Three CHS runners qualify for State at Regional Meet
Submitted by
Ahli-sha Stephens
The Cherokee Varsity Cross Country team traveled to Hendersonville on Saturday, Oct. 31 for the Western Regional Championships. It was a rainy, fall morning and the runners braved the cold to compete against the other schools for a spot in the State Championship Meet. A total of three runners from Cherokee High School qualified for the State Meet including: Gerald Mahan from the boys team and Shayne Ledford and Jordyn Thompson from the girls team.
Freshman Jordyn Thompson finished in 10th position and earned All-Regional team honors. Her teammates, junior Paige Jackson and sophomore Shayne Ledford finished in 20th and 18th place respectively. Ledford had to overcome an ankle injury to make the State Meet.
Cherokee’s boys team took two young runners: Welsey Bird and Gerald Mahan. Both men had an outstanding run on the wet and muddy terrain. Wesley Bird completed his season with a 49th place finish and freshman Gerald Mahan finished in 27th place securing a spot as an individual runner at the state meet.
“Cross Country isn’t easy,” said Coach Eddie Swimmer. “These runners have to run for three miles straight – no quarters, no time outs and no stopping till the finish. These runners have to be proud of themselves for the discipline and hard work they showed this season.”
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Three from Cherokee compete in State Finals
One Feather staff report
Carol Blankenship of East Wilkes raced to victory by more than a minute over the field, finishing in 18:59.30 to take the Women’s 1-A Cross Country title at Tanglewood on Saturday, Nov. 7. Robbinsville, paced by Tacey Tammell who finished third overall, scored 62 points to capture the team title by 15 points over Hendersonville.
Science and Math was third in the women’s standings with 111, followed by Kernersville Bishop McGuinness (132) and Gray Stone Day (136).
The top five finishers in the women’s division included:
1st – Carol Blankenship, East Wilkes, 18:59.30
2nd – Jodie Lemons, North Stokes, 20:09.99
3rd – Tacey Trammell, Robbinsville, 20:15.95
4th – Meredith Bennett, Bishop McGuinness, 20:28.51
5th – Frances Dougherty, NC School of Science and Math, 20:29.29
Cherokee’s Jordan Thompson, a freshman, finished in 22nd place with a time of 22:04.05 and Shayna Ledford, a sophomore, finished in 59th place with a time of 24:00.17.
Gray Stone Day took the 1-A men’s team crown with 65 points, followed by Hayesville (72), Robbinsville (86), Durham N.C. School of Science and Math (104) and Hendersonville (117).
The top five finishers in the men’s division included:
1st – Matus Kriska, Mount Airy, 16:34.13
2nd – Daltonn Wally, Gray Stone Day, 16:47.33
3rd – Sean Kluttz, South Stanly, 16:57.41
4th – Tyler Breedlove, Hayesville, 17:07.25
5th – Tyler Massey, Robbinsville, 17:13.53
Cherokee’s Gerald Mahan, a freshman, finished in 68th place with a time of 19:16.09.
