Rebekah Smith and Andrew Jackson lead another Thomasville sweep in Region 1-AA

It's not true that Thomasville High teams always win the Region 1-AA cross-country meet. Why, just five years ago the Fitzgerald boys took home the 2009 Region 1 title. Of course, even that year the Thomasville boys were no worse than second, and the Thomasville girls won their race. And every year since then the Thomasville Bulldogs have claimed the Region titles, both boys and girls.


This year was no exception. The Bulldogs pulled off yet another sweep of the Region 1-AA team titles, this time on the course at Pebble Hill on Wednesday morning, 29 October 2014.


The Bulldogs' big day started with the girls' 5K race at 10:30 AM. Just four day earlier, Thomasville junior Rebekah Smith had won the Yellow Jacket Invitational, the first cross-country victory of her career. She must have liked the idea, because was first across the finish line again in the Region 1-AA race, coming in nearly a minute ahead of the next runner at 22:11. Is winning becoming a habit for Smith?


"I hope so!" she laughed.


Emily Boyd of Berrien placed second in 23:08. Boyd was joined in the top ten by two other Berrien Rebels, Janna Jernigan (4th, 23:25) and Haley Jernigan (10th, 25:17). But Thomasville had three other runners in the top ten--juniors Jacara Hayes (5th, 24:16) and Rebecca Jane White (7th, 24:40) plus frosh Miyah Beard (9th, 25:09). And while the Rebels were still waiting for their fourth scorer, junior Demetria Miley crossed the finish line for the Bulldogs, 11th in 25:30. That gave the Thomasville girls 37 points and a seventh straight Region 1 title for the Bulldogs. Berrien was second with 43 points, Pelham third with 84, and Fitzgerald fourth with 104. Those were the four teams that qualified for the GHSA State Championship on 8 November 2014 in Carrollton, Georgia.


Girls' Team Standings, 2014 GHSA Region 1-AA Cross Country

1. Thomasville, 33 points
2. Berrien, 43
3. Pelham, 84
4. Fitzgerald, 104
5. Early County, 125
6. Seminole County, 128

Top Ten Girls, 2014 GHSA Region 1-AA Cross Country

1. 22:10.45 ~ Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11
2. 23:07.91 ~ Emily Boyd (Berrien)
3. 23:28.52 ~ Tanja Brenne (Fitzgerald) 12
4. 23:34.73 ~ Janna Jernigan (Berrien)
5. 24:15.21 ~ Jacara Hayes (Thomasville) 11
6. 24:37.83 ~ Monica Webb (Pelham) 10
7. 24:39.89 ~ Rebecca Jane White (Thomasville) 11
8. 25:04.15 ~ Yulisa Serrano (Fitzgerald) 10
9. 25:08.51 ~ Miyah Beard (Thomasville) 9
10. 25:16.11 ~ Haley Jernigan (Berrien)

Thomasville senior Travet "TJ" Witherspoon charged out into the lead right from the start of the GHSA Region 1 boys' race. For the first mile, Berrien sophomore Haven Gilbert ran as if he were stuck to Witherspoon, but the Bulldog senior broke away during the second mile, arriving at the two-mile mark with a ten-second lead. Meanwhile, another Thomasville senior, Andrew Jackson, had moved into second place. In each of four earlier races this season, Jackson had finished behind Witherspoon. During the third mile of this race, though, Jackson made Witherspoon's lead disappear. With 400 meters to go Jackson was the one with the ten-second lead. He continued to widen that lead on his way to an 18:29 win and the GHSA Region 1-AA title. Witherspoon held off Bryce Tucker of Berrien 18:47 to 18:49, taking second. Thomasville senior Neil White was fourth in 18:59. The Bulldogs' next two runners were junior Alex Perralta (9th, 20:16) and senior Jacob Bruhn (15th, 21:06), giving Thomasville a winning total of 31 points and a trip to the State Meet in Carrollton. Also qualifying for State were Berrien, second with 42 points; Seminole County, third with 82; and Fitzgerald, fourth with 107.


Boys' Team Standings, 2014 GHSA Region 1-AA Cross Country

1. Thomasville, 31 points
2. Berrien, 42
3. Seminole County, 82
4. Fitzgerald, 107
5. Pelham, 115
6. Early County, 139

Top Ten Boys, 2014 GHSA Region 1-AA Cross Country

1. 18:28.53 ~ Andrew Jackson (Thomasville) 12
2. 18:46.58 ~ Travet Witherspoon (Thomasville) 12
3. 18:48.14 ~ Bryce Tucker (Berrien)
4. 18:58.21 ~ Neil White (Thomasville) 12
5. 19:03.16 ~ Brett Bailey (Pelham) 12
6. 19:30.93 ~ Haven Gilbert (Berrien)
7. 19:39.87 ~ Dustin Reynolds (Seminole County) 10
8. 20:02.30 ~ Caleb Finn (Berrien)
9. 20:15.62 ~ Alex Peralta (Thomasville) 11
10. 20:20.51 ~ Ronaldo Nunez (Fitzgerald) 11

GHSA Region 1-AA Cross-Country Champions 2010 - 2014
Girls
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
30 Oct 2008	Thomasville, 28	22:23, Jennifer Cumbus (Berrien)
29 Oct 2009	Thomasville, 22	23:26, Jennifer Cumbus (Berrien)
28 Oct 2010	Thomasville, 28	23:03, Rosalie White (Thomasville) 10
26 Oct 2011	Thomasville, 17	23:19, Mareike Haaren (Thomasville) 10
31 Oct 2012	Thomasville, 15	21:48, Rachel Smith (Thomasville) 11
29 Oct 2013	Thomasville, 23	21:05, Rachel Smith (Thomasville) 12
29 Oct 2014	Thomasville, 33	22:11, Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11
Boys
Date	Team Champ	Individual Champ
30 Oct 2008	Thomasville, 36	17:13, David Daniel (Thomasville)
29 Oct 2009	Fitzgerald, 31	17:37, David Daniel (Thomasville)
28 Oct 2010	Thomasville, 56	18:29, Grif Rutherford (Thomasville) 9
26 Oct 2011	Thomasville, 40	17:40, Grif Rutherford (Thomasville) 10
31 Oct 2012	Thomasville, 45	18:20, Guthrie Edwards (Pelham) 11
29 Oct 2013	Thomasville, 25	17:12, Guthrie Edwards (Pelham) 12
29 Oct 2014	Thomasville, 31	18:29, Andrew Jackson (Thomasville) 12
Note: The 2010-2012 and 2014 meets were at Pebble Hill Plantation. The 2006-2009 and 2013 meets were at Kolomoki Mounds State Park.

Links

• Complete results of the 2014 GHSA Region 1-AA Cross-Country Meeting, courtesy of Miles and Minutes, LLC
  
  • Girls' 5K: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wajH-TlwEmDd31DlNtQo6nCTY01duDxAQAX-wdK_sio/pub
  • Boys' 5K: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A26UQVdwYry-rALz3x7WE233IDxdMwJhC72ZKYkWdfU/pub
  
  
• More photos of the 2014 GHSA Region 1-AA Cross-Country Championship
  
  • Girls' 5K:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10105254358819653.1073742035.5215641&l=43eb4ad07f
  • Boys' 5K: [ Coming Soon! Please Check Back! ]
  
  
• 2013 story, "Ancient mounds and young runners at Kolomoki"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/10/ghsaa-region-1-2a-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Thomasville runners continue Region 1-AA dominance"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/10/ghsa-region-1-aa-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "White and Rutherford lead a Thomasville sweep of Region 1-2A"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/ghsa-region-1-2a-2010.html
  
  
• Another race at Kolomoki Mounds, "Pate and Winkler conquer Kolomoki"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/08/kolomoki-moon-2013.html
  
• Kolomoki Mounds State Park
  http://gastateparks.org/KolomokiMounds
  
  
• Look for upcoming races around ancient monuments on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1240

Wil Luca, Rebekah Smith finish the season right at Yellow Jacket Cross Country Meet

Cross country season was winding down, but the high schools of Southwest Georgia and the neighboring portions of Florida found time for one last competition on Saturday, 25 August 2014--Thomas County Central's 22nd annual Yellow Jacket Invitational. Thomasville High junior Rebekah Smith won the girls' 5K in 20:58, but Berrien County took the team title with 47 points. Likewise, Leon High senior Wil Luca hammered the field in the boys' 5K with a 16:25, but Leon finished second to a Thomas County Central team that scored 74 points.


Since it was established in 1827, Greenwood plantation has had many distinguished visitors, including the Duke of Windsor, President Eisenhower, and Jacqueline Kennedy. In recent years, some regular fall visitors are the area's cross-country runners. The athletes come to the plantation to race in several meets, one of which was the 2014 edition of the Yellow Jacket Invitational. The Invitational opened at 9:00 AM with the high school girls' race. Finishing close to 250 meters ahead of the next runner, Thomasville Bulldog junior Rebekah Smith dominated the field of 71 runners, posting a 20:58. Bainbridge Bearcat frosh Uriyah Davis edged Rickards Raider sophomore Blessing Nkembo for the runner-up spot, 22:04 to 22:09. Rickard freshman Carina Richardson took fourth in 22:33, but the next two places went to Berrien County, with sophomore Janna Jernigan running 22:38 and senior Emily Boyd 22:40. Berrien County's next three scorers were senior Haley Jernigan (13th, 24:06), sophomore Alice Sensenbrenner (16th, 24:24), and frosh Magie Harper (17th, 24:33). That gave the Rebels a 47-point total and the team title. Thomasville was second in seven-team field with 59 points, while host team Thomas County Central was third with 66.


2014 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Girls

1. Berrien County, 47
2. Thomasville, 59
3. Thomas County Central, 66
4. Bainbridge, 89
5. Leon, 119
6. Cairo, 141
7. Florida State, 179

Top Ten High School Girls, 22nd annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 20:57.78 ~ Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11
2. 22:03.07 ~ Uriyah Davis (Bainbridge) 9
3. 22:08.24 ~ Blessing Nkembo (Rickards) 10
4. 22:32.22 ~ Carina Richardson (Rickards) 9
5. 22:37.45 ~ Janna Jernigan (Berrien County) 10
6. 22:39.57 ~ Emily Boyd (Berrien County) 12
7. 23:00.36 ~ Jacara Hayes (Thomasville) 11
8. 23:31.28 ~ Madison Campbell (Cairo) 9
9. 23:32.33 ~ Anna Gill (Leon) 9
10. 23:35.71 ~ Angela Cipriani (Thomas County Central) 10

The boys' 5K followed the girls' race. Like the first race, it wasn't close. In the last regular-season race of his high school career, Leon Lion senior Wil Luca put up a 16:25 to outrun a field of 86 athletes, crossing the finish line with a 130-meter lead. Thomas County Central junior Sam Gelabert finished second for the Yellow Jackets in 16:51, but the Lions answered with a 17:12 third-place performance by junior Danny Moore. Yellow Jacket junior Conley Wilhelm was seventh in 17:49. Thomas County Central's next three runners were juniors Jerrious Dee (13th, 18:12), Joshua Williams (19th, 18:38), and Johnathan Robinson (36th, 19:41). Each of the three finished ahead of their counterpart on the Leon team, earning the Yellow Jackets the top place in the nine-team field with 74 points. Leon was a close second with 80 points, and Bainbridge not much farther back with 86.


2014 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, High School Boys

1. Thomas County Central, 74
2. Leon, 80
3. Bainbridge, 86
4. Thomasville, 95
5. Berrien County, 109
6. Rickards, 131
7. Florida State, 171
8. Worth County, 175
9. Cairo, 249

Top Ten High School Boys, 22nd annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 16:24.47 ~ William Luca (Leon) 12
2. 16:50.88 ~ Sam Gelabert (Thomas County Central) 11
3. 17:11.63 ~ Danny Moore (Leon) 11
4. 17:17.19 ~ Solomon Stevens (Rickards) 11
5. 17:24.31 ~ Abraham Grandison (Rickards) 12
6. 17:36.26 ~ Travet Witherspoon (Thomasville) 12
7. 17:48.62 ~ Conley Wilhelm (Thomas County Central) 11
8. 17:49.99 ~ Hunter Tucker (Berrien County)
9. 17:51.65 ~ Andrew Jackson (Thomasville) 12
10. 17:57.32 ~ Bennett Enfinger (Bainbridge) 11

The high school races were followed by a middle school two mile. Anna James of Thomas County Central won the girls' competition, running 13:56, with Summer Williams of Florida State University School finishing runner-up in 14:32. Berrien County runners Devinity Jackson (3rd, 14:54), Maddie Harper (4th, 14:54), and Stephanie Kimbrell (5th, 15:02) took the next three places. The rebels also got top ten finishes from their next two runners--Natalie Nix (8th, 15:38) and Tiffany Boyette (9th, 15:45)--and that was enough to give the team a winning score of 29 points. Thomas County Central nipped Cook for second, 67 to 70.


2014 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Girls

1. Berrien County, 29
2. Thomas County Central, 67
3. Cook, 70
4. Florida State, 90
5. Whigham, 104

Top Ten Middle School Girls, 22nd annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 13:55.18 ~ Anna James (Thomas County Central) 6
2. 14:31.12 ~ Summer Williams (Florida State) 8
3. 14:53.32 ~ Devinity Jackson (Berrien County) 8
4. 14:53.63 ~ Maddie Harper (Berrien County) 6
5. 15:01.51 ~ Stephanie Kimbrel (Berrien County) 6
6. 15:14.85 ~ Gracie White (Cook) 7
7. 15:30.48 ~ Caytiana Smith (Cook) 7
8. 15:37.25 ~ Natalie Nix (Berrien County) 7
9. 15:44.53 ~ Tiffany Boyette (Berrien County) 8
10. 15:50.94 ~ Kasey Melton (Thomas County Central) 7

Jahaz Morgan of Florida State University School topped the middle school boys' standings with a 12:18. But Berrien County answered by putting four runners in the top ten--Ladarius Dumas (2nd, 12:43), CJ Guest (6th, 13:02), Ryan Lindsey (8th, 13:04), and Morgan Bolmer (9th, 13:08). Once their fifth scorer, Mason Sikes, had crossed the finish line in 16th with a 13:45, Berrien had 40 points and the middle school boys' team title. Florida State University School squeaked by MacIntyre Park for second in the team standings, 67 to 71.


2014 Yellow Jacket XC Invitational Team Standings, Middle School Boys

1. Berrien County, 40
2. Florida State, 67
3. MacIntyre Park, 71
4. Trinity Catholic, 109
5. Cook, 110
6. Thomas County Central, 115
7. Whigham, 198

Top Ten Middle School Boys, 22nd annual Yellow Jacket XC Invitational

1. 12:17.35 ~ Jahaz Morgan (Florida State) 6
2. 12:42.39 ~ Ladarius Dumas (Berrien County) 7
3. 12:52.17 ~ Baylen Young (MacIntyre Park) 6
4. 12:56.24 ~ Aidan Murtha (Trinity Catholic) 8
5. 12:56.40 ~ Cody Pezent (Cook) 8
6. 13:01.53 ~ Cj Guest (Berrien County) 7
7. 13:02.76 ~ Nathan Smith (MacIntyre Park) 6
8. 13:03.96 ~ Ryan Lindsey (Berrien County) 8
9. 13:07.41 ~ Morgan Bolmer (Berrien County) 7
10. 13:16.69 ~ Brandon Hopper (Thomas County Central) 8

Thomas County Central Yellow Jacket Invitational Cross-Country Meet Team Champs, 2008 - 2014
Date	Boys	Girls
18 October 2008	Tift County, 32 points	Valdosta, 30 points
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	Maclay, 41	Maclay, 30
25 October 2014	Thomas County Central, 74	Berrien County, 47

Thomas County Central Yellow Jacket Invitational Cross-Country Meet Individual Winners, 2008 - 2014
Date	Boys	Girls
18 October 2008	16:59, Hunter Honeycutt (Tift County)	21:12, JaCourtney Alexander (Cairo)
17 October 2009
16 October 2010
15 October 2011
20 October 2012
19 October 2013	16:13, Chase Harris (Bainbridge) 11	19:44, Paige Braswell (Bainbridge) 12
25 October 2014	16:25, Wil Luca (Leon) 12	20:58, Rebekah Smith (Thomasville) 11

Links

• Complete results of Thomas County Central's 2014 Yellow Jacket Cross-Country Invitational
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MQG5QXHdYuUcbxD0P7krrzpxtqL38AFt5rRWfpOnsMw/pub
  
  
• Can't get an invitation? Find an open race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1236