JeffCo Cross Country Championship: Rockets sweep for second straight year
Published 12:45 am Saturday, October 30, 2010
- Gardendale’s Miller Wood rounds the turn headed into the home stretch as the boys’ leader in the Jefferson County Cross Country Championships on Thursday at Pinson Valley. Wood beat Hueytown’s Zack Bonds by 41 seconds to take the individual title. The Rockets won both the boys and girls divisions for the second straight year.
With top runners of both sexes returning from injuries, Gardendale completed a first-place sweep of both divisions for the second straight year as they triumphed in the 16th Annual Jefferson County Cross Country Championship at Pinson Valley on Thursday.
Gardendale runner Miller Wood, who had been sidelined with tendonitis for a couple of weeks, was back in form as he cruised over the tough PV course in 18 minutes, 43 seconds. That was 41 seconds faster than runner up Zack Bonds of Hueytown. John Craft of Clay-Chalkville was third, and Gatlin Holland of Mortimer Jordan placed fourth.
“The toughest thing was getting back into race mode,” Wood said shortly after finishing his run.
Gardendale edged Hueytown by 20 points in the team results. Jordan was third.
On the girls side, Ryan Spahn of Shades Valley/JeffCo International Baccalaureate continued her domination, with her winning time of 22:25 being more than a minute and a quarter faster than second-place Haley Wallace of Hueytown. Indeed, Spahn’s time would have put her among the top 20 runners in the boys division.
Haylie McCleney of Jordan was third, followed by Gardendale’s Hannah Haygood, who was also coming off a mild injury.
The Rockets placed five runners in the top nine spots to run away with the team results. Hueytown was second.
Full results:
BOYS: 1. Gardendale, 33 points; 2. Hueytown, 53; 3. Mortimer Jordan, 67; 4. Erwin, 136; 5. Clay-Chalkville, 168; 6. Shades Valley, 190; 7. Fultondale, 273. No official score: Pleasant Grove, Pinson Valley, Corner, Minor. Individuals: 1. Miller Wood (Gard), 18:43; 2. Zack Bonds (Huey), 19:24; 3. John Craft (C-C), 19:44; 4. Gatlin Holland (MJ), 19:54; 5. Hunter Haynes (Huey), 20:39; 6. Chase Downer (Gard), 21:11; 7. Zac Nichols (Gard), 21:21; 8. Garrett Wallace (Huey), 21:23; 9. Jeremy Clemons (Gard), 21:26; Blake Powell (Gard), 21:39.
GIRLS: 1. Gardendale, 34; 2. Hueytown, 92; 3. Shades Valley, 102; 4. Pleasant Grove, 104; 5. Mortimer Jordan, 131. No official score: Erwin,, Minor. Individuals: 1. Ryan Spahn (SV/IB), 22:25; 2. Haley Wallace, (Huey), 23:44; 3. Haylie McCleney (MJ), 25:42; 4. Hannah Haygood (Gard), 25:57; 5. Chelsea Henderson (PG), 26:06; 7. Alex Martin (Gard) 26:28; 8. Ashley Wheeler (Gard); 9. Lacy Orris (Gard); 10. Alicia Farris (Gard).
