Clay County’s middle and high school cross country teams delivered impressive performances in two meets this past week, competing at the Big Ditch Lake Invitational on September 16 and the Calhoun Invitational on September 20.
At the Big Ditch Lake race at Cowen, the Clay County Middle School girls’ team claimed second place overall, led by a standout performance from Marissa Atha, who finished second. Danae Stricker placed 14th, and Tara Conley followed closely in 16th, with all three earning medals. Teammates Lilian Goebel and Dolores Poland also contributed solid efforts to the team’s success. Dominating the field, the boys’ team brought home its first-ever first place team trophy of the season. Gunner Dobbins led the way with a fourth place finish, followed by Sam Hubbard at eighth, Holden Reed at tenth, Scott Butler at 14th, and James Mullens at 16th. Impressively, all five runners earned medals for their top twenty finishes.
The Clay County High School girls’ team earned second place overall at Big Ditch. McKinley Mahan placed fifth, Abigail Grandon came in ninth, Cheyanne Taylor finished 12th, and Ashley Roberts secured 19th – each earning individual medals. Led by Kaden Fitzwater’s seventh place finish, the boys’ team also took second place overall. Andrew Tanner and Isiah Woods both medaled at 19th and 20th, respectively, with teammates Daymian Stricker, Jackson Stricker, Evan Bass, and Toby Yeager rounding out the effort.
At the Calhoun Invitational, Atha continued her dominant season by winning the girls’ race with a time of 13:07, marking her sixth medal of the year. Stricker and Conley added to the medal count, placing 13th and 18th, respectively. Goebel and Poland once again contributed to a strong team showing. Dobbins led the boys with a ninth place finish, securing his third medal of the season. Mullens, Reed, and Butler also competed, maintaining the team’s competitive momentum.
For the high school girls’ team at Calhoun, Mahan placed ninth and Roberts came in 19th, both earning medals. Their consistent performance continues to anchor the high school girls’ team this season. For the boys, Fitzwater claimed a strong 5th-place finish, with Daymian Stricker also medaling in 19th. Yeager, Woods, and Jackson Stricker helped round out the team’s effort on the challenging Calhoun County Park course.
All teams now prepare for their next challenge at the Lincoln County Invitational in Hamlin on September 24, where they hope to continue building on their strong seasons.
