, House and Prinsloo lead the Independence Day 5K fireworks

Tuesday, 4 July 2016, was the 240th anniversary of the United States as an independent nation, the ninth annual running of Valdosta, Georgia's Independence Day 5K, and the second year in a row that a Lowndes High cross-country runner had won that 5K road race. Rising senior Brishen House took the title for the Vikings, running 17:49. Brianna Prinsloo of Hahira, Georgia won the women's title for the second year in a row, placing sixteenth overall in 21:46. 126 athletes finished the race.


Lowndes standout Kaleb Wolfenden had won the Valdosta 5K in 2016. With Wolfenden graduated and moving on to Columbus State, it was up to the Vikings' Brishen House to keep the title at Lowndes. Ladarius Dumas didn't make it easy for House, though. A rising sophomore at cross-town rival Valdosta High, Dumas finished just a few strides behind House, second in 17:53. Right behind the battle for first, 2014 Independence Day 5K champion Chance Roe was third in 18:00.


Competition in the women's division was even tighter, with the top three athletes finishing within six seconds. Brianna Prinsloo's 21:46 was just good enough to edge Valdosta master runner Sandra Griffin's 21:49. Seventeenth overall, Griffin was not only the women's runner-up but the first master runner in the race. A few steps further back, Gracie Woods was third in the women's standings and eighteenth overall in 21:52. From Broxton, Georgia, Woods is a rising frosh on the Coffee High cross-country team.


Ryan Coyne of Belleville, Georgia was the first male master and eighteenth in the men's standings, 22nd overall in 22:41.


Valdosta's 2017 Independence Day 5K was produced, timed, and scored by A Course / Line, LLC, of Valdosta, Georgia.


Top Ten Men, 2017 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 17:48.8, Brishen House (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
2. 17:52.2, Ladarius Dumas (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
3. 17:59.8, Chance Roe (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
4. 18:34.8, Colin Prinsloo (M, 31) Hahira, GA
5. 18:51.9, Morgan Bolmer (M, 15) Nashville, GA
6. 18:56.1, Ryan Kelly (M, 38) Lake Park, GA
7. 18:57.3, Daniel Swilley (M, 18) Valdosta, GA
8. 19:15.3, Nick Rosatti (M, 20) Hahira, GA
9. 19:15.7, Yotzen Bruna (M, 25) Norman Park, GA
10. 19:49.2, Dan Butzin (M, 32) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Females, 2017 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 21:45.3, Brianna Prinsloo (F, 30) Hahira, GA
2. 21:48.4, Sandra Griffin (F, 50) Valdosta, GA
3. 21:51.6, Gracie Woods (F, 14) Broxton, GA
4. 22:22.2, Vanessa Spry (F, 32) Valdosta, GA
5. 23:00.7, Kelly Davis (F, 27) Valdosta, GA
6. 23:07.6, Susan Breeding (F, 62) Marietta, GA
7. 23:45.1, Chevy Newham (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
8. 24:35.2, Kristine Lutton (F, 37) Valdosta, GA
9. 24:55.5, Martha Mazurkiewicz (F, 49) Valdosta, GA
10. 25:17.7, Stacey Duvall (F, 37) Valdosta, GA

Champions of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K, 2009 - 2017
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
4 July 2006*	32:33, Dave Bernacki	35:28, Susan Fischer	144
4 July 2007*	28:16, John Seppala	37:47, Beth DeLoach	181
4 July 2008*	28:42, John Seppala	33:15, Kelly Fleming	193
4 July 2009	16:38, Alan McGough	20:32, Ashley McGee	228
4 July 2010	16:32, Chris Rice	20:26, Angelina Horne	215
4 July 2011	16:15, Jeff Powers	20:16, Jordanne Helton	123
4 July 2012	16:57, Chris Rice	20:18, Christine Shattles	192
4 July 2013	17:28, Wright Calhoun	20:13, Mary Alice Smoot	163
4 July 2014	17:38, Chance Roe	21:04, Makenzee Page	124
4 July 2015	16:36, Roberto Bonilla, Jr	22:26, Debbie Green	128
4 July 2016	16:28, Kaleb Wolfenden	22:37, Brianna Prinsloo	119
4 July 2017	17:49, Brishen House	21:46, Brianna Prinsloo	126
* The predecessor of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K was the Baytree 8K, run in the streets of Valdosta on Independence Day from 2006 to 2008.

Links

• Complete results of Valdosta's 2017 Independence Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vG8H6F6yKZ5dFUyBKykOL42XLqi1J9sVd_brflbLwkY/pubhtml
  
  
• Independence Day 2017 racing coverage on Trouble Afoot!
  • Gainesville FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/ftc-melon-2017.html
  • Jay FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/jay-freedom-2017.html
  • Tallahassee FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/firecracker-2017.html
  • Valdosta GA: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/valdosta-independence-2017.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Bonilla and Green keep 'em flying in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/valdosta-independence-2015.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Calhoun wins and Smoot sets record on Independence Day in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/07/valdosta-independence-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Rice and Shattles celebrate America's birthday with Valdosta 5K wins”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/valdosta-independence-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Powers and Helton make the records fall in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/valdosta-independence-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “2010 story, "Rice and Horne rock the Fourth in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/2010-valdosta-independence-day-5k.html
  
  
• Find a race to run on the next patriotic holiday using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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