Union County Boys Triumph, Girls Take Third at Season-Opening Cross Country Meet

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — The Union County High School boys cross country team flexed their muscles with a victory at home, capturing first place in the Union County Season Opener with 44 points, while the girls team finished third with 52 points in the high school division.

The meet, held Thursday, Aug. 28 at Meek's Park, featured teams from across north Georgia competing in 5K races on a challenging course. White County claimed the girls team title with 41 points, edging out Gilmer High (48) and Union County. In the boys race, Rockmart High School took second with 52 points, followed by a tie at 109 points between Johnson High School and White County, with Johnson placing third based on tiebreakers and White fourth.

Union County's boys were led by senior Holden Payne, who won the individual title in 18:12.16. Teammates Oliver Hillman (sixth, 19:17.64), Noah James Payne (10th, 19:37.00), Cody Dupuis (13th, 20:06.93) and Ander Faulkner (14th, 20:08.94) rounded out the scoring five, contributing to the team's average of 19:28.54.

On the girls side, Union County's Lola Hunter paced the team with a third-place finish in 22:12.40. Avery Hussion (ninth, 23:58.68), Macy Payne (11th, 24:24.14), Averie Tanner (19th, 26:35.97) and Kate Barrett (20th, 26:36.33) completed the scorers for an average of 24:45.51.

Towns County High School competed in the girls race, placing ninth with 225 points. Mary Durham led the team in 45th place with a time of 31:20.37, followed closely by Joyce Hou (46th, 31:22.47). Other contributors included Maelei Johnstone (58th, 33:32.66), Jamie McCarter (66th, 35:59.44) and Molly Howell (71st, 37:48.09), for a team average of 34:00.61. Towns County did not field a full boys team but had individual entrants, with Jason Chavero finishing 65th in 23:27.67 and Emory Hardin 78th in 24:09.72.

In the girls individual race, White County's Carly Black took first in 21:17.29, followed by teammate Julie Black in second (21:25.89). The boys race saw Rockmart's Trevor Oscarson as runner-up in 18:21.14 behind Holden Payne.

Other girls team results: Johnson HS fourth (137), Rockmart fifth (141), Rabun County sixth (164), Tri-County Early College seventh (172) and Georgia Cumberland Academy eighth (214). Boys: Gilmer High fifth (111), Horizon Christian Academy sixth (181), Rabun County seventh (184), Georgia Cumberland Academy eighth (197) and Ringgold High School ninth (220).