Boys Championship
The field was full of a lot of NCISAA stars including defending 1A and 2A champs Quinn Schneider (Woodlawn School) and Luke Evans (Westchester). The field was lead by Noah Dolhare (Providence Day) and Joseph Wilson (Unattached) as they made their way up the hill and towards the lake. Defending champ Jackson Ellenburg (Summerville) also was sitting just off this group. Schneider looks to have not gotten out as well as he would of liked and had to make up some ground after the mile, but sat in fourth at the lake. The headed back into the woods with no one establishing a lead.
They came out of the lake and it was between Evans, Wilson, Dolhare, and Schneider who all were within striking distance. But it was Dolhare who was able to pull ahead to take the win in 15:59 with Evans just behind in 16:01. Dolhare had been close to breaking 16 a handful of times on this course last season and was relieved to finally dip under that barrier this weekend.
Evans 2nd place time was 16:01, a 27 second PR for the Junior. Wilson came in 3rd in 16:05 followed by Schneider in 16:07 for fourth.
North Carolina was able to sweep the top 4 spots, but on the team battle it was all St. Pius X (GA). They placed 5 in the top 15 with a 32 second split from 1-5 scoring 45 points. Charlotte Catholic looked strong with just a 35 second gap from their 1-5 and took 2nd over Asheville.
Girls Championship
Sara Platek (Ragsdale) made her first ever trip out to McAlpine and was ready to run a fast time. She had a huge lead over the field at the mile marker over Audrey Honiotes (GA). Trailing Honiotes was Melissa Zammitti (Davidson Day) and Mariah Howlett (LNC), followed by a large group of girls. As they made their way around the lake Zammitti began to make her move and was reeling in Honiotes. Sarah LaTour and Alexia Noch (Cuthbertson) began to move up as well after a conservative first mile.
Zammitti caught Honiotes over the last mile and even made up some ground on Sara Platek, but Platek's early lead was too much and she took the win in 18:01, with Zammitti coming in at 18:14. Zammitti's time was a 35 second PR in her season debut. Honiotes was not too far behind running 18:23. Mariah Howlett found herself running all by herself over the last mile and finished right at her PR of 18:42. The Cuthbertson duo of LaTour and Noch came in together running 18:56 and 18:57 respectively.
The 5th and 6th place finish by LaTour and Noch propelled Cuthbertson to a team title scoring 91 points. St Pius X (GA) and Hillgrove (GA) took 2nd and 3rd respectively scoring 147 points and 169 points. Carolina Day School were fourth, they have as strong of a top 4 as anyone, but lack a #5 girl. Myers Park was fifth without Kate Eiselt who ran 19:01 at adidas Challenge yesterday.