FIRST-EVER CROSS-COUNTRY BATTLE AT BLAKELEY THIS WEEKEND

BLAKELEY, Alabama—There are in fact two or three different ways of spelling it, but only one way to cross it on foot in a hurry: Run. That's what 22 cross-country teams will attempt to do in this inaugural event hosted by Spanish Fort High School and Blakeley State Park Saturday morning.

Races start at 8:30 a.m.

The Park entrance is about 4.3 miles north of U.S. Hwy 31 (Spanish Fort Boulevard, Spanish Fort, Ala.) on the west side of Alabama 225. Spectators are encouraged to get there early.

“We're really excited about that,” said Spanish Fort head coach Michael Rauch. “And it's a great place for it. We have a lot of teams from all over showing interest. It's a

great — I mean — great spot for running. We're going to have hills and trails and there's a bridge and maybe a lot of mud if it rains. We're calling it the Battle at Blakeley in honor of the Civil War battle there and we're going to try and include more of the historical part

to it. We're going to sell T-Shirts and we want to help the park, too. They have lost a lot of funding and I hope we can stir up more interest in it. It's great place to walk or run or bike, too.”

For more information and directions, go to: http://www.blakeleypark.com

COMING UP

Next week (Oct. 20) the Baldwin County Championships are set for Oct. 20 this year at Loxley Municipal Park. Spanish Fort will be the host team. The 6A Sectional Meets for Baldwin County will be at Graham Creek Nov. 1 and

the 5A sectionals are set for Mobile's Langan Park. The Alabama High School Athletic Association State Meet will be Nov. 10 at Oakville Indian Mounds Park near the Oakville-Moulton area again this year.

PIRATES GO PEACHY

Fairhope's CC teams went to Douglasville, Ga., last weekend to run in the Atlanta Classic.

Results and other information is on Yahr's website:

http://www.yahrrrr.com/cross-country/atlanta-classic/

Fairhope coach Tim Yahr said it was a fun and productive experience.

"The cross country team did a great job running and conducting themselves properly the whole weekend. I really appreciate our parent chaperones for helping out so much on the trip. The team could have had their head full of Six-Flag rides the morning of the race, but they took care of business first. The boys team finished 10th out of

23 teams. Hannah Evans placed fifth with a time putting her in the top 20 of all girls in the state of Alabama. Thomas Grace lead the way for the boys posting his best time of the year. Our JV girls were lead by Campbell Crocker and the JV boys by Anthony Heyer. Out of the 30 Pirate athletes competing this weekend, there were 19 PR's (personal records) and 6 SB's (season bests)."

Here are some results: Championship girls - Hannah Evans fifth place was followed by teammates, Kara McKinney and Anna Grace Claunch (no team).

Championship boys - Thomas Grace 16th, Tyler Pharez 39th, Caleb Casolaro 46th, llowed by Zack Davis, Josh Doege. 10th place out of 23 teams.

The open girls for Fairhope included Campbell Crocker, Lisa Kostelecky, Kate Street, Brennan Fitzgerald, Cassidy West, Jenna Oden. Sixth place team.

The open boys for the Pirates included Anthony Heyer 40th, Bradley Thomas 48th, Charles Reichley, Tyler Banser, Connor Ryan, Garett Pharez, Austin Luke, Jack Ellis, Walt Goolsby, Max Mortellaro, Alden Boutwell, Paul Clark, Jacob Seitz, Laramie Knipp-Greenwood, Cullen Waters, Jacob Doege. Sixth place team.

PRs were set by: Jacob Doege 26:10 from 30:13; Lisa Kostelecky 26:39 from 30:23; Alden Boutwell 23:01 from 25:36; Max Mortellaro 22:52 from 25:03; Campbell Crocker 26:08 from 27:29 (County goal time); Kara McKinney 24:31 from 25:41; Brennan Fitzgerald 29:47 from 30:43; Jenna Oden 30:53 from 31:36; Zack Davis 19:24 from 19:33 (State qualifying time; Caleb Casolaro 18:06 from 18:15; Walt Goolsby 22:28 from 22:36; Anthony Heyer 20:12 from 20:29 (County goal time); Bradley Thomas 20:19 from 21:26 (County goal time); Tyler Banser 20:37 from 21:38 (County goal time); Paul Clark 23:07 from 24:17; Jack Ellis 22:20 from 22:42; Charles Reichley 20:31 from 21:28 (County goal time); Jacob Seitz 23:07 from 25:04.

First 5K for Fairhope High: Kate Street 27:01. Pirate Pacers: Thomas Grace 5:30, 5:30, 5:29, 5:30; Tyler Pharez 5:42, 5:49, 5:47, 5:46; Tyler Banser 6:38, 6:40, 6:35, 6::38; Charles Reichley 6:38, 6:40, 6:30, 6:36; Hannah Evans 6:17, 6:23, 6:14, 6:18; Caleb Casolaro 5:48, 5:45, 5:54, 5:49.

JESSE OWENS CLASSIC

Also last week in Oakville, Ala., about 5,500 runners took part in the 14th Jesse Owens Cross Country Invitational at Oakville Indian Mounds Park where the Alabama state meet will be held in about a month.

Many local teams make the trip to help get a feel for the course. The Elite divisions were represented locally with strong finishes by McGill-Toolen's Carmen Carlos who won the overall Girls Gold with a time of 17:26.61 and Kathryn Lazarchick of UMS-Wright close behind in fifth. A young Spanish Fort girls team was a strong 16th out of 40 high-powered teams and led by Jordan Huber's 34th-place time of 20:56.37 in a field of 305. Tyler Orem led the 17th-place Toros with a 17:54.68 good for 43rd out of 363 individual runners.

The fastest boys time of the day of 15:56.61 was turned in by Quentin McKinnish of Morristown-Hamblin West (Tenn.). Led by Lazachick, the UMS-Wright Lady Bulldogs team took first-place in the Bronze Division while Bayside's Lady Admirals finished fourth. The Silver Division was also dominated by out-of-state teams including winners Brookwood and Chattanooga's Baylor School, both out of Tennesee.

Ryan Shankle of Bayside was the top Baldwin County boy taking ninth in the Bronze with a time of 17:26.85. The Lady Admirals were led by Mary Catherine Branyon's eighth-place time of 20:53.57 and Molly Pinnix with a top-20 finish at 17th in 21:55.58.

The overall elite teams were also dominated by out-of-state schools, except for Scottsboro, led by former SFHS coach Chris Schmidt, which finished in sixth-place.

Brentwood (Tenn.) took the boys title with a low of 68 points, In second was Trinity of Louisville (Ky.) with a 121 and Brookwood third with 154. Vestavia Hills was the top Alabama boys team in fourth with 183 points.

The girls team competition was also all out-of-state in the top 10 spots. Hamblin-West won the girls title with 102 points, followed by Brentwood (Tenn.) with 177 and Ravenwood (Tenn.) with 192. The best Alabama girls' finish was that of Pelham's in 11th.

For complete results, visit: www.cfpitiming.com/2012_Cross_Country_Season/Jesse_Owens_xc_2012/Jesse_Owens_xc_2012.htm

OPTIMIST AWARDS LOCALS

The Mobile Optimist Club honored 11 cross-country runners recently at the Admiral Semmes Hotel including many from Baldwin County.

From Spanish Fort, Tyler Orem and Jordan Huber were recognized by the club as their 4A-5A Cross Country Runners of the Week  for their performances at Jesse Owens and at the Race for Angelo Meet.

Bayside Academy runners Ryan Shankle and Mary Catherine Branyon were named as the club's Cross Country Runners of the Week in the the 1A-3A Classifications for their strong finishes at Jesse Owens.

Kaliegh Akers and John Walker from Daphne were also named 6A Runners of the Week for their finishes in the Race for Angelo Meet last week. Walker finished third in the Varsity Boys 5K race in 17:39.55, while Akers was fifth in the Varsity Girls’ race in 21:33.46.