The Choctaw County middle school boys cross country team won a meet at Okatibbee Lake Dam in Lauderdale County. The varsity boys finished 11th. Choctaw County did not run girls teams at the meet.
“I was really tickled,” Chargers' coach Andy Young said of his middle school team. “It's a really good group.” He also felt the varsity team ran well for the first meet of the season in extremely hot weather. “It was sweltering.”
In a field of 46 for the two mile middle school race, Choctaw County had the top two runners and 10 in the top 35 to finish with a team score of 28 West Lauderdale, the host school, was runner-up with 45.
Richard Fowler, an eighth grader, easily won the race with a time of 13:34.5. Jalon James, also an eighth grader, was runner-up in 14:18. They were followed across the finish line by Hayden Tuck, fifth in 14:34.9; Seth Miller, ninth in 15:38.6; Tate Miller, 15th in 17:07.6; Brodie Arnault, 16th in 17:11.4; Jason Jones, 18th in 17:27.3; Allen Landrum, 23rd in 18:09.5; Tamarrion Fleming, 29th in 18:36.6; and Anderson Chamblee, 35th in 20:36.8.
For the first time this year, the Mississippi High School Activities Association will hold middle school state championships Oct. 21 at Choctaw Trails in Jackson, site of the state meet. Seventh and eighth graders who did not run in any high school meet are eligible to run in the middle school meet.
Choctaw County’s high school team was led by senior Trenton McGee, 21st in 22:30 for 5,000 meters. Sophomore Isaac Burdine was 37th (23:58.9), senior Jered Bellew 41st (24:13.8).senior Landon Wells 71st (27:46.3), sophomore Micah Gammill 76th (28:31.4), junior Carson Betts 83rd (29:44.4), sophomore Kole Vowell 101st (32:56.9) and junior Jacob Miller 102nd (33:56.7).
Will Triplett of MRA won the meet with a time of 18:35.3. West Lauderdale won the team title.
Young said the course was “excruciating,” with three big hills. “It reminds me a lot of Choctaw Trails.”
Fowler’s two mile time of 13:45.5 was on a pace that would have placed him seventh in the high school meet with a time of 21:05.5 for 5K.
Choctaw County will compete in a meet at French Camp Saturday.
