Worth the wait: WCMS runners open season strong

After having to wait a little longer than expected, White County Middle School's cross country runners finally got their season underway Thursday, Aug. 20, and they came away with plenty to celebrate.

An earlier meet had been canceled because of extreme heat advisories, making Thursday's race the first chance for the White County runners to see how they stacked up in competition. The Warriorettes came away with a team win, while the Warriors finished second.

Aubry Turner led the way for the White County girls, taking second overall in the two-mile race with a time of 15:44. Amelia Grizzard wasn't far behind, placing third in 18:17.

The Warriorettes then packed three more runners into the top seven. Riley Ryan finished fifth at 18:49, Kylie McCulley was sixth at 18:59 and Hailey Whitaker took seventh at 21:17. Those five finishes gave White County a team score of 23, enough to beat Fentress County Homeschool, which finished with 32.

Kyla Barnett also represented White County, crossing the finish line 12th in 22:38.

The Warriors had a runner near the front of the field as well. Tyler Meeks finished second overall with a time of 14:53, trailing only Providence Christian Academy's Parker Whitehouse.

Everett Lee came in eighth at 16:23, with teammates Justin Walden and Kane Webb right behind him. Walden finished ninth in 17:05, and Webb took 10th in 17:09. Cole Williams completed White County's lineup with an 11th-place finish in 18:58.

That gave the Warriors 40 points and second place as a team. Providence Christian Academy won the boys division with 20 points, while Fentress County Homeschool finished third with 60.

After having their scheduled opener wiped out by the heat, coach Jay Holcomb was happy to see his runners finally get the opportunity to compete.

“I am very proud of all of our runners for doing so well, and that’s what it’s all about,” Holcomb said. “Go Warriors!”

The Warriors and Warriorettes will be back on the course Saturday at the Macon Bank Invitational at Macon County High School. The boys are scheduled to run at 7:30 a.m., followed by the girls at 8 a.m.