HMS Runners Taste Victory on Tuesday

(Photo by Hilary Goodrich)

The HMS boys cross country team stands atop the podium and celebrates a victory on Tuesday.

By Travis Dockery

The Mountain Buzz

TALLULAH FALLS, Ga. — Hayesville Middle School’s boys cross country team won the Cookies ’n Quotes XC Festival on Tuesday, Sept. 8, finishing first among 13 teams with 38 points — a 30-point margin over the runner-up.

The Yellow Jackets put all five scoring runners among the top 15 in a field of 116 on the 3-kilometer course. Gage Jones placed second in 10 minutes, 27.92 seconds. Eli Danico was third in 10:44.22. Colton Crawford finished 10th in 11:37.89, Caiden Curtis 11th in 11:38.37 and Nash Carter 15th in 12:01.86.

Isaac Townes Lomauro (21st, 12:35.14), Jackson Badger (23rd, 12:36.71), Bentley Smith (24th, 12:38.01), Ladyn Giddens (29th, 12:59.31) and Martin Ledford (31st, 13:02.22) also finished for Hayesville. Salvadore Gabe Garcia placed 60th in 14:57.18 and Wyatt Smith 87th in 17:27.93.

From left to right, Ava Burns - 7th, Gracie Taylor - 6th, Savannah Frey -8th

The Hayesville girls finished sixth of 10 teams. Gracie Taylor led the Yellow Jackets in 31st place at 15:29.74. Ava Burns was 36th in 15:53.96, Savanna Frey 44th in 16:37.89, Natalie Wilson 45th in 16:45.02 and Ellie Brown 55th in 17:34.26.

The meet gave both squads a nonconference test against regional teams on a true cross-country course.

Coach Hilary Goodrich said a Bill Bowerman quote shared at the meet captured the day: “The real purpose of running isn’t to win a race, it’s to test the limits of the human heart.”

Next up for HMS runners is the Keith Payne Memorial Invitational in Swain County on Saturday, Sept. 9.