KNOXVILLE – Wednesday was a good day for runners from Greeneville, South Greene and West Greene at the Section 1 Cross Country Meet as all three programs were able to send runners to next week’s state championship meet.
“We did what we came to do. We met the number one goal, and that is to qualify for state,” Greeneville coach Larry Blalock said.
The day was highlighted by Greeneville senior Trey Bailey who ran away from the field on the five-kilometer course at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville. Bailey captured the Class AA Section 1 Championship by finishing in 15:25.35, more than one minute ahead of second place. His time was the second fastest ever on the course at Victor Ashe Park.
“I had a really good day. I’m very proud of how I ran,” Bailey said. “I came in with a lot of confidence. I know that I’ve been training hard all season, and sometimes you have to prove that on the course.”
Bailey’s attention now turns to repeating as the Class AA State Champion next week in Memphis.
“We just have to go in with confidence,” Bailey said. “The slate is wiped clean and it will be a totally different race. We have a philosophy that once we win something we don’t want to see someone else take it. I won state last year, and I want to go back to Memphis and win one more state title in cross country as a senior.”
Bailey was not the only Greene Devil with a strong showing on Wednesday. Jules Richard came in third place in a time of 17:07.35. That helped the Greene Devils finish in third place as a team and earn a return trip to the state meet as a team.
Grant Tunnell came in 19th place, Mason Boatman was 26th, Riley DiSalvo 27th, Jesse Reneau 36th and Sawyer Goodwin 51st.
“Jules stepped up for us today and finished third, that was big for us. The other guys did what we needed to qualify. They have experienced the state race before, and I think it will be a little more special going again,” Blalock said.
Volunteer won the team championship with 52 points, Unicoi was second with 61, Greeneville third with 76, and Elizabethton fourth with 130.
The Greeneville girls brought a new-look squad to Knoxville on Wednesday and with the boost to the lineup earned a spot in the state meet as well with a fourth-place finish.
“It’s a great feeling to see them earn that spot. We’ve been planning for this and knew that we would get five girls and that would give us a chance. They came through. Three in the top 15 was huge. They got in front and ran really well.”
Maggie Moore, one day removed from competing in the soccer state tournament, led the Lady Greene Devils with a third-place finish in 20:00.15. Ashlynn Ranly was fifth in 21:02.91, and Bethany Knight was 15th in 22:29.90. All three earned All-Section honors.
Leigha DiAngelis was 37th, Willow Aiken 51st and Linnea Link 58th. All three were added to the lineup late in the year and gave Greeneville enough runners to compete as a team.
It is the first time since 2013 that both the Greeneville boys and girls have qualified for state in the same season.
“It’s a historic day for Greeneville,” Blalock said. “This year that means a lot to me. I’ve had to deal with health issues, and I have to thank coach Woolsey for taking care of things in the summer and coach Bowman for coming in and helping out running the day to day things. It means a lot to me for them to step up and do that and to show that kind of support. It’s a big deal to be taking two teams to state.”
Cherokee won the team championship with 55 points. Sullivan East was second with 92 points, Volunteer was third with 106 points and the tiebreaker over Greeneville who also had 106 points. Elizabethton’s Arvella Nave won the individual title in 19:14.39.
In the Class A Sectional, the South Greene girls came in third place and advanced to next week’s state championship meet.
Chelsea Metcalf led the Lady Rebels with a second-place finish in 20:29.99. She ran in front for much of the race but University High’s Lucy Smith passed her in the closing stretch to claim the individual title.
“Chelsea works hard. She really wanted first, but she laid it all on the line and ran a great race. I’m really proud of her,” South Greene coach Joe Case said.
South Greene’s Ava Leasure finished 12th in 23:35.74 to earn All-Section honors. Kinzlee Darnell was 28th, Riley Walters 30th and Aubrii Gregg 44th.
“The girls did an amazing job. I’m really proud of each of them,” Case said. “I can’t ask for anything more out of them. We felt like we had a chance to qualify as a team, and they ran amazing to achieve that goal. I’m really excited that they earned this opportunity.”
University High won the girls team title with 23 points, Gatlinburg-Pittman was second with 73 points, South Greene third with 76 points and Copper Basin fourth with 86.
In the Class A boys race South Greene’s Noah Case finished in in third place in a time of 17:11.81, and West Greene’s Julian Greenlee was 15th in 18:42.80. Both earned trips to the state championship meet.
“It’s exciting for Noah. He’s our lone senior and I’m really proud of him. Today he ran a great race. He ran a tactical race, and ran with the lead group,” Case said.
Lucas Matthews of University High won the individual championship in 16:55.68. The Buccaneers won the team title with 26 points. Gatlinburg-Pittman was second with 32, CSLA third with 108 and CSAS fourth with 128.
The state championship meet will be held on Friday, November 6 at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis.
